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Currently, Mrs. Nishek teaches fourth grade at Mt. Hall Elementary, but she hasn’t always taught fourth grade. In fact, Mrs. Nishek started at the high school, where she taught Early Childhood Development and then spent a few years teaching at the middle school. When a position came open at Mt. Hall, she thought she’d try her hand at teaching elementary students.
Next year, Mrs. Nishek is taking on another teaching adventure and will be teaching kindergarten at Mt. Hall!
Speaking of adventure, Mrs. Nishek is quite the thrill-seeker herself. Just last year, she had the opportunity to travel to Alaska to be present during the opening ceremonies of the Iditarod. To inspire the sense of adventure in her students, her class just completed an interactive Iditarod project. Just short of being in Alaska themselves, her students researched this wild event, and became experts on mushers, dog sleds, and the Alaskan terrain.
It was fun to watch the kids get so into this project.
Besides the Iditarod, Mrs. Nishek is always thinking outside of the box and is seeking new ways to inspire her students to be the best learners they can be. She is not just looking to push her students, but all of the students at Mt. Hall.
This January, she went to a training on increasing the rigor in the classroom. She came back and was able to share some of the knowledge with the staff.
Mrs. Nishek also inspires educators throughout the district.
Her former colleague, Mrs. Jenny Mackey, said “Laura is one of the most selfless, giving, dedicated teachers that I have ever seen. [She] spends countless hours creating elaborate lessons, crossing multiple subjects, that intrigue her students. She is caring and kind; always there for her students. Her passion for her students is contagious. It has been a pleasure getting to work with her both at [BCMS] and Mt Hall Elementary.”
Mr. Jason Murray, the fourth grade teacher at Naples Elementary and Mrs. Nishek’s mentee, has this to say about Laura, “As my mentor, Laura gave me the freedom to find my own strengths as a teacher. She also provided critical feedback that helped me develop a more efficient classroom.”
Mrs. Nishek lives in Bonners Ferry with her husband, Doug. They have two children, Keith and Hannah. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her wonderful family and living a healthy lifestyle.
Last I heard, Mrs. Nishek set a personal challenge of running a marathon! I’m excited for what next year is going to bring and for Mrs. Nishek’s new adventure.
Thank you, Mrs. Nishek! You make Mt Hall a great place for students to learn, play, and grow.
Go Mrs. Nishek! Go Wildcats!