✨⭐This week’s KWAY Teacher of the Week is Jason Groth, social studies teacher at Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School! ⭐✨
Jason Groth is being celebrated for his refreshing positivity and his willingness to do whatever it takes to connect with his community—even if it means wearing historical costumes in class to better illustrate a historical concept or person, or suiting up as Santa Claus for the school district’s "Christmas on Main" window display!
Jason received a flood of nominations from both students and colleagues who wanted to share how he makes learning engaging and "real."
Students mentioned how much they love watching "CNN 10" to see what is happening around the world.
Another student shared that even on hard days, Mr. Groth is a "reliable source to talk to" who "genuinely cares about our growth."
One colleague called his goal-setting work "exemplary," noting that he gives students "clear paths on how to succeed."
Whether he is teaching history or spreading holiday cheer, Jason lives out the district's core values by creating Opportunities for every student to shine.
Listen to the announcement on KWAY radio here.
Please join us in celebrating Jason Groth, an invaluable member of the Waverly-Shell Rock team!
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Nominations for KWAY's Teacher of the Week feature are being accepted continuously through the last week of the 2025-2026 school year.
Use this form to submit a nomination: https://tinyurl.com/WSRTeacherOfTheWeek
💛🖤 It’s a great day to be a Go-Hawk! Thank you for showing true Go-Hawk spirit 🦅✨
✨⭐This week’s KWAY Teacher of the Week is Christine McCubbin, Preschool Teacher at the Little Go-Hawk Learning Center!⭐✨
Christine is being recognized for her compassionate dedication to making her preschool classroom a safe and inclusive learning space for our youngest learners.
Christine was nominated by a parent, who shared a touching story about how Mrs. McCubbin went above and beyond to welcome their son with special needs. The parent noted that Christine worked tirelessly to put their mind at ease and ensure their son’s unique needs were met.
The parent wrote: “Her welcoming and calming voice puts students at ease and makes them want to come to school each day.”
By ensuring every child feels safe and included from the very first minute, Christine truly embodies the district’s core value of Belonging for our littlest Go-Hawks.
Listen to the announcement on KWAY Radio here.
Please join us in celebrating Christine McCubbin, an invaluable member of the Waverly-Shell Rock team!
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Nominations for KWAY's Teacher of the Week feature are being accepted continuously through the last week of the 2025-2026 school year.
Use this form to submit a nomination: https://tinyurl.com/WSRTeacherOfTheWeek
💛🖤 It’s a great day to be a Go-Hawk! Thank you for showing true Go-Hawk spirit 🦅✨
🎄✨ Happy Holidays from Waverly-Shell Rock! ✨🎄
Classes resume January 5, 2026
As we wrap up a 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 December, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to our students, staff, families, and community for making this a truly special season.
Your support and kindness have created an incredible atmosphere of learning and growth throughout the month of December. From classrooms filled with curiosity to auditoriums and halls alive with the sounds of holiday music, to the many community service projects led by our amazing student groups, it’s been a joy to see our Go-Hawk spirit in action.
🎄 Now, as we head into Winter Break, we wish you all a season filled with peace, joy, and meaningful moments with loved ones. May this be a time to recharge, reflect, and celebrate all that we’ve accomplished together.
Classes will resume on January 5, 2026. 𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘮!
Thank you for being such an important part of the W-SR family. We look forward to all that 2026 has in store for our school district and community!
🖤💛 It’s a GREAT season to be a Go-Hawk! 🖤💛
#GoHawks #WSRFamily #HappyHolidays #WinterBreak
✨⭐ This week’s KWAY Teacher of the Week is Mackenzie Trinkle, a business teacher at Waverly-Shell Rock High School! ⭐✨
Mackenzie Trinkle is being celebrated for her infectious energy and for creating a classroom culture defined by Honor, Dignity, and Respect.
Mackenzie received numerous nominations from students, who described her as the "most hardworking and positive teacher" who steps up to lead programs like DECA. One nomination specifically highlighted how she uses the "HDR" model—Honor, Dignity, and Respect—to ensure her classroom is a welcoming place for everyone, where no one feels out of place.
By making sure every student is heard and valued, Mackenzie truly lives out Waverly-Shell Rock's core value of Belonging, making her classroom a safe space where students are excited to learn.
Listen to the announcement on KWAY Radio here.
Please join us in celebrating Mackenzie Trinkle, an invaluable member of the Waverly-Shell Rock team!
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Nominations for KWAY's Teacher of the Week feature are being accepted continuously through the last week of the 2025-2026 school year.
Use this form to submit a nomination: https://tinyurl.com/WSRTeacherOfTheWeek
💛🖤 It’s a great day to be a Go-Hawk! Thank you for showing true Go-Hawk spirit 🦅✨
This week’s KWAY Teacher of the Week is Claire Yochum, a Special Education Teacher at Shell Rock Elementary!
Claire Yochum is recognized for being a supportive teammate and for creating a classroom environment where every student feels secure.
Claire was nominated by a colleague who described her as an amazing friend who is always looking out for others. The nomination highlighted Claire’s ability to listen to anyone and her dedication to making her classroom a welcoming space for all students.
The person nominating Claire wrote: “Claire goes above and beyond to make her classroom a safe place for students to belong.”
By prioritizing safety and connection, Claire lives out the district’s core value of Belonging every single day, ensuring her students are ready to learn and grow.
Please join us in celebrating Claire Yochum, an invaluable member of the Waverly-Shell Rock team!
Listen to the announcement on KWAY Radio:
✨⭐ The Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District is proud to highlight Cody Luebbers, a Teacher at Waverly-Shell Rock's Lied Education Center, as our Week 3 KWAY Teacher of the Week! ⭐✨
Mr. Luebbers is being celebrated for his exceptional gift for building relationships with students who need it most.
Cody was nominated by a colleague who described him as one of the best teachers they have ever been around. They noted that Cody has a unique talent for working with students facing significant behavioral and academic struggles, helping them to find their path forward.
One of his nominators wrote: “Cody fosters tremendous relationships with some of the hardest students to form relationships with.”
By meeting students where they are and creating a true sense of Belonging, Cody ensures that every student at the Lied Center has the Opportunity to grow and succeed.
Listen to the announcement on KWAY Radio here.
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Nominations for KWAY's Teacher of the Week feature are being accepted continuously through the last week of the 2025-2026 school year.
Use this form to submit a nomination: https://tinyurl.com/WSRTeacherOfTheWeek
💛🖤 It’s a great day to be a Go-Hawk! Thank you for showing true Go-Hawk spirit 🦅✨
Why Families Choose Waverly-Shell Rock
Visit the Enroll Now page to learn more about why families choose the Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District!
✨⭐ This week’s KWAY Teacher of the Week is Kacy Lee, First-Grade Teacher at Prairie West Elementary! ⭐✨
Kacy is being recognized for her extraordinary dedication and for making learning an immersive adventure for her first graders. She received multiple nominations from both colleagues and parents, all praising the warm, supportive environment she creates in her classroom.
One parent shared how Mrs. Lee brings learning to life—having students wear hospital gear to learn about the human body, sampling foods from different countries, and even designing their own planets. They wrote: “She engages students in a variety of ways and lives out the WSR mission of making sure everyone belongs, grows, and succeeds.”
Kacy brings learning to life while maintaining high expectations, ensuring every student has the opportunity to connect with the material and the support they need to grow.
Please join us in celebrating Kacy Lee, an invaluable member of the Waverly-Shell Rock team!
Click here to listen to the announcement on KWAY radio!
💛🖤 It’s a great day to be a Go-Hawk! Thank you for showing true Go-Hawk spirit 🦅✨
🌟 Celebrating KWAY Radio's FIRST Teacher of the Week: Mr. Bryan Benham! 🌟
The Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District is proud to highlight Bryan Benham, Industrial Technology Teacher at Waverly-Shell Rock High School, for being recognized as KWAY’s Teacher of the Week!
Bryan’s passion for teaching doesn’t stop at the classroom door—he opens opportunities, builds confidence, and helps students discover their potential. His dedication reflects WSR’s core values of Opportunity and Achievement, and we are honored to celebrate his well-deserved recognition.
👏 Please join us in congratulating Bryan Benham, an outstanding educator and an invaluable member of the WSR team.
💛🖤 It’s a great day to be a Go-Hawk! Thank you for showing true Go-Hawk spirit, Bryan! 🖤💛
Click here to listen to the recorded announcement on KWAY Radio!
CONGRATULATIONS to WSR orchestra and guitar teacher Matt McLellan! Mr. McLellan has been recognized with the Dr. Robert E. & Phyllis M. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award from the University of Northern Iowa. Learn more.
“This will be my second year as a school counselor. I look forward to a great school year!”
In Emily’s free time, she enjoys spending time with friends/family, learning to crochet and spending time outside.
Welcome to the #GoHawk family, Emily! 🙌 #GoWSR #itsagreatdaytobeagohawk
“I am extremely grateful and excited to have the opportunity to teach back here at Waverly-Shell Rock. Let's have a great academic year!”
Jared grew up in a small town in Southwest Iowa called Lenox. Outside of work, Jared likes to be active, whether that is taking his dog for a walk, wrestling or working out.
Welcome back to the #GoHawk family, Jared! 🙌 #GoWSR #itsagreatdaytobeagohawk
“I’m a passionate art educator with 24 years of experience teaching art,” she says. “I recently returned to the Cedar Valley where I grew up and am excited to continue nurturing creativity in students at the W-SR High School.”
With a deep love for photography and watercolor, Sara brings a unique blend of artistic expertise and enthusiasm to her classroom. “Community is at the heart of everything I do, and when I’m not teaching, you can find me enjoying Iowa Hawkeye football games, boating, traveling and tending to my yard.”
Outside of her professional life, Sara is a proud mother of two daughters – one at the University of Iowa and the other at Iowa State – and shares her home with my husband Jeremie, an administrator in Cedar Falls and her two dogs, Nellie and Mazzie.
We’re so glad you decided to join the #GoHawk family, Sara! 🙌 #GoWSR #itsagreatdaytobeagohawk
“I am so excited to be back in Waverly,” she says. “As a Wartburg College grad and former Waverly-Shell Rock student teacher, I am thrilled to be joining this school district. I can’t wait to share my love of choral music with students and this community!”
Welcome back to the #GoHawk family, Greta! 🙌 #GoWSR #itsagreatdaytobeagohawk
“I’m the new Business Teacher at the W-SR High School,” he says. “Before moving to the area, I taught at Cedar Rapids Prairie for three years. In my free time, I love all things sports – whether that be watching or playing. I hope to get involved as much as possible in the community.”
Caleb comes from a family full of teachers but has always wanted to help people as much as possible. “The best way that I found was by getting young adults prepared for life after high school. I’m looking forward to a great school year and am excited to get started!”
Welcome to the #GoHawk family, Caleb! 🙌 #GoWSR #itsagreatdaytobeagohawk
“I’m originally from Fairfield, IA and attended Wartburg college. I taught science at Holmes Junior high in Cedar Falls for the past 15 years and will be teaching Biology at the W-SR High School this fall,” she says. “I’m very excited to join the W-SR staff and look forward to meeting my students soon!”
Amanda and her husband, Alex, have three kids and have lived in Waverly for a little over four years. She enjoys spending time outside with her family, running, golfing, walking her dog, baking and reading.
We’re so happy you decided to join the #GoHawk family, Amanda! 🙌 #GoWSR #itsagreatdaytobeagohawk
“I grew up in Clarksville and earned my bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies from Iowa State University. (Go Cyclones!” she says. “I had the opportunity to student teach at W-SR Middle School and High School last fall, and I’m excited to return to the district.”
Outside of school, Emma enjoys baking and spending time with her family, and is looking forward to getting the school year started!
Welcome back to the #GoHawk family, Emma! 🙌 #GoWSR #itsagreatdaytobeagohawk
School staff shape the school culture - Part 4 in a 4-part series
The fourth and final installment in our four-part series introducing our district's new Mission, Vision, and Core Values was Tuesday, September 16 edition of the Bremer County Independent.
View the fourth installment here, and be sure to scroll through our live feed to review ALL four parts of the series.
