Seven teachers join Lind-Ritzville Cooperative schools: Jody Terris

Seven new full-time teachers joined the ranks of Lind-Ritzville Cooperative Schools this year.

Caitlin Schoessler and Chelsie Kneale are teaching at Ritzville Grade School while Jody Terris and Laurinda Ritz are instructors at Lind Elementary School. Aaron Bush, Colton Hodgson and Nicole Reyling joined the Lind-Ritzville High School staff.

Jody Terris

Jody Terris is the new fourth grade teacher at Lind Elementary. She grew up in Colbert and graduated from Riverside High School. Her parents and younger brother live in Spokane.

After Terris graduated from EWU with her teaching certificate, she attended Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she earned her master’s degree.

Terris explained her love of teaching began in college when she taught a child she was babysitting how to read. She described the experience as an “awesome feeling.”

Terris had previously taught in the Tonasket School District along with her husband, LRHS Principal Kevin Terris. She said the family had not intended to stay in Tonkaset long, but she grew to love the school and the community.

Terris said she is excited to teach at Lind Elementary and she hopes to create a positive and safe learning environment for students.

She loves being outside in her free time, going on walks, jogs and hikes almost every day. Terris and her husband are Seattle Seahawks fans and they love camping, reading and spending time with family and friends.