New teacher at CCS is a Nebraska newcomer

Amy Christensen joined the teaching staff at Chase County Schools as the SPED (special education) teacher in grades 9-12, replacing long-time teacher Carol Hess.
Christensen and daughter, Adeline, a sophomore at CCS, moved here from Kansas three weeks ago, she said.
“It was all a whirlwind. I got here in the nick of time,” she added.
Christensen was born and raised in Gilbert, Arizona. She attended Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university in Phoenix.
She received her Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and SPED and her Master’s degree in autism.
In 2006, Christensen moved to St. Francis, Kansas where her parents still reside.
While in St. Francis, she filled a number of roles for the school district, including head of the special education department K-5.
“I was so grateful to get this position (CCS). The school administration and the teachers here have been wonderful­—outstanding actually,” Christensen said.
She said her goal is to not only meet the students’ needs and more, but to strive to do what’s best for them rather than herself.
“I want to be sure my students know they are loved and my classroom is a safe place for them to come and learn,” she added.
Ever since she was a little girl, she said she would set up her stuffed animals and dolls like they were in a classroom.
“I adored my third grade teacher and have wanted to be a teacher ever since,” said Christensen.
As for going into teaching students with disabilities, she said she grew up around family members with disabilities.
“My younger brother had a learning disability, and I watched my mom struggle with his care. I also had an uncle with special needs,” she said.
It was rough in the 80s and 90s for special needs children because of a lack of support in schools and the stigma society cast on students with disabilities, Christensen said.
“I saw the good and the bad—mostly bad as a child,” she added.
Nowadays, things are better, she said.
“My personal goal is to help families not have to go through the struggles my family went through,” she said.
“I want to be a support system for the families of my students because I know how hard it can be.”
Family is the most important thing to Christensen, she said.
She likes spending time with her daughter and her two dogs, Charlie and Nugget.
Charlie is a Chocolate Lab/ Weimaraner mix, and Nugget is a German Shepherd/Corgi mix.
“Nugget is a mess,” she laughed.
She’s small and has a shepherd’s head and a corgi butt, she said.
“When I look at her I say, ‘You’re not right, but you are so cute’,” still laughing.
Other than school and family, she said she’s not athletic at all.
“I’m a nerd. I love to read, and I’m constantly learning,” she said.