BCSD's April Certified Employee of the Month

If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Angie Schnuerle, you might be shocked to discover that she has been teaching for 22 years. I say shocked because Ms. Schnuerle does not look like she’s been teaching for 22 years. Her contagious laugh, passion for education, and love for her students keeps her young in the eyes of those her know her.

Ms. Schnuerle took a big leap of faith when she graduated college from LCSC and attended a job fair in the great state of Alaska. She left the fair and came back to Idaho. A couple of months later she was offered a teaching position to teach in a small rural village that was only accessible by plane. Ms. Schnuerle jumped at the opportunity, and she lived and taught in Alaska for 12 years.

Being close to her family, Ms. Schuerle was considering moving back down to the lower 48. When she was visiting one summer, she saw that her alma mater, Mt. Hall Elementary was hiring a kindergarten teacher. Having never taught kindergarten, Ms. Schnuerle took another leap of faith and accepted the job of kindergarten teacher. Ms. Schnuerle taught kindergarten for nine years, and in that time she helped shape the minds of almost 200 little Wildcats.

From my experience working with Ms. Schnuerle, I know that once you are a student in Ms. Schnuerle’s class you will always be considered one of her kids. Every morning Ms. Schnuerle stands at the front entrance of Mt. Hall, and she greets each and every student with a smile, a hug, and a good morning. In Ms. Schnuerle’s words, “It’s a lovely way to start the day.”

Last year, Ms. Schnuerle was up for another challenge, and she and another teacher approached me about switching grade levels. Ms. Schnuerle suddenly became the new 4th grade teacher at Mt. Hall. This past year has been fun to watch Ms. Schnuerle in a new role. She has had this class before as kindergarteners, and now instead of teaching them to count and read, she’s teaching them to engage with their texts and take academic risks.

One skill that Ms. Schnuerle taught in kindergarten that she is still teaching in fourth grade is the importance of being kind. With the help of a generous anonymous donor, the class recently spearheaded a kindness project. Every student has a special shirt that says, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind!” Whenever a student wears their shirt, they draw a kindness challenge from a jar, and their task that day is to complete it. This social experiment has been infectious and has brought a lot of happiness to our school.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Schnuerle holds various leadership positions. She leads our school in the RTI process, as well as organizes Dr. Seuss Day every year. She is a mentor to new teachers, and she is always looking for ways to improve our district. Outside of school, Ms. Schnuerle enjoys spending time with her family, especially her nieces and nephews, and her beloved puppy. It’s such a distinct pleasure to know and work with the lovely Angie Schnuerle. She makes Mt. Hall Elementary and Boundary County School District a great place to learn, play, and grow! Go Ms. Schnuerle, and Go Wildcats!