Centre

About Karen Nickel

My family moved out of Wichita in 1994 to Marion, Kansas.  Talk about a culture shock!!!  I finished my last two years of high school and graduated from Marion High School class of 1996.  After high school I decided to pursue college.  I began working at Marion Elementary School as a paraprofessional and taking evening classes at Butler of Marion. I graduated from Butler County Community College with an Associate's Degree in Science.  I switched jobs to work at Butler College as an Americore VISTA on a government grant program called America Reads. I worked closely with the Marion elementary school and the public library incorporating community volunteers to help all children read. It was an AWESOME experience!!! I decided it was time to finish my degree in elementary education at Tabor College in Hillsboro.  I student taught at Centre with Mrs. Cain in the fall of 2002.  I graduated from Tabor in December 2002 with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education.  After graduation, I worked as a substitute teacher and stayed very busy.  This is my sixth year teaching in the Centre School District. 

I have four wonderful children. Victoria, a freshman at Manhattan Area Techl; Kaitlynn, a 7th grader;  Tyler, a 3rd grader; and a newborn Kenzie. 

I enjoy working at Centre Elementary.  Centre is the place that we call home.  I am proud to say that I work at Centre.  I enjoy working with the students and the staff here.  They are wonderful people!!  In my spare time I enjoy coaching volleyball, reading, and scrapbooking plus just spending time with my children, nieces and nephews.