New Teachers at Pierce Elementary
Teaching, Coaching, and Giving Back: Brett Tinker’s New Role at Pierce
By Brayden Clarence Suckstorf
For one new second grade teacher at Pierce Elementary, coming home was an easy decision. With deep ties to the community and a passion for education, Brett Tinker is excited to begin his first year of teaching second grade.
“My fiancée and I already have a house in Pierce, and this place has given me so much throughout my life,” he said. “There was no question—this is where I want to be.”
A graduate of Briar Cliff University, he spent five years there earning degrees in elementary education and K-12 physical education while also playing football. Tinker is currently student teaching at Harney Elementary in South Sioux City and will wrap up his student teaching at South Sioux City High School
Now, he looks forward to giving back to the community that shaped him, both in the classroom and on the field.
As he steps into his first year as a teacher, he is planning on helping with football and wrestling. He is very excited about the opportunities ahead.
“I’m looking forward to all the ways I can give back,” he said. “Pierce has given me so much, and now it’s my turn to do the same for the next generation.”
With his enthusiasm for teaching and coaching, it is clear that Tinker is ready to make a lasting impact on the students and families of Pierce.
“He is a former Pierce alum, so that helps. I know that he has ties to school, and he wants to be here, and He wants to stay in pierce. That is gonna help. Also, I can really tell with Brett that he will do a really good job of building relationships with our kids. And he'll fit in really good with our staff. He's just gonna be a really good young teacher,” elementary principal Trent Suehl stated.
New Teacher at Pierce Elementary
By Brianna Rundell
Pierce Elementary will get a new teacher for the 2025-2026 school year at the elementary, Elly Herley who graduated from high school at Summerland Public Schools. She continued her education at Wayne State College, and she is currently student teaching at Pierce Elementary and will be teaching in the first grade next school year.
Herley chose Pierce because it is close to where she grew up, and she has enjoyed her experience. However, teaching does come with its challenges. “When one arises, I believe, with the support of my cooperating teachers, I will be able to handle them adequately,” she comments.
For the new school year as a Pierce Bluejay teacher, Herley is excited but also nervous about her new opportunity. “I am most excited to create a classroom of my own and make relationships with the staff and students, but I am anxious about lesson plans, finding the right material to teach, and the first day of school,” Herley said.
“She has student taught here and has done a good job; she has fit in real well with the staff,” Principal Trent Suehl commented. “She treats her kids well here, and she is just a really good teacher”
She chose the teaching pathway because her aunt was a teacher for many years. She has been a huge inspiration to Herley and is a large part of why she wants to be a teacher.
Good luck to Herley on her new journey!
