Mrs.Athmer joined the Highland School District in 2001 as a third
grade teacher. She enjoyed teaching fourth grade for 12 years. She also loved teaching IMSA at the
Elementary. In 2013 she moved to the Middle School to teach American
History. She is looking forward to seeing her former students as they travel to the eighth grade. She
enjoys spending time with her children, Abby and Joshua, and
her husband, Scott. Mrs. Athmer loves scrapbooking,
shopping and baking, and playing golf. She also admits
she enjoys going 4-wheeler riding, camping, fishing, and maybe even
hunting with her family!
Mrs. Heather Athmer
American History
Model UN Sponsor
hathmer@highlandcusd5.org
Mrs. Gurley did her student teaching at St. Jacob Elementary and Granite City High School. She also taught at Shiloh Middle School for two years prior to coming to Highland Middle School in 2010. She also has seven years experience working for a non-profit child welfare agency, as a case manager and supervisor for Children’s Home + Aid. She has volunteered for Habitat For Humanity, Girls on the Run and church events.She enjoys bicycling, stain glass, painting, cooking, swimming, reading, 4-wheeler and spend time with her family. Mrs. Gurley enjoys vacationing at the beach.
Mrs. Leslie Gurley
8th Grade Special Education Teacher
lgurley@highlandcusd5.org
M.Ed., Instructional Design and Learning Technology, 2005.
Mrs. Chastity Hyre has taught 8th grade Language Arts at HMS since 1997. She has coached HMS track HHS cross country and sponsored HMS Student Council and Speech Team at HHS. Now she is active on school committee groups.
Mrs. Hyre loves middle schoolers because they keep her young, and make her laugh on a daily basis. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, vacationing, cooking, baking, yoga, bicycling, gardening, landscaping, fishing, swimming in her pool, shopping with her mom, acting goofy with her daughter Kalysta, and watching movies with her husband Brad. She and her family have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Luca.
Mrs. Chas Hyre
8th grade Language Arts teacher
B.S. in Elementary Education from SIUE with emphasis in Middle School. Endorsed to teach math, science, and social studies. A.S. in Drafting Technology. Ms. Kelley taught seventh and eighth grade at Alton Middle School as the Title One math teacher - specializing in remediating students. She also spent a year as a teacher's aide in a Special Education classroom. Ms. Kelley has experience with CAD and CAM in the medical, aircraft, and mechanical fields. She coached seven seasons of youth girl's soccer through the YMCA of Edwardsville. She has tutored at the Juvenile Detention Facility in Edwardsville.< She enjoys time with her two children, reading, and traveling.
Ms. Jill Kelley
8th Grade Pre-Algebra and Algebra teacher
jkelley@highlandcusd5.org
7th Grade Special Education
National Board Certified Teacher - Early Adolescence Science, 2003 M.S. in Ed. - Elementary Education - Southern Illinois University @ Edwardsville, 2008 Currently working on administrative certification at Southern Illinois University @ Edwardsville, pending completion in December, 2011.HS varsity softball coach at Highland High School
Mrs. Schmitz has been with the Highland School district since 1998-1999 school year. She taught 2 years of 4th grade before coming to her current position as 8th grade Science teacher at HMS.
Volunteering with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and St. Paul's Catholic Church is very important to her. Mrs. Schmitz enjoys - singing, sports, running (marathons in particular!), boating, reading, spending time with family.
Mrs. Sharon Schmitz
Science Teacher
sschmitz@highlandcusd5.org