Mr. Christian Arel teaches Business Education at Columbia Heights High School (CHHS) this year. He looks forward to getting to know everyone better. Arel’s favorite part of teaching is seeing the unique personalities that students bring to the classroom. He believes it is fascinating how different emotions and attitudes come together—some are eager to learn while others are more hesitant. In his opinion, it is very rewarding when he is helping a student discover their curiosity, guiding them to ask the right questions and develop the skills to find answers. In his free time, he likes to stay active outside. He plays softball, tennis, basketball and volleyball. He also likes to golf and mountain bike. In the winter he takes up downhill and cross-country skiing. But mostly he likes to be with friends, either doing one of those activities or just hanging out. An interesting fact Arel has to share is that he used to guide canoe trips and he’s been canoeing in Canada a handful of times. He also has a dog and three cats.
Ms. Marcela San-Martin is an EL (English Language) teacher at CHHS this year. She looks forward to having a fantastic school year ahead. She also can’t wait to see her students improve their English language skills and gain confidence in expressing themselves in English in addition to their native language. San-Martin is excited to explore the rich tapestry of cultures in her classroom and watch how diverse backgrounds lead to meaningful connections and friendships. Her favorite part of teaching EL is witnessing the “a-ha” moments when students grasp a new concept and express themselves in English for the first time. It’s inspiring for her to see her students progress throughout the year. During her free time, she loves visiting New York City whenever she can. She loves exploring the city and discovering new areas with her husband as they always find something exciting to do. A fun fact about Ms. San-Martin moved from New York with her husband and they drove to Minnesota after getting married.
Ms. Hannah Appleton is also an EL Teacher at CHHS. She is excited to be part of such a diverse academic community that celebrates the school’s different stories and backgrounds! She believes she will have a lot to learn from her students and colleagues. Appleton’s favorite part of teaching is getting to see kids succeed. It’s very rewarding for her to put effort and energy into something and finally master it, guiding other people through the process. Being a teacher of multilingual learners, she loves getting to learn about students’ languages, cultural backgrounds and lives outside of school. In her free time, she likes to work out at the gym, sing at her church and snuggle with her kitty, Gabriella! Appleton paid for some of her education using scholarships from competing in local Miss America pageants and serving in Americorps. She is always happy to talk about either opportunity with students.
Mr. Evan Kohl is a science teacher at CHHS this year. He is most looking forward to experiencing the school culture of CHHS, an area of Minnesota that is new to him. Columbia Heights seems like a special place for him, and he is very excited to be here and be a part of the community. During his free time, he runs a lot and is currently training for a 50km race in Duluth in October. He also enjoys outdoor activities like camping, biking and skiing. An interesting fact is that Kohl started his teaching career in a small village in the United Kingdom for two years before starting his job in Minnesota.
Ms. Sierra Beilby is the new English teacher at CHHS. Her favorite part of teaching is getting to see students first hand become more confident in their writing skills, building relationships with students and telling the occasional jokes in the classroom. In her free time, she coaches for the UNW Men’s and women’s Cross Country Team. She also enjoys running, reading, writing and watching MN Timberwolves basketball. Ms. Beilby is currently getting her Master’s in Creative Writing.
Mr. Michael Ims is a new CHHS Physical Education teacher. He looks forward to meeting all of the new staff and students this year has to offer. His favorite part about teaching is building relationships with his students and watching them consistently grow throughout the school year. In his leisure time, he enjoys coaching football, watching sports and hanging out with friends. A fun fact about Ims is that he is not from Columbia Heights and this is his first year teaching.
Ms. Lindsay Wooten is a new Special Education teacher this year at CHHS. She looks forward to getting to know the students and staff better. Her favorite part about teaching is getting to see the “lightbulb” moments students have when they’ve learned and understood a topic. In her free time, Wooten loves going outdoors. Whether it’s going on walks, paddle boating or kayaking, she enjoys all of these activities fully. A fact that Wooten is quite proud of is that she bought her first house last April!
Ms. Cathy Springhorn is the Social Worker of our 2024-25 school year at CHHS. Ms. Springhorn is most excited towards having the opportunity to build strong relationships with students and staff at CHHS while simultaneously being involved in all sorts of fun activities within the community. Her favorite part of being a social worker in the district is getting to assist with and witness the growth and development of students while also hoping to make a positive impact on their lives by addressing emotional, behavioral and social challenges in the school environment. During her freetime, Ms. Springhorn likes to hike, read, play games, paint, knit, watch movies or hang around with family and/or friends. An interesting fact about Ms. Springhorn is that she loves building and creating things, she also used to do clowning and knows how to juggle and make balloon animals!
Ms. Tracy Olsen is a new EL teacher at CHHS. She looks forward to getting to know the students and staff this year as a new teacher. Olsen’s favorite part of teaching is getting to know the students and seeing them achieve their goals. Whenever she is free, she loves watching movies or doing some kind of arts and crafts. A very interesting fact about Olsen is that she used to teach in South Korea and one of the students she taught became a Korean pop singer—Eusang Lee from the group YOUNITE.
Ms. Rachel Pape is the CHHS World Language teacher of our school year. She looks forward to getting to know her students better, hearing their stories and learning from them. Ms. Pape’s favorite part about teaching is the relationships she continues to build with students. During her free time, she enjoys reading and trying out new places to dine, attending yoga classes and of course spending time with friends. A fact about Pape is that she has a pitbull named Lila who moved from Arizona with her and this year will be her first time experiencing snow.
Ms. Amanda Thomas looks forward to seeing the daily interactions with students and getting to know as many kids as she can. Her favorite part about being a school-based therapist is getting to see the progress of the people she works with throughout the year. Since Ms. Thomas works a lot, her usual free time consists of being as lazy as she can and spending time with her cats. An interesting fact about Ms. Thomas is that she’s had multiple careers and at some point did competitive ballerina for 20 years.
