Noland named lead teacher for charter school

The Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) has announced the selection of Russell Noland as lead teacher for the district's new charter school.

The district's governance council formally selected Noland for the post at Maple Grove School, a new collaborative expeditionary learning charter. He currently teaches fifth grade at Pine River Elementary School, and will split his time between the two schools for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year.

"We are very pleased to announce that Mr. Noland will be taking on this new leadership role at Maple Grove School," said Bruce Anderson, Interim Superintendent of MAPS. "In this period of transition in our school district as we open a new charter school opportunity, we feel that his teaching experience and commitment to helping students succeed make him the ideal person for this position."

Noland has served with MAPS since 2009, when he student-taught second grade at Washington Elementary School. Noland also served as a long-term substitute teacher and a short-term math and social studies teacher in the district before beginning his fifth-grade teaching position at Pine River in 2011.

Noland is a 2009 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In addition to teaching, he serves as a Merrill Soccer Association board member and youth soccer coach. He is also actively involved as a parent classroom volunteer.

"Maple Grove has great potential to truly enhance the educational opportunities we offer to students in our school district," said Anderson. "Mr. Noland is a dedicated role model for students both inside and outside of the classroom, and his leadership will create optimal learning environments for students at our charter school."

Along with Noland, School District of Marathon superintendent will serve as the Maple Grove administrator of record for the collaborative charter school. In addition, Dr. Jennifer Seydel of Expeditionary Learning Schools will be the charter "school designer."