Custer School District welcomes eight new teachers

With the new school year at Custer School District comes eight new teachers in Hermosa, Custer Elementary and Custer Jr./Sr. High School.
Custer Elementary School welcomed three of those teachers, Jamie Neugebauer, Susan Ostenson and Kristin Seidler.
After five years away, 2019 Custer High School graduate Neugebauer is back to Custer, this time as a teacher.
“I wanted to teach here to be closer to family and be back in this community. I’ve missed the Black Hills and am glad to be back,” said Neugebauer.
Neugebauer is originally from Hermosa, but spent the last five years in Laramie, Wyo., at the University of Wyoming and teaching preschool.
She comes to Custer as its newest third grade teacher and coach for the high school volleyball C team.
“I am looking forward to getting to know my students and their families,” said Neugebauer.
She isn’t the only former student former student to return to the district either—her aunt Susan Ostenson will teach second grade and is excited to be back.
“Custer School District is home to me—both because of where I live now and where I grew up.  I am so impressed with the positive staff and Wildcat family atmosphere at CES,” she said.
Ostenson also grew up on the dairy farm in Hermosa and went to high school in Custer. After that, she lived and taught in Colorado for six years after college. She taught in Edgemont for 20 years after that, but moved back by the family farm/ranch last summer.
“After teaching in Piedmont last year, I am looking forward to a four-day week again, a smaller school, less commute for school and to watch my nephews’ football and basketball games, and teaching with my sister (Conni Virtue) and niece (Jamie Neugebauer),” said Ostenson.
Kristin Seidler will teach fourth grade English language arts, math and social studies. She is originally from Tennessee, but  has lived in Hermosa for the past four years.
“I completed my student teaching for Chadron State College in the spring of 2024 at Hermosa School, and I absolutely fell in love with the district and knew that I wanted to stay within Custer County as I began my career,” said Seidler.  “The staff at Custer Elementary have been so warm and welcoming. I am most looking forward to getting to know my students and my new coworkers. I can’t wait to be a part of this wonderful team at Custer Elementary and contribute to its students’ success.”
Custer Jr./Sr. High School also has four new teachers, Megan Hanis, Michelle Joint, Liz Mertz and Catherine Murphy. As of Tuesday, Murphy had not responded to questions from the Chronicle.
Joint previously held the position of intervention specialist at Edgemont School District and at STAR Academy, and is now “honored” to accept the position of Jr/Sr High School intervention specialist in Custer.
“My connection to Custer began in 2007 when my three children enrolled in elementary school, leading to my long-standing support for the district.  I am eager to embark on this new journey and dedicate my efforts to serving the families and community of Custer to the best of my ability,” said Joint.
Liz Mertz is another former student of Custer School District who is now back to pass that learning along to a new bunch of students. She will teach  ninth grade English and seventh and eighth grade reading, a position held by Karen Karim until her retirement last year.
“I think it is fitting that I am taking Mrs. Karim’s position because it was in her class that I decided I wanted to become a high school English teacher,” said Mertz.
She first moved to Custer in 2011 and graduated from Custer High School in 2017. Since then, she has lived in Wyoming and Thailand.
“I wanted to move back to Custer because I have grown to appreciate the access to nature, and I like working in small schools,” Mertz said. “I also love the community that I have become a part of in the last couple of summers when I have returned to wait tables. There was a great school culture when I went to school here, and I am excited to return as a teacher. The four-day school weeks certainly don’t hurt.”
Mertz said she is most looking forward to “meeting my students and discussing literature that I love with them. It is always fun to see how different groups  of students react to the stories and books.”
Megan Hanis will teach algebra and a seventh grade sign language elective. The Hanis family moved to Custer from Washington just over a year ago when Hanis’ husband was hired as a social studies teacher int he district.
She said she loves being part of a community that cares about its kids and being in a district that cares about its staff too.
“It feels like the elusive ‘village’ that is meant to help raise your children.  People seem to truly care about each other here. I also have the benefit that my entire family will be in one building for this school year!” said Hanis.
Over in Hermosa, Kayden Kursave will teach fourth grade.
Kursave has lived around Rapid City most of her life, and even attended school in Hermosa for a few years. She completed high school in Timber Lake, and from there went on to obtain a teaching degree at Black Hills State University.
“When I went to school in Hermosa I loved the community. I always wanted to return to Custer School District because the people are welcoming, kind and willing to help wherever they can. In 2023, I student taught in two different classrooms, and I still had the same feelings about this town,” said Kursave.
Now that she’s back in town, she said she’s most looking forward to impacting students the same way she was in school.
“I want to help students reach their greatest potential. Each student is unique, and I value what every student brings to our classroom, school and district. While I could teach anywhere, there is no other place I would rather be than right here in the Custer School District,” she said.
“I am forever grateful to the people in this community. Not only did you help me when in need, but you also cheered me on as I achieved my biggest dreams and goals in life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your love, support, guidance and wisdom,” said Kursave.