Post Messenger Recorder -

Brooke Tonyan, Elementary Special Education, Age 3-Grade 2

Hello, my name is Brooke Tonyan and I am the new 4K-2nd Grade Special Education Teacher! I graduated from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, and this will be my second year teaching Special Education. I love working with kids and helping them grow. I can't wait for all of the students to come back to school!

In my spare time, I enjoy being with my friends and family, scrapbooking, and baking. The Monticello staff has made me feel so welcomed and I am ecstatic to be joining a great team of people. I am looking forward to a great school year and joining the Monticello community! 

Kathleen Gierhart, Special Education, Grades 3-5

Hello! My name is Ms. Kathleen Gierhart. I am the new Special Education teacher for grades 3-5. I graduated from Edgewood College in December, with a degree in Early Childhood: Regular and Special Education. During my undergraduate studies, I did many placements in the Madison area school districts. At a young age, I was drawn to the profession of teaching due to the wonderful teachers I had growing up. I enjoy working with children and playing a role in helping them prepare for their futures.

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, camping, reading, and cooking. I am looking forward to this opportunity to work in the same school and community that I grew up in!

Tanya Smith, Speech & Language Pathologist

My name is Tanya Smith and I am the new speech and language pathologist for the Juda/Monticello School Districts. I grew up in Monticello and am very excited to be back as a staff member. I graduated from Monticello in 2012, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. I graduated from Whitewater with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2016, and a Master's Degree in Speech and Language Pathology in 2017. During my master's program, I completed placements at the UW-Whitewater on campus clinic, the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, and Tibbets Elementary in Elkhorn.

I am currently living in Janesville and love to read, spend time with friends and family, run and watch Badger Basketball. I am looking forward to working with the students, staff and the Monticello community. Go Ponies!

Rachel Rufer, Family & Consumer Education

Hello everyone. I am Rachel Rufer, from Monticello. I grew up here until my teenage years, when I moved to Monroe and graduated from there. I then came back to Monticello, since this was always my home. I attended Madison Area Technical College. I have been in the Early Childcare field for the last twenty years. I currently own Kids Korner (the before and after school-age program) here at Monticello Schools, for the last 15 years. I have always been very involved in our wonderful community. So many of you may already know me and or I have watched many of your children. I have two children of my own, Jacy, 16, and Evan, 13. I will be taking on the role of the new FCS teacher and FCCLA Advisor. I am very excited to be working with you and your children. I am looking forward to a wonderful year.

Melissa Hubbard, Grades 5-8 Science

I will be the 5-8 grade science teacher at Monticello. I am happy to return to the Midwest after three years teaching science in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

My husband, Karl, and I recently purchased a home and will both be teaching. I am excited to be at Monticello and back to the small-town life.  My hobbies include running, crafting, and hiking.

Gabriel Zielke, Physical Education/Health

Hello, my name is Gabe Zielke and I am the new Physical Education and Health teacher here in Monticello. Allow me to let you know a little bit about me and my family. I have been married for just over two years to my beautiful wife, Sara, and we have a one-year-old son named Zane. When I am not busy teaching or coaching, I love to spend as much time as possible with them. We tend to enjoy pretty much any outdoor activity that we can do together.

I grew up in a small town like Monticello, in northern Wisconsin named Glidden. My interests while growing up included sports, logging with my dad, as well as hunting and fishing. One interest that really stuck with me was playing sports after high school. This is what led me to attend the University of Wisconsin-Superior, where I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education and Health. While there, I was blessed enough to compete on the track and field team, throwing javelin as my main event.

As I look forward to the year to come, I am excited to be a part of the Pony staff.

Mary Cormican, Director of Pupil Services

I have worked in education for over 28 years and in special education for 25 years. I was a Special Education teacher for grades 3-8 in Wisconsin Dells, WI, for 20 years. Most recently, the past four years, I worked as a special education diagnostician for the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District. 

I am happily married for almost 25 years to my wonderful husband, John.  We have three children, Caralynn, who is completing her Master's Degree in Social Work at UW-Green Bay and is married to Ryan; Brian, a junior at UW-Platteville studying Mechanical Engineering; and Sean, a sophomore at UW-Platteville studying Industrial Technology Management. Sean also plays football and throws shot and disc. We also have two Labradoodles, Sadie, 4, and LuLu, 2.

Photo courtesy of Jean McMannes

Mary Cormican.

My first teaching job was in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where I fell in love with smaller, rural school districts. I like the sense of community and family that surrounds rural districts and the partnership that develops between home and school with the common goal of educating and supporting our students to reach their potential and prepare them for careers and/or post-secondary education. I am excited to be a part of the Monticello School District and I look forward to meeting everyone as the school year gets underway.

John Baebler, Custodian

Hi, my name is John Baebler, and I'm your newest custodian. I come here after many years in the cheese business. Working here is a nice change of pace. My family and I are life-long residents of the Monticello area. My wife, Kathleen, and I are both MHS alums, as are my children, J.R., Nicole, and Kallista. In fact, you can trace my family roots here back to the beginning of Monticello Schools. I have a grandson, John, who hopefully will be in our school soon too. I look forward to meeting you throughout the upcoming school year.