New middle school science teacher brings diverse background to CCS

    Middle school science teacher, Jennifer Gonzalez, brings a new face to Chase County Schools. In addition, she also serves as an assistant coach for middle school girls’ volleyball.
    Gonzalez was born and raised in Brule, graduating from high school in 1997.
    She then attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln receiving a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Technology in May of 2002.
    Gonzalez worked as a vet tech from 2002 to 2008. She then worked from home as a medical transcriptionist from 2008 to 2015 while raising her children.
    It was during this time she decided to return to school to pursue her teaching degree.
    She graduated in November of 2016 from Western Governors University Online division in Salt Lake City, Utah. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Science Education (5-12) with an endorsement in biology.
    She’s currently taking online classes from WGU to get her Masters in Science Education with an endorsement in chemistry.
    Gonzalez said she decided to go into teaching because she remembers growing up with a single mom who was also a  teacher. She said her mom was always there for her because she worked while Gonzalez was in school, and was home when she was home. Gonzalez said she wanted to do the same for her children. By teaching, she could be a mom and also have a career.
    “The best of both worlds,’ she said.
    Gonzalez added she loves the feeling she gets when students are excited to say “hi” to her at school in the morning or out in the community.
    “It makes me feel famous,” she smiled.
    She also really likes being part of their lives in the classroom and with volleyball.
    It’s part of what drew her to teaching.
    “I love to learn, and I want to keep learning. I want to give that same passion to learn to my students,” she stated.
    Gonzalez is married to Eric Gonzalez, a retired U.S. Marine.
    She said being a military wife was often like being  a single parent. It’s hard raising a family while a spouse is deployed.
    “But I was proud of what my husband did in the service, proud to be a part of something great for our country to keep our country free,” Gonzalez commented.