Washington’s school district welcomes nine new people to their staff, including Courtney Lyles, Danny Somers, Gracey Duck, Jen Heffington, Hailey-Kay Burton, Ryan Siebert, Adrien Stidham, Jamie Howry and Xavier Freeman.

Lyles, who is a Washington graduate, will teach kindergarten. She is a graduate of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and previously taught kindergarten at Wayne.

“I am so excited to teach in my hometown,” she said.

Somers and his wife, Kirston, have a son, Mark, and a daughter, Madi.

He will teach eighth grade math.

Somers is a graduate of Lexington High School and East Central University. He previously taught algebra at Lexington and Epic.

“I want to positively impact the community I live in by influencing its youth to critically think,” Somers said.

Duck is married to Brodie Duck and will teach fourth grade reading.

She is a graduate of Veritas Scholars Academy and Oklahoma Baptist University.

“Education changes your life,” Duck said. “I am so excited to get to share my love of reading with my students.”

Duck, who grew up overseas, said “Everyone at Washington has been so welcoming. I am so grateful to be here.”

Heffington has a 12-year-old daughter and a 19-year-old son. Her husband, Ben, works at OU.

She is a graduate of Lampoc High School and Arizona State University. She previously taught first and second grade in Phoenix.

“My daughter has attended Washington Middle School for a year,” Heffington said. “I’m excited to get back into the classroom and meet more members of the community.”

Burton, who earned her degrees from the University of Oklahoma, will teach sophomore English. She previously taught at Norman High School.

“Washington is home. It’s time to be a professional Warrior,” she said.

Seibert and his wife, Maddison, have a daughter, Emma.

He will be the band director, a position he previously held at Newcastle.

“I took my new position to spend more time with my family and be closer to home,” he said.

Stidham and her husband Shane have three daughters, Taylor, Addyson and Morgan.

“This is my eighth year to teach and my seventh in special education,” Stidham said. “I wanted a change, closer to home and a smaller school,” she said.

She previously taught fifth and sixth grade special education, reading and math.

Howry and her husband, Kolton, have two children, Isla and Wyatt.

A graduate of East Central University, Howry previously taught at Epic Charter School for a year and at McKinley Elementary in Norman for five years.

After staying at home to tend to her children, Howry said she had a deep calling to return to the classroom.

“I consider myself extremely blessed to become a part of the best school district ever and am so excited,” Howry said.

Freeman will teach middle school computers.

He is a graduate of Seminole High School, Seminole State University and the University of Central Oklahoma.

“I love the community and the people that surround it,” Freeman said. “I love sports and my favorite hobby is to play golf.”