Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007

Giltner makes job move north to JCN schools

by Kenneth Lassiter

Brandan Giltner has made his career in education by following opportunities and that path guided him from one county school district to another entering this school year as the new assistant principal at Jefferson County North Elementary and Middle School.

Giltner comes to JCN after seven years as a biology teacher at Jefferson West Middle School. Giltner was born in Denver, Colo., and graduated from high school in Gillette, Wyo., before getting a bachelor’s degree at Black Hills State University in South Dakota. After graduating, a roommate helped lead him to Kansas.

“Actually, a roommate of mine had gotten a job at the Youth Center at Topeka (now known as the Topeka Juvenile Correctional Facility) and they were looking for a biology teacher, so he told me about it and I got the job,” Giltner said.

Giltner brought his wife, Linda, to Kansas with him and got a version of “baptism by fire” into the teaching field in dealing with some troubled youth at YCAT. He ended up teaching biology, physical education and health at the center for five years.

“I found out that, if I could teach there, I could teach pretty much anywhere,” Giltner said. “The difference is that it is somewhat mentally draining to teach at a place like that, because you always have to be on your toes – 110 percent of the time. You kind of had to develop eyes in the back of your head to some extent. I enjoyed my time there, all in all, but it was my time to move on. I think it made me a better teacher, for sure.”

Over his last two years at YCAT, Giltner also coached at West, which helped lead him to the middle school job in 2000. Giltner settled in to a new district as a teacher and coach while completing his master’s degree work at Benedictine College in Atchison. He began casually looking for an administrative position nearby last year and originally interviewed with JCN for a teaching and activities director position they didn’t end up creating. Giltner was set to begin another term at Jefferson West when JCN high school principal Mike Hess left for a job in Junction City. Gary Bedigrew left his EMS administrative position to fill the bill in the high school and JCN contacted Giltner, who got a relatively unexpected new job.

“It all happened right at the end of July,” Giltner said. He and Linda have two children – Triston, 10, and Taylor, 8, and live in Meriden. “In the matter of a week-and-a-half I went from expecting to be back at West to finding a new job.

“JCN gave me the opportunity to go to the next level. Everyone has really welcomed me here.”

Giltner said the administrative duties are split somewhat between him and elementary and middle school principal Denise Jennings. He said the powers-that-be have been willing to let him learn the ropes in the first couple months but he is getting into the flow of the job. His recent time has been spent overseeing some testing.

“We’ve got a great staff here, all the way around, they’ve been excellent,” he said. “The administration has been good about letting me have time to get to know the staff and kids. I’d say I’m about halfway on getting all the kids’ names matched up with faces.”

Giltner said he misses the classroom and coaching but has been able to stay involved and busy.

“I still have that itch to coach, but I’m the activities director for the middle school so I get to be involved still,” he said with a laugh. “The biggest thing that’s been different for me is I’m not on a schedule anymore. I mean I am to some extent but it’s not ‘This class is this time and then this class is then.’ It’s an adjustment. I’m just trying to help people and it seems like there’s always something to keep me busy. I’m keeping busy, but it’s a good busy where I’m not overwhelmed.”