Cameron Brenton

   LHS welcomes special education teacher Cameron Brenton from Heritage Middle School to LHS. He taught at HMS for two years and also taught high school art at Cameron High School before coming to Liberty.

   He does not stray too far from the Blue Jay nest.

   “This is where I went to high school,” Brenton said. “It has been extremely helpful to be familiar with the building and some of the staff that are still here.”

   He has grown to love everything from the students to the staff.

   “The three things I have noticed the most are the construction of new spaces, and a great mutual respect between faculty, students and administration,” Brenton said. “LHS is a cornerstone of the community.”

  Outside of school he has a busy life with volunteer work and his two cats.

  “I volunteer as an Adult Leader in a local Boy Scout troop and I am heavily involved in Restore Community Church,” Brenton said. “I have a pottery studio in my basement, I love to go rock climbing at any of the three gyms in the KC area and climb outside. I love playing with my cats Han Solo and Chewbacca.”

   He has some big goals to accomplish this year.

   “One goal is transitioning my students from middle school to high school so that they may be comfortable in their learning,” Brenton said.

April Shea

   Brand new algebra teacher April Shea has high expectations this year. She wants to get people loving math just as much as she does.

   “My main goal is to get all my students understanding math and hopefully get them to share the passion I have for math. I know that won’t happen with everyone but my goal is to at least to get a couple of kids over to the other side,” Shea said.

   She became a teacher because of her college professor and her love for math.

   “I actually had a professor in college who was very inspiring to me and her love for education, specifically her love for math, is what inspired me to become a teacher,” Shea said.

  She also stays busy when she’s not at LHS.

“Outside of school I do a lot of traveling when I can,” Shea said. “I like to read a lot and be with my family and friends.”

  To her there is no other place to call home but Liberty.

“This is my community, I grew up right outside of Liberty,” Shea said. “That’s why it has a special place in my heart.”

Lori Riedel

   You may have heard of jumping from book to book but you have never heard of jumping from library to library! Our newest addition of our librarian staff is Lori Riedel. This will be her 20th year teaching, but her first at this high school. She’s been a librarian at the elementary schools as well as a fifth grade teacher.

   “I will be helping with technology support for teachers and students, research and ways to express learning for [students who] have information and want a creative way to share it,” Riedel said.

   Riedel’s enjoying the flow of the high school.

   “There is more freedom in the structure of blended classes with a flexible schedule whereas in elementary there was a set schedule,” Riedel said.

   She had many role models and reasons to become a teacher.

   “I had fabulous teachers in my life, especially my fifth grade teacher,” Riedel said.

   She also really looked up to her grandparents on both sides of the family and is still close with them now. Family is a very important part in her life and she looks out for the health of those around her.

    “I am a group fitness instructor and nutrition coach at the Community Center,” Riedel said.

Christine Hernandez

   Can you imagine being able to travel to a new school and speak two languages fluently? That is no problem for German I and II teacher Christine Hernandez.

   Not only has Hernandez traveled from Germany to teach at LHS, she has been able to travel between LHS and LNHS.

   “I have amazing co-workers and mentors in the foreign language department as well as fantastic instructional coaches,” Hernandez said. “They help me be successful at what I do and give me great ideas.”

   LHS is a little different than growing up in German schools but Hernandez has easily adjusted to it.

“I grew up in Germany and we have year-round schooling with additional breaks between the school year,” Hernandez said. “Our schedules and school hours are different as well as the amount of homework each student gets.”

   There are a lot of different aspects of why teachers become teachers but Hernandez has many reasons.

   “First, I get to speak and teach my native language every day and I get to teach students about my native culture and customs,” Hernandez said. “I get to meet amazing students that teach me many great lessons.”

   Outside of school Hernandez enjoys reading and swimming as well as traveling back home to Germany with her family and traveling to new countries.

Eniola Ajayi

   If you could be a teacher what grade would you teach? In Eniola Ajayi’s situation, it did not matter; she did not have to decide but at least she knew the topic!

   “This is my fifth gig so far, I’ve taught fifth grade elementary, sixth grade social studies, seventh grade math, eighth grade math, and now I’m at the high school,” Ajayi said.

   Each building has a different aura and style to it.

   “Every building has their own vibe,” Ajayi said. “At the high school there’s a level of independence and I don’t have to baby sit.”

   Ajayi has a very obtainable but somewhat difficult goal to reach.

“My biggest goal is to develop a good relationship with students to help them not be afraid to take risks, have fun, work, learn and still laugh while learning]” Ajayi said.

   Ajayi believes in the teacher gene and thinks she ended up with it in her family as well.

   “My grandfather was an educator and my mom was a professor so teaching was a natural fit,” Ajayi said. “I knew I wanted to work with students somehow.”

   Outside of the classroom Ajayi is a runner but only in the cooler temperatures and she has a very special bond with her family.

  “I like spending time with my kids and family,” Ajayi said. “Weekends are sacred, it’s family time.”

Amanda Derryberry

   If you think the Liberty Blue Jays have spirit, just wait until you meet the newest member of the English department

   “I started coaching dance at Northwest Missouri State and saw a lot of improvement in personality and skill and I realized I enjoyed watching people grow,” Derryberry said. “It made me realize how much I wanted to impact and inspire people which led me to get my masters in education.”

   Derryberry, who is a Liberty grad herself, is teaching English classes as well as the Broadcasting class for KLHS. She has a lot of students and is looking forward to seeing growth in her students just as she has the dancers on her team.

    “My goal is to really build relationships with students and impact them in a positive way and to see them grow in school and in their personal lives,” Derryberry said.

   Derryberry is enjoying the interactions of LHS and the different people she has come in contact with.

   “Students are eager to learn and I have a lot of leaders who enjoy their courses,” Derryberry said.

   Derryberry has spent her weekends traveling to Northwest Missouri State to coach the dance team. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, with occasionally reading a book in between activities.

    Derryberry had an important role model who gave her words to live by.

“My mom was always my role model,” Derryberry said. “She taught us we could do whatever we set our minds to.”

Jordan English

   Jordan English has moved from the small house to the big house. He was an elementary teacher at Meadowbrook for two years and is now a biology teacher at LHS. English is experiencing a giant transition from elementary school to LHS.

   “I think the relationships that I’m able to build are just a lot better and I enjoy the students a lot,” he said.

   Outside of school he coaches for the cross-country team. His biggest inspiration growing up was his own coach, which is why he became a coach himself.

   “My role model was probably my basketball coach and now as a coach,  makes sense; I like the role that a coach has in the students’ lives,” English said.

   This year, he has one primary expectation.

   “My main goal for myself as a teacher is to become comfortable with the school and my new role teaching at the high school level and building relationships with students,” English said.

Michelle Davis

   Davis comes to LHS after teaching orchestra in many different areas at multiple different levels.

   “I taught beginning strings and middle school orchestra in Oak Park, Illinois for five years,” Davis said. “ My second job was in Farmington, Michigan teaching middle school orchestra and I was there for eight years. Then I taught at Liberty Middle School orchestra for nine years.”

   Orchestra has held a special place in Davis’s heart for a while now.

   “I believe music saves people,” Davis said. “I wanted to share my passion and love of music with others around me.”

   Outside of school Davis enjoys the company of family and friends.

    “I love to take long walks, go to the theatre and be with friends and family,” Davis said.

   This is the first year Davis has been at the high school level. She is enjoying the age of the students and being able to challenge them with more complex music than she would at the middle school level.

   “I love the fact that I get to teach such wonderful, curious and intelligent kids,” Davis said.

Abra House 

   From St. Teresa’s Academy to Liberty, the newest spanish teacher Abra House has landed in the Blue Jay’s nest.

   “I did my undergraduate studies at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where I earned a BA in Psychology and a minor in Spanish,” House said. “I also have a Masters degree in education from Rockhurst University.”

   She wanted to become a Spanish teacher because of  the language and culture.

   “I enjoy working with kids and I love the Spanish language and culture,” House said.     “It is so rewarding to feel like I am making a difference in the next generation.”

   Outside of school she loves to be outdoors.

   “I really enjoy running and I am running two half marathons coming up in the next month,” House said. “I also enjoy cooking, being outdoors and spending time with my friends.”