With the new year started at Cooper Elementary School, not only are their new student faces around the building, but there are new staff faces, too.
Amanda Pullen joined the staff at Cooper this year with expertise in communication disorders. Pullen received a Masters Degree in Communication Disorders at Eastern New Mexico University.
Pullen, who moved from New Mexico in March, said she is very excited to be working in the Bentonville School District.
Pullen has a son who attends Cooper and has a daughter in daycare. "I like getting to hang out with the kids all day."
Lee Anne Brannan is a special needs instructional assistant who began at Cooper Aug. 15. Brannan moved to Arkansas in 1989. Brannan said she loves what she is doing at Cooper. "Every day is a challenge," Brannan said, "and I learn something new every day and I enjoy living in this area."
Melissa Anderson is a new physical therapy teacher at Cooper. She has been a physical therapy teacher for 17 years. "I travel to different schools in the Bentonville School system as well as Cooper," Anderson said.
Anderson said she likes to see the kids learn new skills and become independent. Anderson received her bachelor's degree in health profession and physical therapy from the University of Missouri.
Barry Graf, from Texarkana, is the speech language pathologist at Cooper. He received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Arkansas.
Graf said he likes working with children and helping them to communicate -- giving them a voice. Graf said most of his family is involved in special education. He said that a younger brother who was diagnosed with autism inspires him to help in that field. Graf said he likes living in this area.
Brittany Clupny is a registered nurse at Cooper who worked previously at Mercy Hospital. She has been a nurse for 11 years.
Clupny received two bachelor's degrees -- one in nursing at the University of Arkansas, one in nursing and one in biology at Hendrix College in Conway.
Clupny said she loves working with the children and helping them in any way she can. She said, if necessary, she will further her education to keep up with all the changes in the field. Clupny has three children and her hobbies consist of sewing and playing the cello.
Annette Ford is the new registrar at Cooper. She has been with the Bentonville School District for six years. Ford said she loves meeting new people and helping them out.
She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas. She and her husband, Tony, have three boys, ages 17, 21, and 22. "This area is a great place to raise children," Ford said, "and the Bentonville School system is great."
Community on 08/24/2016