Three new hires at Warsaw Community Schools were introduced at the school board work session Wednesday.
Amanda Nine is an assistant principal at Warsaw Community High School. She attended Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, where she received her bachelor’s degree in history and her secondary teaching certificate in government, psychology, sociology, U.S. history and world history, according to a news release from the school district. She received her master’s degree in educational administration and supervision from Ball State University.
She taught at Westview Junior-Senior High School as a social studies teacher for 11 years. She then worked at West Noble High School for seven years, after which she returned to Westview as a junior high principal.
“We are very excited to have Mrs. Nine join Warsaw Community High School as an assistant principal,” Dr. David Hoffert, WCS superintendent said. “Her experience as an administrator, coupled with her knowledge as a former high school educator, will be an asset to both staff and students at Warsaw Community High School.”
During the school board meeting, Nine said her youngest daughter is into dance and that’s why her daughter wants to come to Warsaw, as well as the description of the job intrigued her.
The second person introduced was Matt Binkerd as WCHS athletic director. Binkerd grew up in Hillsboro, Ore.
Binkerd received his master’s degree in education from Pacific University’s satellite program in Eugene, Ore., in 1996. He was then hired as the head boys’ track coach and social studies teacher at Emira High School in Veneta, Ore. In 1999, Binkerd went to Springfield (Ore.) High School. He became the head football coach in 2001 and the athletic and activities director in 2004.
Binkerd went back to school in 2007-08 to receive his administrative license from the University of Oregon. From 2008 onward, he was the athletics and activities director at Sheldon High School in Eugene.
Binkerd said, “This community is a very special one.”
The third new hire was Mark Ziegler as band director at WCHS.
Ziegler was born in Warsaw, raised in Whitley County and is a graduate of Columbia City High School.
He graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in church music and received his music education degree through Indiana/Purdue at Fort Wayne in 1999.
His first teaching position was at Calvary Christian School in Kentucky. He then spent 12 years as the band director at Clay City High School.
“Along with teaching, Ziegler has worked as a percussion instructor, written marching band drills, composed and adapted music scores and adjudicated solo and ensemble participants,” according to a news release said.
He told the school board he wanted to move back because his sister lives in Warsaw, his “parents live in Columbia City and they’re not in very good health” and he saw the band director position was open and thought it was perfect.
