May Spotlight Teacher of the Month

May Teacher Feature: 

Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students. ~Solomon Ortiz

 

Kendall Nordlund is in her fifth year of teaching in the elementary at Clearbrook-Gonvick. 

She was originally from Central Illinois, but became familiar with the area when her dad lived up here many years ago.  After college she moved up and has lived here for twelve years now! In 2015 she married Sam and they live outside of Clearbrook on the farm.  Kendall teases him all of the time that she went the wrong direction when she got done with college, but now she is stuck here in the frigid Nort’!  In 2018, they had Rhett and Reid and life has been crazy and wonderful ever since! 

Why did you choose to teach?  One of my favorite parts of teaching is when I have a super engaging lesson and the students are just loving every minute of it.  When I look around the room and the students are working together, asking each other questions, and sharing their experiences- that is just the best feeling.  Watching kids enjoy learning new things is one of the best parts of teaching and I believe that is why I wanted to become a teacher. I wanted to be a part of that learning and discovery with them.   

What did you do before coming to Clearbrook-Gonvick?  Prior to getting my elementary education degree I earned an associates degree in veterinary technology. When I graduated with that I got a job at Clearwater Veterinary Services in Gonvick and that’s how I ended up here!  I worked at the clinic for five years and loved working with animals, but knew I would eventually go into elementary education.   

What is the best part of your job at Clearbrook-Gonvick?  The lunches!  The lunches are amazing, but I have to say the best part are the people I work with.  For not being from around this area, this group has welcomed me in and I have felt so much support from them. We have rockstar teachers, administration, and staff at C-G and I am so proud to get to work beside them! 

What is the biggest challenge of your job?  Time!  There never seems to be enough time to do everything!  There are so many super creative ways to teach lessons, but there never seems to be enough time in the day to get them prepped and all in!  Between meetings, committees, grading papers, hanging projects up, taking projects down- there just is never enough time to do it all! 

If you could have any job in the world - what would it be? Why?  My students and I just talked about what we wanted to be when we grow up!  They thought it was silly when I said that when I grow up I want to be a professional chef with a TV show.  (Apparently they think I am already too grown up to have another job!) I am definitely not the best cook or baker around, but I think it would be a lot of fun to get to cook and bake all day long!  

What do you do when you are not working at the school? Watch cooking shows and constantly chase around a couple of eight-month-old boys!  If I have the time, I love to read. I also enjoy being with family and friends. We love to go check cows as a family or ride in the tractor with Sam. During the summer I start really strong with our garden, but I won’t lie, it fades about mid-summer! Maybe this summer will be the summer I don’t tire of pulling weeds! 

What do you plan to do over your summer vacation? Survive Rhett and Reid.  Enough said. I have two aunts that come up from Illinois for a week right after school gets done.  It is a week of relaxing, lots of good food, playing cards, and is just the perfect time for after the school year!!  After they leave I have big plans on getting some landscaping done around the house. Sam and I are also planning on taking the boys to Duluth for a little family vacation-wish us luck!  It will be a great summer being outside with the boys! 

What are your favorite aspects of the Clearbrook-Gonvick community? I have always loved the small town feeling of Clearbrook-Gonvick!  Everybody is so nice and willing to help out in the community when needed.  The local businesses are so supportive of the school and students. I love going to the local grocery store and seeing a past student working and talking about what they are doing in school.  It is just great all around! 

And now a few words from the students about Kendall Nordlund....

What do you think Mrs. Nordlund does when she is not at school? “She is good at making brownies” “Make burgers” “Make tacos” “Makes brownies”  “Plays with her babies” “Takes a nap” “Help her family” “Take care of her family” “She must be sick”

What is the best thing about Mrs. Nordlund? “She is nice” “She likes tacos” “She is fun” “She gives us free time” “She is nice” “She is really nice” “She is helpful” “She helps us learn and takes care of us” “She lets us do fun stuff”

What do you think Mrs. Nordlund was like when she was in school? “Nice” “Smart” “Really caring” “Fun” “Really, really, really, really nice” “I bet she slept during class” “Kind” “Nice, helpful and pretty” 

What do you think Mrs. Nord-lund should plan to do over her summer break? “Go outside” “Go swimming” “Train the boys” “Go swimming” “Play with Sam, Rhett, and Reid” “Play with her kids”  “Take care of Sam, Rhett and Reid” “Have fun”

If you could send Mrs. Nordlund on a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you send her?  Why would you send her there? “China so she can see baby pandas.” “Haiti”  “Hawaii” “Illinois to see her family” “I would send her to the North Pole because she is too much a napper.” “Illinois” “Florida or Illinois” “

Besides being a teacher, what is another job you could see Mrs. Nordlund doing? “Farming” “A chef” “Taking care of other kids” “Work with her boys” “Be a farmer” “Be a vet again” “Be a principal” “Cook in a restaurant” 

What is one thing Mrs. Nordlund ALWAYS says? “Be quiet” “Get out daily language” “Be quiet” “Get out your daily math” “Take a fishing pole” “Be quiet” “Be quiet, please”