There are several new staff members at Indian Lake Schools for the 2025-26 year!
Learn more about them here as we make it through the first few weeks of school.
We will keep adding new staff to this post until we meet them all.
We start with new School Resource Officer JR Brenner. SRO Brenner is a 2011 ILHS graduate. He served in the Army as an infantryman for six years and most recently worked as a Logan County Sheriff Deputy. Brenner also owns and operates Brenner's Butchering in rural Bellefontaine. He is excited for the opportunity to work with students at school and serve Washington Township.
He and his wife, Sarah, have been married for ten years and they are the proud parents of three daughters--one who attends Indian Lake Middle School!
SRO Brenner says, "It's a little weird to be back walking the halls of ILHS again. I really just want to learn the job and do it well."
SRO Brenner is also learning to be a K-9 handler, as he will have the Washington Township Police Dog, Hondo, with him on the job.
There's a new face to greet students and parents in the ILMS Office. Jenny Cooper is filling the role as Secretary, alongside Mrs. Danielle Even. Mrs. Cooper comes to us from the London Office of Ohio Penal Industries within the Ohio Department of Corrections. Before you start drawing comparisons between middle school and prison, Cooper says she already enjoys the atmosphere and fun of the ILMS Office!
Jenny grew up near Columbus, but her husband is from Logan County. They have two young children. Her family loves spending time outdoors and watching their son compete in pee-wee motocross events across the state.
Bailey Hemmelgarn is taking the helm of our ILHS Business program! She comes to us with 7 years of experience teaching similar courses at Marysville High School and she is excited to be back in Logan County!
Hemmelgarn is a graduate of Bellefontaine High School who went on to earn her degree in Management Information Systems at Ohio University and her Education degree from Ohio State University.
She will be instructing the same courses at ILHS that Mrs. Coburn made popular over the past several years. However, she is switching the business club opportunity from Business Professionals of America to DECA because she is more familiar with its structure.
When she's not in school, Hemmelgarn enjoys being a mom to her new baby and spending time camping and boating.
Mrs. Elaine Keller is doubly delighted to be making her debut at Indian Lake Schools! This busy mom of twins teaches Third Grade Language Arts at ILES. She comes to us most recently from Bellefontaine City Schools, but before that she taught for many years in Okeechobee, Florida. She also subbed in our area and served as a paraprofessional at Ben Logan Schools.
Elaine graduated from Ben Logan and earned her teaching degree at Wilmington College, with her Masters from Wright State. At that time, she and her husband, Ken Keller from WPKO, relocated to Florida for opportunities with both of their jobs. Now with twin sons in 8th grade, they are happy to be back close to family and home. So far Mrs. Keller is loving the support and culture at ILES.
When she's not at school, Elaine enjoys watching her sons play sports and doing her own reading and writing.
Riley Myers is team teaching with the above profile, Elaine Keller. Miss Myers teaches Third Grade Math, Science and Social Studies. She is a 2021 graduate of Bellefontaine High School and she recently earned her degree in Primary Education from Miami University. Riley is so ready for her first classroom ever!
“I feel like I’ve been collecting things for a long time, so it was great to finally put it all up. I got a lot of help from my family and friends.”
In addition, Riley is so excited to get to know her first group of students.
Outside of class, Myers enjoys reading, walking and hanging out with her friends and family.
Fun fact: Miss Myers is cousins with Miss Shirk, who we will meet soon!
It doesn't seem like that long ago that Raelyn Parsell was a student at Indian Lake Schools, but now she's got her own classroom! Miss Parsell is new to the 1st Grade team. She is a 2021 ILHS graduate and she recently earned her degree in Inclusive Early Childhood Education from Bowling Green State University.
Parsell says it was always her intention to come back to the Lake!
She said, "I couldn't imagine moving away and teaching anywhere else. I'm very thankful to be here!"
Parsell reports that the first few days of school have gone well and she's having fun getting to know all of her students.
Outside of school, Raelyn enjoys spending time with her friends and family and playing "Name That Tune." As a former ILHS Cheerleader, Miss Parsell will also coach ILMS Basketball Cheerleading during the winter season.
Miss Avery Shirk is doing double duty this year at ILES! In an effort to avoid three-teacher teams in the upper elementary grades, she is teaching both 3rd Grade English/Language Arts for half the day and 4th Grade ELA the other half of the day. It’s no sweat, as Miss Shirk has four years of teaching experience in the 4th Grade at nearby Lima Bath Elementary. Shirk also has her English as a Second Language Certification (ESL), which she is already putting to use with a current student in her class. Avery grew up in Lima and graduated from Shawnee High School in 2017. She went on to earn her Education Degree from Miami University.
Finally, Avery Shirk is also serving as Coach Shirk! She is leading this year’s ILMS Football Cheerleaders on the sidelines this fall.
Outside of school, Miss Shirk likes to travel and read mystery novels.
Fun fact: Shirk has a twin brother!
Mr. Clayton Westerbeck has big shoes to fill at Indian Lake High School. As the new ILHS Assistant Principal, he replaces longtime teacher, coach and administrator Mr. Dave Coburn. However, Mr. Westerbeck is the type of person who rises to a challenge!
Mr. Westerbeck comes to Indian Lake from Greenville City Schools where he has broad middle school and high school leadership experience. He was also an administrator, teacher, wrestling coach and football coach at Sidney City Schools for many years. In addition, he ran the alternative school in Sidney. Westerbeck also coached at Tipp City, Sidney and Lima Bath High Schools where he helped these schools win league and sectional wrestling titles.
Clayton was drawn to the job at Indian Lake because he has a history here.
"I have a strong connection to IL from years of wrestling with Coach (Bill) Fulton. I'm excited to be here."
Westerbeck says he's also already impressed with how culture-driven Indian Lake School staff members and students act on a daily basis.
When he's not at school, Mr. Westerbeck likes to hunt, fish and spend time with his family.
Mr. Dan Young has been around Indian Lake Schools for years, so why are we profiling him now?
After 26 years of teaching middle school (3) and elementary school (23) Physical Education, Young is transitioning into a completely new role. He is the new ILHS/Ohio Hi Point Ag and FFA Instructor!
Dan grew up farming and formerly owned his own landscaping company, so he is very experienced working the land. Young is also excited to work with high school students, discussing serious topics.
"I love having upper level conversations and watching kids learn about all the opportunities we have for them in Ag and FFA." he explains. So far, Mr. Young is enjoying posing the question "Why does it matter?" with students and helping them decide whether the subject is important now and/or whether it is a building block for bigger things to come.
Dan is looking forward to taking students to the Farm Science Review in a few weeks and the FFA National Convention in October. The Annual Hog Roast is also coming up, but Young knows he has a strong group of FFA Officers to help him succeed.
Mr. Young is a 1994 graduate of ILHS who earned his education degree from Ohio State. His older daughters and two sons are ILHS grads, while his younger children all attend Indian Lake Schools, as well.
Brand new Bus Driver Jonathan Griffith is already having fun on the road with his kiddos. Griffith began as a substitute bus driver last school year and came on full time this summer. He drives Bus #16.
With two children and 8 adopted special needs children, Jonathan is the father to lots of Lakers! His goal is to be able to drive a special needs bus for our district in the future.
Mr. Griffiths has spent many years as a home health aide, allowing him to take care of others. He also farms at his home near Lewistown.
We wind up our New Employee Profiles with Bus #20 Driver Mr. Jeff Whatley.
Whatley is new to Indian Lake, but not new to the road. He comes to us with several years of experience at Ben Logan Schools. He also serves as a bus aide on an extra route that runs after the normal routes each morning.
Jeff is originally from Arizona, but he moved to Ohio to operate a farm many years ago. He was a manager for Spectrum for 32 years, as well.
When he's not on the bus, Whatley prefers to ride his Harley--Davidson motorcycle. He says driving a school bus works perfectly for his schedule because he has summers off to cruise his bike all over the United States.