Mr. Beck: I am beginning my ninth year of teaching at WJHS. I will be teaching sixth grade language arts and social studies. Prior to this year, I taught seventh grade language arts and social studies for four years. I grew up with two younger brothers, Mike and Ethan, and graduated high school in Highland, Illinois, which is where my parents still reside. After high school, I earned my bachelor’s degree from SIUE in Elementary Education, and I am continuing to work toward my master’s degree. Outside of teaching, I’m entering my eighth year of coaching varsity and junior varsity boys and girls bowling at Waterloo High School. My wife, Candice, is also a teacher in Waterloo. She works at Zahnow Elementary School teaching kindergarten. We have two sons: Samuel, who is four and Benjamin, who is almost two. My family and I also live in Waterloo, and I love spending time with them. I also enjoy outdoor activities, such as fishing and hunting, and I enjoy rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Indianapolis Colts.
Mrs. Bicklein: This is my seventeenth year teaching science at WJHS! I am originally from central Illinois where my immediate family still lives. My husband and I live in Waterloo with our four children. We have a cat named Rockie, and three dogs named Indy, Lana, and Tom. I first came to Waterloo on a caving trip to Illinois Caverns. I love shows like Planet Earth, Mythbusters, Chopped, National Geographic, Criminal Minds, Bones, and C.S.I. I like to read, ride my bike, play volleyball, watch movies, cheer on our boys in sports, work on computers, and take pictures. I have also played paintball, laser tag, gone horseback riding through the mountains, and whitewater rafted the Snake River! Ask me about Red Rock. I hope to one day ride the entire length of the Katy Trail, travel to Europe, see Angel Falls in person, win a photography contest, and see the Cardinals win another world series!
Mr. Dahm: This is my 8th year teaching at Waterloo Jr. High. I will be teaching 6th grade math. I earned my Bachelors degree in elementary education from SIUE. Along with teaching, I am the assistant Jr. High softball coach, and I am the JV boys’ baseball coach. I grew up in Belleville, IL and still live there today with my wife, Liz, our daughter, Eliza and our dog Lehra. In my free time I like to spend time with my family and friends. Some of my favorite hobbies are watching or playing sports and doing things in the outdoors, such as fishing and deer hunting.
Mrs. Dahm: I grew up in a small town in northern Illinois. I attended Illinois State University and earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Deaf and Hard of Hearing along with an elementary certification. Later I attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) to earn my Master’s degree in Reading. I also have an Educational Administrative certificate from SIUE. I currently reside in Belleville with my husband, Steve. I enjoy reading, cooking, traveling, and getting together with family and friends.
Mrs. Miller: Hello and welcome to sixth grade! This year marks my 18th year teaching at Waterloo Junior High. I earned my Bachelors degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign. I received my teaching certification and my Masters degree in Teacher Leadership through McKendree University. My husband, Shane and I have four wonderful children—3 boys and 1 girl. Owen is 15½ years old, Braden is 13 years old, Harrison is 10½ years old, and Kierstin is 9 years old. I enjoy running, playing games, watching sports, and spending time with my family. I am anticipating a super school year!
Mrs. Schilling: Welcome 6th grade students! This will be my 16th year in the Waterloo School District and my 14th year teaching 6th grade. I earned my Master’s degree from McKendree University and my bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1998. I was born and raised right here in Waterloo and attended school here as well. My husband and I are the proud parents of two sons, Reid (13) and Rowan (8 ½ ). Our boys take up most of our "spare" time, but when I get a few minutes, I enjoy reading!
Mrs. Schwehr: This year I am entering my 11th year of teaching physical education and health. Eight of those years have been at Waterloo Junior High. In addition to teaching, I also coach the 6th grade volleyball team and am an assistant track coach for WJHS. I am an alumni of Waterloo High School. I continued my education at Southwest Baptist University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management/Athletic Training. In 2005 I received a second Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology/Physical Education from SIUE. I then returned to SIUE and completed my Master’s Degree in Education in 2014. I live in Waterloo with my husband Greg, and our two children Ellie and Eli. In my free time I enjoy watching my children’s sporting events, playing tennis and golf, hanging out by the pool with family and friends, and watching HGTV.
Mr. Toennies: I have lived in Waterloo all my life. I attended SIU Carbondale and received my Bachelor of Science in Social Studies in 1994. I completed my Master's Degree in Elementary Education from SIU Edwardsville in 2008. Previously, I taught 4th grade for many years in Waterloo School District 5. I currently teach 6th and 7th grade history at Waterloo Junior High. I enjoy St. Louis Blues Hockey, amusement parks, collecting old comic books, going to movies, playing trivia games, and learning about history. I love to teach about the American Civil War era the most. My trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life.
Mrs. Wahle: This is my 7th year teaching at WJHS. I have been teaching for twelve years. I earned my bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and my master’s degree from Lindenwood University. My husband and I have three children. Tyler and Sydney are in fifth grade, and Nicholas is 5½ years old. In my free time, I enjoy reading, being outdoors, and spending time with my family. I am looking forward to a great year.