PCS adds eight new staff, including elementary principal

Perkins County Schools will be adding several new members to its staff this year, including a new elementary principal, science teacher, paraprofessional educators, and food service workers.

Nancy Sorenson

Alliance native and former teacher Nancy Sorenson is ready to take on her new role as Perkins County Elementary principal.

After receiving her undergrad degree at Chadron, Sorenson went on to teach for more than 20 years. She spent nine years at Chase County Schools before moving to Grand Island where she taught for eight years before learning of the elementary principal position at Perkins County Elementary.

The job was particularly enticing because Sorenson because her daughter Bethany and son-in-law Alex Malmkar live in Grant, so she has family ties to the area.

The many years of teaching under her belt have given her experience in educating and coaching, along with a desire to watch students and schools succeed.

She is excited to get to know all the students and staff, as well as the community.

“I am excited to be a part of the community and its activities,” Sorenson said.

As far as working in a school during the Covid pandemic goes, Sorenson said she will be happy when the situation is over, but everyone will just have to take it day by day.

Jennifer Gonzalez

Jennifer Gonzalez said she is “back home” now that she has taken on the position of 7th and 8th grade science teacher.

She said she has always had a passion for science, and she knew growing up that she would one day work in the field.

Gonzalez originally went to school for veterinary technology at at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and she worked in that field for around 10 years.

After that, she worked from home because her husband was in the military a lot, and she said it was easier to work from home when they had to travel so much.

About six years ago, after her children grew up and went to school, Gonzalez went back to school for her teaching degree. Now she has her masters in chemistry, as well as an undergraduate degree in biology.

Gonzalez worked at Chase County for the last three years, and this will be her fourth year living in Nebraska again.

Alongside 7th and 8th grade science, she will teach a class for high schoolers called experimental science. She will also be the assistant coach for junior high, the assistant robotics coach, and she will be a part of student council.

Gonzalez also plans to hold a junior high science fair in Perkins County, and those who do well will go on to compete at the state and regional levels. She hopes to also bring a STEM night to PCS, where students will be able to show what they’re learning to the public.

She said the upcoming year will be a little nervewracking, but she is glad she gets to meet her students in person first and get to know them face to face.

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