Mark Schmitt, Ed.D., began his work at Delavan-Darien High School in July 2009. Prior to that time he had been principal of schools in Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Green Bay and Waukesha. Schmitt began his career by student teaching at Phoenix Middle School and DDHS in 1975. He taught band, choir and social studies prior to obtaining his principal licensure in 1998. 

Jen Paepke became Associate Principal at Delavan-Darien High School in 2010. She began teaching in the Delavan-Darien School District in 1999. She taught for ten years at Darien Elementary and one year Turtle Creek Elementary. Additionally, Paepke serves as the school district's summer school administrator. Prior to her return to her home state of Wisconsin, she taught in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She enjoys working in this district, appreciating that the diversity of the Delavan and Darien communities is reflective of the society we are preparing our students to be effective members of.

Paepke received her undergraduate degree in English Literature and Language from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1995, adding her teaching license from the University of New Mexico in 1996. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in 2007.

Paepke knows that every student can succeed, and when a school staff works together, we increase that opportunity for achievement. She is excited to work with the students and staff at D-DHS as we live the Comet Code: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe!

Ramon A. Reyes started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2009. Reyes is the associate principal at DDHS. Prior to his arrival DDHS, Reyes taught Spanish at Badger High School in Lake Geneva. In addition to teaching there, he coached the boys and girls varsity soccer teams. His first job as a Spanish teacher was in 2000 with Big Foot High School, where he assisted the head varsity soccer coach for five years. Reyes graduated from Marian University in Fond Du Lac.

Wayne Fell, CAA, came to Delavan-Darien in 1998 as the DDHS Athletics Director and Associate Principal. Prior to that, he was an athletics director, physical education instructor and head football coach in Texas for three years. He has also been a Community Education Director for the Burlington School District, where he coached football, basketball and baseball. He has nearly 20 years in education experiences and nearly 10 years of coaching high school athletics. 

Adam Alter came to Delavan-Darien High School in the fall of 2000. He is a 1994 graduate of Delavan-Darien High School and graduated from Marquette University in the spring of 2000. In 2007, Alter received a Master’s in Curriculum from Walden University. One of the things that Alter really enjoys about teaching for the district is the sense of commitment that the teaching staff shows. He currently teaches Advanced Placement Government and Politics, American Political Systems, and U.S. History. He is also the Social Studies Department Chair. In his free time, Alter likes to run, bike and spend time with his family. He is also an avid soccer fan.

Jeremy Andersen has taught Social Studies at Delavan-Darien High School since 2000. A 1995 DDHS graduate, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and a master’s degree from Olivet Nazarene University. Andersen teaches courses in Geography and Diversity Studies and enjoys working with staff at DDHS to bring innovative and relevant classroom experiences to students. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Andersen has been involved with mentoring new teachers in the Delavan-Darien School District’s Mentor Cadre. One of his most proud accomplishments was serving on the DDHS Study Team, which helped create a new vision and collaborative changes to DDHS. He is also passionate about coaching football, boy’s basketball, and baseball.

Dustin Arthur is the Alternative Education Instructor at Delavan-Darien High School for the RISE alternative program. Arthur came to the district in August of 2009. Prior to 2009, he was an Alternative Education Instructor at Sheboygan Falls High School. He received his Bachelor’s degree in History and Physical Geography from UW-Stevens Point and also received Alternative Education certification from Concordia University in Mequon. He spends his free time running, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, or doing anything that gets him outdoors. Arthur enjoys being part of a school and an alternative program helps give students a second chance at success.

Amber Baker started as a Chemistry, Biology, and General Science teacher in the district in 2008. Before coming to Delavan-Darien, she was a science teacher in North Branch, Minn. 

Jennifer Bayerl has been teaching Orchestra students in Delavan-Darien since 1997. Before coming to Delavan-Darien, she taught general music in Whitefish Bay and South Milwaukee and Orchestra in Mukwonago. 

Jillian Beaty is an agricultural sciences teacher at DDHS. She started here in 2010.

Beaty graduated from The Ohio State University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in agriculture education and a minor in production agriculture.

Beaty loves the diversity of the district, not only of the student population, but also the diversity of agricultural offerings at the high school. She notes that the area has both small and large farms, as well as successful ag-related businesses that run the gamut of agricultural enterprises.

Her hobbies include hiking, cooking, spending time with family, watching a good movie or reading a good book.

Laura Becker is a school counselor at DDHS. She started in the Delavan-Darien School District in 2007. Becker attended UW-Whitewater for her undergraduate and graduate education. She received her Master’s in Counseling in May 2007. Becker’s undergraduate degree is in English Education with a minor in Journalism.

Bob Beighton began teaching English at DDHS in 1997 after spending two years at Marshall High School.  He received his undergraduate degree from UW-Madison in 1989 and his English Education degree from UW-Whitewater in 1994. Beighton received a Master’s degree in Education from Nova Southeastern in 2004. In addition to teaching, Beighton has been a high school basketball coach for more than 20 years, with a majority of his experience as a varsity boys basketball coach. He has had the good fortune to spend more than a dozen years coaching the varsity boys team at DDHS. Beighton also runs the MACC Fund Faculty vs. Seniors/Alumni Charity Basketball Game, an event that started in 1999. The game is held annually on the third Friday in April.

Jackie Belken-Pecor is the district nurse, serving all five schools in the district. She started here in 2004. Her responsibilities include, but are not limited to, monitoring students for illnesses and injuries, establishing that students are compliant with immunization requirements, implementing the employee wellness program, administering vaccines to new district employees, and ensuring that students’ health needs are met in the school setting. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1984 and has worked as a nurse for 25 years. Her career has taken her to jobs in Texas, Tennessee, Maryland and Wisconsin. Belken-Pecor has always enjoyed school nursing and is proud to be the school nurse for the Delavan-Darien School District.

Ted Bender started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1991. Bender works as the head custodian at Delavan-Darien High School.

Dan Brandt started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1993. Brandt works as a Social Studies teacher at Delavan-Darien High School.

Patsy Brown started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1976. Brown works as a secretary in the Guidance Office at Delavan-Darien High School.

Diana Burgstede started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2000. Burgstede is a school psychologist at Delavan-Darien High School. She graduated from UW-Madison in 1989 with a Bachelor's degree in Science and a major Psychology. She later attended UW-Whitewater and earned a Master's degree in Education for School Psychology in 1999. Burgstede was a crisis worker for Walworth County Human Services and Rock County Human Services for approximately 10 years, prior to becoming a school psychologist for the district. She has two daughters.

Kerry Butitta started teaching at Delavan-Darien High School in 1995. She first taught Biology and was also a team member in the school’s Integrated Program. Butitta currently teaches Chemistry I, Chemistry II and AP Chemistry. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1982 from UW-LaCrosse, and earned her master's degree in 2002 from Olivet Nazarene University. When she asks her students to describe her as a teacher, they consistently reply that she loves the every-day challenge of teaching and learning Chemistry with her students, and that her favorite time of all is when it "clicks in the student's head."

Steven Cervantes is a 1989 graduate of Delavan-Darien High school. Cervantes earned his  Associates Arts Degree from UW-Whitewater in 1997. He then earned his Bachelor’s in Education with an emphasis in Mathematics and a minor in Music in 2001. He also holds a Master’s of Education degree from Olivet Nazarene University in 2004. Cervantes started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2001. He works as a Math teacher at Delavan-Darien High School.

Vielka Chaney came to Delavan-Darien High School in 1999 to teach Spanish. Prior to that, she was the Social Studies teacher at a Panamanian Middle School. A Panamanian native, Chaney received her undergraduate degree at the University of Panama. She likes horses and the gentle rains, and also walking on the beach with her daughter.

Karen Combs started working at DDHS in 1997. She was the Summer School Coordinator for four years and has been the DDHS Drama Director for seven years. She is the co-creator of a new English-Technology class created in 2009 with technology teacher Mike Fellin. Combs is also a member of the high school's SWEETT team, which is a group of educators working in cooperation with UW-Whitewater on a five-year project to help increase English Language Learner student achievement.

Before coming to the district, Combs earned her undergraduate degree in English and Secondary Speech Education from UW-Whitewater in 1997. Her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction was awarded by Nova Southeastern University. She is currently pursuing a second Master’s in Differentiated Instruction. 

Ashley Contreras, originally from Madison, came to the district in 2007 as a part-time Special Education Aide at DDHS. In 2009, she was given the position of Community Outreach Worker for the district and continues to work with the Special Education Department at the high school. As the district’s Community Outreach Worker, Contreras works with students in restorative justice efforts at the middle school and high school levels. Her job includes setting up various community service sites in the Delavan-Darien area, and also supervising students while they complete their community service hours. In addition, Contreras works with students in RISE – the district’s new alternative high school started in 2009. 

Tracey Daniels originally came to DDHS in 1991 as a secretary for the Library Media Center. During her years at DDHS, she also worked as the attendance secretary and in the computer lab. After leaving for a full-time clerical position in 2006, Daniels returned in June 2009 as the administrative assistant to the Principal. For Daniels, it was really hard to leave DDHS and she was happy for the opportunity to return. It feels like home, she said, and she has always enjoyed working with the high school students and staff. 

Theresa Davis started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2007. Davis works as a health aide at Delavan-Darien High School.

Scott Deibel started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1991. Deibel is the Head of Buildings and Grounds for the district.

Kelly Dennis, MA, came to the Delavan-Darien High School in 2008 as an English teacher. Prior to that, she taught in Milwaukee for two years at an alternative, inner city high school. Before beginning her teaching career, Dennis spent eight years working in the field of non-profit book publishing. 

Tina Dilks started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1998. Dilks works as both a cook and assistant to the child nutrition director at Delavan-Darien High School.

Carol Dillner has worked for the district in various capacities since 1990. She is currently in the technology department. Dillner is a Delavan-Darien High School graduate and married to Jim Dillner, a retired Delavan-Darien vocational education teacher. All three of the Dillner children are alumni of the Delavan-Darine School District. 

Deicy Duran returns to Delavan-Darien High School, this time as a teacher. Duran, a 1999 graduate of DDHS, earned her Spanish and teaching degrees from UW-Parkside in 2004. Prior to coming to DDHS in late 2009, she taught in Aurora, Ill., and in Evansville, Wis.

Kira Fedyniak started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2010. Fedyniak works as a special education teacher Delavan-Darien High School.

Mike Fellin started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2000. Fellin works as a technology teacher at Delavan-Darien High School.

Rachel Friend started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2000. Friend works as an art teacher at Delavan-Darien High School.

Kim Gallagher started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2000. Gallagher works as cook at Delavan-Darien High School.

Patrick Granger came to Delavan-Darien High School in August, 2007. Although he can teach lower levels of Spanish, he is teaching five levels of French at DDHS. He graduated in 1982 from Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha. In the spring of 1986, Granger studied for one semester at the University of Paris-La Sorbonne. In December 1986, he received his Bachelor’s degree in French from UW-Milwaukee. In 1992, he received his Master’s degree from Marquette University. He also taught for three years while at Marquette University. 

James Gornick started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2010 as a music teacher and director of bands at DDHS. He graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a degree in music education and a minor in French education.

Gornick is excited to be in the Delavan-Darien School District because of the opportunity to work with our hard-working and kind students. He looks forward to helping every student reach their full potential and building upon the strong musical tradition at DDHS.

His hobbies include playing his saxophone with several professional jazz groups in the Milwaukee area, composing music, hiking, biking, canoeing, reading and spending time with his family.

Benjamin Herland joined the Delavan-Darien School District in 2010. He teaches physical education at DDHS and Phoenix Middle School.

Herland graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 2009 with a degree in Education (physical education/health). He has a passion for 21st century physical education and an enthusiasm to work with adolescents in our progressive schools. Herland is excited to implementing the new physical and health curriculum, expanding our technology base and advancing the Delavan-Darien physical education program.

Herland is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys recreational activities such as boating, wakeboarding, skiing, snowboarding, playing competition sports and traveling.

Nancy Hollinger came to the Delavan-Darien School District in August of 1976. She graduated from UW-Stout in May 1976 with a degree in Home Economics. She taught Home Economics until 1998. She received her Master’s degree in School Counseling from UW-Whitewater in 1996. Hollinger moved into the position of School Counselor in 1998 and has held that position since. She enjoys the people she works with and the students of Delavan-Darien High School. 

Tina Hudy is the Child Nutrition Director for the Delavan-Darien School District. She came to the district the fall of 1986. Her primary responsibility for the district is overseeing the breakfast and lunch program, which also satellites lunches to the three parochial schools in Delavan. Hudy has a bachelor’s degree from UW-Stout with a double major — Food Service Administration and Dietetics — and a Business Administration minor. She has worked in health care food service in Superior, Wis., Minneapolis, and Naples, Fla., prior to moving back to her hometown to work in school food service. She is a 1975 graduate of Delavan-Darien High School. She is active in School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin. Hudy has enjoyed settling down in the Delavan-Darien area and to raise her two daughters with her husband.

Cindy Irwin came to the district in 2000 as a science teacher. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from Iowa State University and a Master’s degree in Education from UW-Whitewater. In college she worked in an international resource office, as a resident assistant and in a biochemistry/biophysics lab, helping with research in genetics. Her main focuses are teaching biology and fostering the success of her students so they better understand the world they live in. Born and raised in Rockford, Ill., where much of her family remains, she has two children and enjoys the outdoors.

Jerry Iserloth is a Science teacher at Delavan-Darien High School. He has been teaching science here since 2005. Currently, Iserloth can be seen at many after school events as the clock operator or bookkeeper. Prior to moving to Delavan, he taught middle school science in Rockford, IL.

Iserloth started his education while serving in the United States Navy from 1987-1996, finishing his career in the Navy teaching Engineering at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. After a brief stint in the private sector, Iserloth received his Computer Science degree and Microsoft Visual Basic Certification at Thomas Nelson and Old Dominion University in Virginia. Iserloth came back to Wisconsin in 2001 and worked on his undergraduate degree in education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, majoring in Earth and Space science. He further pursued some graduate work at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in the field of Physics, where he certified in 2008. Iserloth hopes to finish his graduate work by 2012 in the field of Physics. His philosophy in his classroom is to be a scientist, do science, and in the process have fun doing so.

Shelley Kroll started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2010. Kroll works as a special education teacher at Delavan-Darien High School.

She comes to the district with a degree in Education and a license in Cross-Categorical Education.

Kroll enjoys helping students who are struggling. At the high school level , she is able to give them the steps to achieve their goals. Kroll also enjoys her family, which includes two daughters. She spends time gardening and going to basketball games.

Shelly Lalich started her teaching career at Delavan-Darien High School in 2007. Here, she teaches Earth Science and General Science. Along with teaching, Lalich enjoys coaching the DDHS JV softball team. Lalich received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Secondary Science Education with an emphasis in Earth and Space Science in 2005. Lalich also received a Broadfield Science Certification from UW-Madison 2007. In her free time Lalich enjoys playing softball and golf, watching movies and spending time with her family.

Patricia LaPlante, MS, CCC-SLP, came to the Delavan-Darien School District in 2008 as the speech-language pathologist at Phoenix Middle School and Delavan-Darien High School. She earned her Master’s degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders in 2008 at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Development in 2005 from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. LaPlante enjoys working with students to improve their communication skills, as well as preparing them to be successful in the classroom and beyond.

Jim Larson has been with the Delavan-Darien School District since 2000. He is from Kenosha and is a graduate of Tremper High-School. His Bachelor’s in Music Education is from The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Larson also has a Master’s of Music in Choral Conducting from The University of Wisconsin-Madison. Larson began his teaching in the Milwaukee Public School system, where he taught Kindergarten through sixth grade music for nine years. After a sabbatical while working on his master’s degree, Larson taught in the Madison School District at West High School. He then came to DDHS, where is Director of Choirs at DDHS.

Liz Lieske Evans came to the district as a Spanish teacher in 1995 after teaching one year in Minnesota. She is proud to be a 1990 graduate of Delavan-Darien High School, and a student in the district since her sixth-grade year. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish in 1994 from Saint Olaf College. She continued her studies, earning a Master’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature from Saint Louis University, and attending classes for four summers in Madrid, Spain. 

Craig Lodahl is a Science teacher at Delavan-Darien High School. He has been teaching science here since 1997. Along with serving as the Science Department Chair, he is also the head wrestling coach and an assistant football coach at the high school. Prior to moving to Delavan, he taught biology in Barron, Wis., and was a wrestling coach at Eau Claire Memorial High School. 

Randy Luczak started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2003. Luczak works as night custodian at Delavan-Darien High School.

Michael Maldonado is an intern for the DDHS student services department for the 2010-2011 school year. He has a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Columbia University (New York), and a master's in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University at Mankato. He is working for a second master's in Counseling from UW-Whitewater. Maldonato has worked in many non-traditional/alternative education settings, including social service work, work at a therapeutic wilderness camp, the Boys and Girls Club of Milwaukee and St. Charles Alternative School in Milwaukee.

Deborah Ludlow started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1980. Ludlow works as a physical education teacher at Delavan-Darien High School. She chairs the Physical Education and Health Department at DDHS, and administers the $1 million PEP Grant the district received in 2009 for improving its physical education programming.

Amanda Marvin started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2010. Marvin works as a special education teacher at Delavan-Darien High School.

She enjoys working with students and making a difference in someone's life. She likes teaching students, watching them learn and learning from them. Marvin strives to reach every student individually and find a way to connect material to their everyday life.

When she's not teaching, Marvin, a UW-Whitewater graduate with a degree in cross-categorical special education, enjoys spending time with her family and friends, outdoor activities and sports.

Dawn Millard is a 1979 graduate of Delavan-Darien High School. She went on to graduate cum laude from UW-Stout in 1983. There, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Home Economics in Business with a minor in business and concentration in consumer affairs. 

Cynthia Mullen started with the school district in 2007. Mullen is currently the SDS supervisor. A Spanish-speaker, Mullen also helps translate meetings and phone calls for Spanish-speaking parents and community members.

Rachel Nelson started in the Math Department at DDHS in 2004. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UW-Whitewater and her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Walden University. Previously, Nelson worked in the Kettle Moraine and Waterford school districts, and, in addition to teaching at DDHS, she is an instructor for McPherson College.

Sandee Ortiz came to the Delavan-Darien School District in 1998 as a Physical Education and Health Educator. She graduated from UW-Whitewater that same year with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. At DDHS, Ortiz is the head boys and girls tennis coach and was the Varsity Club Advisor from 2003 to 2008. Ortiz helped to write the high school’s health curriculum and has implemented heart-rate monitors in physical education classes and the students’ use of health and fitness portfolios. Ortiz is a two-time recipient of the Who’s Who Among American Teachers (2006 and 2008).

An athlete, Ortiz earned six letters at UW-Whitewater in tennis and softball. She remains active as a tennis teacher at Four Lakes Athletic Club in Elkhorn.

Mike Palmer was hired by the Delavan-Darien School District in 2004 as a Math instructor at the high school. Palmer received his undergraduate degree in Math Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2004, and he completed a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Olivet Nazarene University in May of 2009. Palmer has been coaching freshmen girl’s basketball at DDHS since 2004, and he enjoys the opportunities to work and to interact with students inside and outside of the classroom.

Sarah Panucci came to Delavan-Darien High School in 1999 as a math teacher. In 2002, she also began as the assistant Forensics coach. A year later, Panucci moved up to the head Forensics coach position. She thoroughly enjoys working with students and watching them progress as public speakers. Currently, Panucci teaches Advanced Placement Calculus, Calculus, Geometry C, and Geometry T. 

Kristin Parker is an English teacher at Delavan-Darien High School. She came to the district in 2005. Prior to this, she taught at Whitewater Unified High School. Parker, a 1998 DDHS graduate, received her undergraduate degree in Education from UW-Whitewater and is currently finishing her master’s degree. She enjoys helping students reach those “ah ha” moments in their learning. Watching students discover a new topic, find success in their work, or an overall enjoyment in any given subject matter is most rewarding to her as a teacher.

Chellie Pelnar is a native to Delavan and alumni of Delavan–Darien High School, class of 1973. She has worked for the district since 1997. Her jobs have varied, some being senior study hall supervisor, SDS supervisor and attendance secretary. Pelnar enjoys working with the students and staff at D-DHS. 

Betsy Perkins is an American Sign Language Interpreter for the district. She is working this year at both Turtle Creek Elementary School and Delavan-Darien High School. She has been an educational interpreter for many years at schools throughout Walworth County.

Roxann Petermann has been teaching in the Delavan-Darien School District since 1978. As a native of Delavan, Petermann attended school in the district and is a Delavan-Darien High School graduate. Her 30-plus years of educational experiences include teaching General Math, Math Connections, Algebra T, Algebra R, Algebra 2, Algebraic Functions/Trigonometry, Geometry, and Calculus. She is also the Math Department chair, the building coordinator for the Gifted and Talented Program and the advisor for the Academic Bowl. 

Harriett Peterson is a secretary to DDHS Associate Principals Ramón Reyes and Wayne Fell. She is an alumni of Delavan-Darien High School and graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education (Exceptional Educational Needs) from UW-Stevens Point. She taught kindergarten in Texas before returning to Wisconsin to run her own pre-school/child care business in Wauwatosa for nearly a decade. Peterson has been with the district since 2000. She enjoys reading, going to the movies, camping, beading, sewing, crafts, and spending time with her husband, children, extended family and friends.

Carri Peyer is a graduate of DDHS, class of 1994, and works there today as a Special Education Teacher. She started her career at DDHS in August of 2003 as an employee for Walworth County and was hired on by the Delavan-Darien School District in August of 2008. Peyer has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in addition to her teaching certification and a Master’s degree in Special Education, all of which she received from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Peyer loves working with the high school students at DDHS and is grateful to have a job that she truly enjoys and feels passionate about.

John Pickel began working for the Delavan-Darien School District is August 2009 as one of the night custodians. Prior to working for the district, he worked for 13 years as an electrician for Schnick Electric in Delavan. Pickel is married and has a daughter and a son, both in the Delavan-Darien School District. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors whether it is hunting, fishing, or camping.

Cathy Pierson started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2003. Pierson works as the lead network technician for the district.

Tiffany Poritz is a student teacher at DDHS for the first semester of the school year. A student at UW-Whitewater, Poritz did her field experience work at Phoenix Middle School. She hopes to graduate in the spring of 2011 with a degree in English education and a minor in Race and Ethnic Cultures. Poritz graduated from Elkhorn Area High School in 2004.

Trina Portugal is a teacher for the Social Studies department at Delavan-Darien High School. She came to DDHS in 2002, having earned her teaching certification from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh the same year. Before earning her teaching licensure, Portugal taught English as a Second Language in Tokyo, Japan, and in Lima, Peru. A Michigan native, Portugal received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from Central Michigan University in 1995. 

Diane Purgatorio started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2006. Purgatorio works as kitchen server at Delavan-Darien High School.

Julie Quartucci is a member of the Social Studies department at DDHS. She was hired in 1992 after returning from teaching for a year in Dubnica, Slovakia. She earned her undergraduate degree from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and her master’s degree from Aurora University. Quartucci was a member of the Freshman Integrated Team, worked with the Peer Helpers and Peer Mediators. She traveled to Yaroslavl, Russia, with four DDHS students in the spring of 1997 for an AFS exchange. She coached the girls and boys tennis teams in 1997-1998 and was a Werbel Award recipient at the end of that year. The following year she was granted a sabbatical in to do volunteer teaching on the Tohono O'odham Reservation in Arizona. In 2001, she was granted approval to begin teaching Advanced Placement Psychology at DDHS. Quartucci is currently serving as a mentor for the district until 2011.

Maria Ramos Speth started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1991. Ramos Speth works as a bilingual teacher at Delavan-Darien High School.

Officer Tom Reichert works with students at Delavan-Darien High School and Turtle Creek Elementary School, building positive relationships with students and parents to maintain the safety in our school buildings. He works to prevent juvenile delinquency, promote a healthy and positive school culture, supports faculty with disciplinary issues, and promotes the profession of police officer as a positive community role model.

Jessica Rima is a student teacher at DDHS for the first semester of the 2010-11 school year. She is a 2006 Elkhorn Area High School graduate. Rima is majoring in History at UW-Whitewater and will graduate in December 2010. 

Mary Risseeuw started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1993. Risseeuw works as cook at Delavan-Darien High School.

Phyllis Salmon started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2003. Salmon works as a clerical aide at Delavan-Darien High School.

Sherry Scheurell started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1988. Scheurell works as an aide in the Guidance Office at Delavan-Darien High School.

Jodi Scott, came to the Delavan-Darien School District in 2000 as a business teacher. In 2003, she became the adviser for the Future Business Leaders of America. She started writing the Carl Perkins grant for the school district in 2007, and she became the CTE department chair in 2008. 

Tim Scott started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2003. Scott works as a night custodian at Delavan-Darien High School.

Josephine Sell started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1994. Sell works as a cook at Delavan-Darien High School.

Jon Seuser is a county employee who has worked at Delavan-Darien High School since 1976. He graduated from DDHS in 1967. Seuser works with Special Education students and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Learning Disabilities from UW-Whitewater and a Master’s in Education from Viterbo University in La Crosse. He enjoys helping kids with learning problems and has enjoyed seeing many of his students graduate and become productive citizens.

Bonita Sisk started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1996. Sisk works as a clerical aide at Delavan-Darien High School.

Jill Sorg started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 2003. Sorg works as a kitchen server at Delavan-Darien High School.

Marty Speth came to Delavan-Darien in 1989. He holds an Associate Degree from the UW-Madison Farm and Industry Shortcourse as well as a Bachelor’s degree from UW-Platteville in Agricultural Education with a Chemistry minor. He received a Master’s Degree from Aurora University in 1999 and was certified to teach Chemistry in 2007. 

Aaron Steffes came to Delavan-Darien in 2010. He teaches art and is the video club advisor at DDHS. He specializes in photography, graphic design and art fundamentals.

He earned two degrees, art and English, from UW-Madison, and has his Master's of Fine Arts degree from Hunter College in New York City.

Before coming to DDHS, Steffes lived in Chicago for three years. He is a practicing artist making drawings and short videos.

Steve Tenhagen is a Physical Education/Health Educator at Delavan-Darien High School. He started at DDHS in the fall of 2005. He previously taught one year at Gilmore Middle School in Racine. Tenhagen is a Burlington native who earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2002. He completed his Master’s degree in September 2009 from Olivet University focusing on Curriculum and Instruction. Tenhagen coaches the DDHS varsity football team. He enjoys the opportunity to have an impact on young people’s lives as his teachers and coaches did in the past.

Sara Terrill is an English teacher at DDHS. She started teaching in the school district in 2000. Terrill grew up in New Glarus, Wis., where she graduated as valedictorian in 1995. She graduated from UW-Whitewater in December 1999 with a degree in Secondary English and German Education. She long-term subbed for one semester at Fort Atkinson High School before starting her career at DDHS. At DDHS, she served on the Study Team from 2003 to 2006. She is currently working on her master’s degree in administration with a goal to pursue a career in school administration. 

Larry Thomas started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1997. Thomas works as custodian at Delavan-Darien High School.

Debra Voss started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1998. Voss works as a cook at Delavan-Darien High School.

Lonnie G. Wallace came to Delavan-Darien School District as the Automotive/Power and Energy Instructor at DDHS. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in Industrial and Technology Education and Traffic Safety Education and a Master’s degree in Education. He is now the Lead Teacher in the Project Lead The Way Engineering Education program at DDHS, teaching “Introduction to Engineering Design” and “Digital Electronics.” Wallace also teaches classes in Computer Aided Design and Electronics.

Annette Wampfler came to Delavan-Darien in 1985. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from UW-Whitewater and was a first grade teacher at Park School, a former elementary school in the district. In addition to first grade, she has spent time teaching second and third grade, as well as English as a Second Language at Turtle Creek Elementary School. In 2008, Wampfler moved to DDHS, where she currently works with English Language Learners in grades 9-12. While in the district, Wampfler earned a Master’s degree in General Education from Viterbo University and, in 2005, an ESL degree from UW-Whitewater. She enjoys working with students of all ages and strives to help each one of them find success in their learning endeavors.

Kim Westergaard started with the Delavan-Darien School District in 1995. Westergaard works as a guidance counselor at Delavan-Darien High School.

Lauren Zomboracz started teaching at Delavan-Darien High School in 2005. She graduated with her degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the spring of 2004. At the high school, she has taught Social Studies and Business classes to students in all grades. She is currently working on her Master’s degree in Business Education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.  

Throughout her years at DDHS, Zomboracz has coached track and is currently the Student Council advisor. At the end of the day, Zomboracz enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her husband Bill, who is a teacher in the Franklin School District. Zomboracz is originally from the Twin Cities area and also enjoys traveling back home to see family and friends.