Dave Hagman, Director

After a short professional baseball career in the Oakland A's farm system, Dave has worked in a variety of educational programs in Minnesota and the UK over the past 33 years. He has been both a teacher and administrator. Dave and Karen Fleming helped to begin NLCS in 2005 and have enjoyed creating a friendly, innovative, and engaging learning environment. He and his wife, Sally, have two kids, Tom and Maren, and enjoy traveling, biking, cross country skiing, and spending time with their families.

dhagman@nlcschool.org

Karen Fleming, Middle School Advisor - Language Arts

Karen grew up in Alaska and moved to Minnesota with her husband Neil, and two sons, Jason and Travis in 1991. She began working in education as a paraprofessional at an alternative program (MALC) in Grand Rapids. In 2000 Karen earned her Associates Degree at Itasca Community College, and Bachelors Degree in 2002 from Bemidji State University. Before NLCS, she taught middle school Language Arts at the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school on the Leech Lake Reservation.

As a Language Arts teacher, Karen's favorite Literature to pass on to students is the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling and Shakespeare. In her free time she enjoys cheering her husband on as he races stock cars, remodeling their 100 year old house, and drawing wildlife sketches.

kfleming@nlcschool.org

Rachel Maki, Advisor - Science
 

I am a new member of the northern Minnesota family. I married Nicholas Maki, who is from Hibbing. We bought a house in Hibbing and acquired a beautiful white labrador named Colzie. We also have a new baby boy who makes life a constant adventure. I am originally from Bloomington, MN, graduating from Bloomington Kennedy, June of 1998. In high school I was extremely active - participating in a wide variety of activities. Some of these include: marching band, concert band, pep band, cross-country running, cross-country skiing, and track. I continued my track career throughout college at University of Minnesota, Morris. There I graduated with a biology major and chemistry minor. Science is my passion!

I moved to the area from southwestern Minnesota where I taught biology, chemistry, anatomy, and forensic science at Russell-Tyler-Ruthton High School. At NLCS I am the primary science teacher. NLCS offers many opportunities for science exploration that I was unable to tap into with the traditional schools.

rmaki@nlcschool.org 
             

 

Donna Hanson - 4.75 High School Advisory

Donna came to Northern Lights Community School in January 2009 as the FLEX Advisor and Physical Education Teacher.  She comes to NLCS with eight years teaching experience.  Donna is Highly Qualified in all areas.  She taught at-risk students at the Cass Lake-Bena Area Learning Center and discovered Alternative Education is where her heart it.  She likes the challenge that every day is a different day.  Students at NLCS are really like a huge family.

Something that drew Donna to NLCS was the hallways at NLCS; numerous projects on the walls, and student centered learning.  Project Based Learning Model is a great way to re-engage learners.  Over the course of Donna’s teaching career she has learned a lot from students and has changed the way she sees education.
Alternative education focuses on the Whole-child, not just their test scores or attendance in a lecture.  Donna strives to meet her students where they are and hopes to help build upon their foundation for a productive future. 

Donna has taught a wide range of learners from Pre-K to Adult education she also taught D/APE Physical Education to students with physical impairments, coached varsity softball and was the Dean of Students at Cass Lake ALC.  Donna wishes all kids had the opportunity to attend an alternative school to see its value!  If you are looking for a different approach to your education, give NLCS a try, we will assist you in your journey called “life!”

Becky McCauley, Office Manager

Becky McCauley was born and raised in Warba and was lucky enough to attend Warba elementary school, where she met her husband. After marriage, she moved to Minneapolis and then south of Chicago. She was able to move back to this area in 1986 with her family and loves being back home. Becky graduated from Bemidji State University with a B. S. in Business Administration (Finance). After college, she worked as an accountant at Itasca Medical Center. She was on the Warba City Council for 6 years until becoming the City Treasurer last year and has been the Secretary for the Warba-Feeley Cemetery for 7 years. She is still married to her Warba grade school sweetheart and they have 2 adult sons. When Becky finds free time, she enjoys being in the lake, on the golf course, hiking, vacationing or spending time with her friends and family and eating chocolate!

beckymccauley@frontiernet.net

Benita Hassell - Project Manager

Benita lives in Warba on a small hobby farm. She is married and the mother of three. Her youngest attends NLCS. In 1983 she received her A. A. degree in Child Development and also a Child Development Certificate from a Vocational school. She is very involved in her church. When time allows she enjoys doing crafts of many types. Benita is very excited to be involved with students and watch them succeed.

bhassell@nlcschool.org

Don Vidal - Project Manager - Music Teacher

Jackie Esler - Office Assistant

I was fortunate to begin my association with Northern Lights Community School after several years of working as an administrative assistant (in Minneapolis for 25 years and then in Grand Rapids until my retirement in February of 2007).

Mary Glasnapp, Special Education

Chris Morque - Project Manager

Jill Hawk - Special Education Support

I graduated from St. Cloud State University with an elementary education degree and I have a masters degree in curriculum and instruction from Lesley College, MA.  It's been very exciting to have worked with students for the past twenty years.  I"m married with three children and a house full of pets.  My hobbies are reading, cross country skiing and cooking.  I enjoy working with the students at NLCS. It's always an adventure helping them explore new activities. What fun it is to be a part of the learning process!

Sally is excited to join the friendly, caring, and capable staff at NLCS this year as a guidance counselor and social studies teacher.  As a thirty year (!) veteran in education, she has now come full circle in her career by once again working in a small, innovative program where every student knows they belong and are valued.  Sally is married to Dave, and they have a grown son working in the IT field, and a daughter attending Macalester College.  For fun, she likes to travel and to be outdoors cross-country skiing, hiking, canoeing, biking, or golfing. When indoors, Sally loves to read novels and watch Masterpiece Theater or House Hunters International on TV.

Though easier said than done, one of her favorite quotes is “Be the change you wish to see in the world” spoken by Mahatma Gandhi.   

Lori Hamm - Part-time Project Manager

Christel Rose grew up on Swan Lake in northeastern Minnesota.  During those years many hours were spent in the woods and lakes of the area.  Her family grew its own food in large gardens and preserved it for the winter.  Berries and mushrooms were gathered from the woods to supplement the home grown fruits and vegetables.  Making fire wood and hay was also an integral part of the summer season.

After graduation from high school, Christel attended Augsburg College.  The summers of her junior and senior years she worked at a Youth Conservation Corps camp.  Christel earned a BA with a  major in biology and minor in chemistry from Augsburg College.  She went on to receive a BS and 7-12 teaching license from St. Cloud State University.  At that time she began working on her special education licensures.  Her first teaching assignment included teaching 7th, 8th, 9th grade sciences and high school chemistry in a small town in southwestern Minnesota.  After her first year of teaching, she spent a few years substitute teaching and working with the developmentally delayed adult population.  She also participated in training for Project Wild.

In 1986, she moved to the Grand Rapids area and received special education licensure in learning disabilities and mild to moderately handicapped (DCD) from Bemidji State University in 1990.  Over the following years, Christel substitute taught at grade levels 1 through 12 and also worked as a science teacher in a middle school alternative program.  She began teaching on a part time basis at Itasca Community College in the early 1990's and spent ten years teaching environmental science and human biology at Hibbing Community college before coming to Norther Lights Community School.  While teaching at HCC, Christel work on master's degree courses.  Some of the master's courses she had taken include: wetland ecology, wildlife conservation, ecology, evolution for teachers, mammalogy, and Minnesota terrestrial plant identification.

Christel has been teaching at Northern Lights Community School for two years.  During that time she has had students planting trees each spring and led the construction of a flower garden.  She has also done Project Wild and Wet activities with groups of students as well as taken students on hikes teaching them about native trees and plants.  She hopes to continue to connect students with the wonders of the environment they live in and encourage them to be good stewards of the Earth.

Henry works in Karen's advisory.  :)