We have four new teachers at the PCM High School for the 2024-25 school year. The new teachers we are welcoming are Brandy Tate, Allison Anukam, Rachel Davis, and Melisa Phifer. Mrs. Tate is a math teacher that teaches Algebra 1 and 2, but she used to teach grade 5 at Prairie City Elementary. She reports it wasn’t so easy getting to the place she is now. Transitioning into college she wanted to major in elementary education and minor in math at Iowa State University, but they told she couldn’t. She states, “They basically told me no and I know why, it was because I was a girl.” Iowa State University had to go back and look through her math grades from when she attended Valley High School to prove she could do college level math. They proved themselves to be wrong and let her minor in math, leading her to where she is now! Transitioning to Mrs. Anukam returning! Mrs. Anukam teaches special education. She is from Oskaloosa and attended Oskaloosa High School. Mrs Anukam did student teaching in the middle and elementary school while attending University of Northern Iowa, then started working at PCM and left for a while. She states, “Everyone is super helpful, I love seeing some of my old kids I had at the middle school.” Continuing to Mrs. Davis! She is from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and attended Mt. Pleasant High School. She went to Wartburg College. Mrs. Davis teaches English 9, Creative Writing, Classic and Contemporary novels, and a DMACC class for Communication. Mrs. Davis states, “ When I was in High School my 9th grade English teacher was really inspiring … I kinda found a passion for reading and writing.”  Mrs. Davis always has had a passion for writing creative stories ever since she could write. Finishing with Mrs. Phifer! She is from Schnecksville, Pennsylvania and attended Parkland High School. She went to St. John’s College for her bachelors degree and Temple University for her masters in education. Mrs. Phifer’s Dad is from Monroe and moved back here, which encouraged her and her siblings to move here as well. Mrs. Phifer used to substitute teach but now has gone full time. She teaches Biology, Environmental Science, Anatomy, and Physiology. She states, “ I love science and I love the national world so there is no way I would want to teach anything else.” Students here at PCM couldn’t be more grateful to see these new and returning smiles in the hallways to help them continue on with their High School educations.