Teachers
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Mrs. Porter
Kindergarten, K-3 teacher and Title I/Special Education Denise Porter was born and raised on the Oregon coast at Coos Bay where she graduated from Marshfield High School. Mrs. Porter earned her Elementary Education degree from Western Oregon University in Monmouth. She began her teaching career at Long Creek School the winter of 1991 with a class of second graders. Then for several years, she taught a morning Kindergarten class and Title I/Special Education in the afternoon. During those years, she also coached the high school cheerleaders. She now teaches Kindergarten through third grade. Mrs. Porter loves teaching in a small family oriented school. Becoming a teacher has been Mrs. Porter’s dream since she was 8 years old, so teaching at Long Creek is truly a dream come true! Mrs. Porter has been married to her husband Don since 1992. His family was one of the original families to homestead and settle the Long Creek area. Mr. Porter is the current Mayor and Fire chief of Long Creek. Mrs. Porter serves on the school board, the city council, is a volunteer firefighter, and the training officer for the Long Creek Fire Department. Mrs. Porter was selected as ‘Instructor-of-the-Year’ 2013 for the Grant-Harney Training Association for fire training. Together Mr. & Mrs. Porter run the concession stand during sporting events at Long Creek School. Both enjoy community involvement in small town life, and being close to the great outdoors. |
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Mr. Freeman
Grades 4-6 Patch Freeman has been teaching grades 5 and 6 at Long Creek School since 1998. In the last several years, grade 4 was added to his room, for a grades 4 through 6 combo. Besides teaching, Patch has coached High School Golf and Baseball, and Junior High Basketball. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoor sports – hunting and fishing. Patch thinks Long Creek is a great place to live and work! "Long Creek is a great place to live and work" says Mr. Freeman. |
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Mr. Connor
Basic & Advanced Math and Chemistry Dave Connor was born in Heppner, OR. Graduated from Pilot Rock High School. Played one year of baseball at BMCC. Attended a dozen colleges or so thereafter, from three different states. Ended up with a bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M, Corpus Christi Branch, then called Corpus Christi State University. Moved back to parents’ house in Stanfield and worked for Hermiston Foods as Quality Control Manager for a couple of years, when the plant first opened up. Then worked for Norpac, Inc in Salem for a few years. Took graduate courses at Western Oregon University to get a teaching license. Taught in Heppner, Dayville, John Day, and Winston before ending up in Long Creek. Have teaching credentials in Basic and Advanced Math and Chemistry. Love the outdoors. Did well this year grouse hunting and horn hunting, with the help of my two yellow labs. |
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Margee Powell
7-12 Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher Margee Powell was born in St. Helens, Oregon, where she lived until high school, when her family moved to Eastern Oregon. She graduated from Dayville High School and then earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Oregon University in La Grande in 1986. After teaching adult education classes for a number of years at Union-Baker ESD and her youngest was in school, she began working as a substitute teacher. With the encouragement of Dayville Superintendent Kerma Berry, Mrs, Powell returned to EOU in 2004, where she obtained her Master’s Degree in Teacher Education. Mrs. Powell began her teaching career at Dayville School in the fall of 2005. She also coached junior high volleyball and was the National Honor Society Advisor. Mrs. Powell came to Long Creek in the fall of 2019. She appreciates the small-town, big family feel of Long Creek. Mrs. Powell is devoted to her family and her faith; she also enjoys reading, photography and refinishing/remodeling projects. Mrs. Powell has two sons and a daughter: Hunter and his wife, Sabrina; Walker and his wife, Daryl Ann; and Skylar, who is engaged to be married in the fall. She lives outside of Mt. Vernon, where a few cows and dogs keep her busy. |
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Christi Dominguez
Preschool Teacher Christina was born in Deming, New Mexico. She has traveled across the country and met a lot of colorful people. Eventually she settled in Las Cruces, NM, where she attended New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM from 2011-2013 and received an Associate’s Degree. She moved to Oregon with her daughter in 2019. She moved to Long Creek 2 years ago to be closer to family. Christi is currently enrolled at Eastern Oregon University in the (ECED) Early Childhood Education Program. She will graduate in 2024 from this program and plans to continue her education towards a Master’s in Education. She enjoys learning new things, spending time in nature and spending time with her daughter. One of her mottos is “Teachers are Lifelong Learners” and she is excited to continue her education so she can better serve the children of Long Creek. |
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Joan Walczyk
Middle School Teacher, MS/HS Electives Mrs. Walczyk has a Master’s Degree in Education (Eastern OR Univ) along with a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources (Univ of Idaho). She enjoys teaching students of all ages in a variety of subjects. She relishes the opportunities to utilize hands-on activities in her teaching and looks for ways to actively engage all students. Mrs. Walczyk enjoys raising native plants, gardening, camping and the outdoors. She cherishes the opportunities she and her family have contracting and working together. She appreciates the experiences she had growing up farming and ranching. |
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Heidi Hines, Educational Assistant
Heidi Hines began dancing through the French Gulch Elementary School’s Art Program under the instruction of Christine Kingsbury. In 2007, Heidi was given a Full scholarship to Redding City Ballet. Cindy Michaels, the director of RCB invited Heidi to become an apprentice to the company in 2009. Miss Heidi became a company dancer with RCB while attending her Junior year at Shasta High School and teaching part-time at French Gulch School. The Hines Family relocated to Long Creek, Oregonafter their home was leveled by a forest fire. She went back to California to perform ‘The Nutcracker’ with her company. Then, taught Dance at Long Creek School and was in the ‘Blue Mountain Eagle Newspaper’ for her Senior Project at Long Creek School. She moved to Portland the day after her high school graduation to continue performing and teaching with Northwest Dance Project, Portland Festival Ballet, and Portland State University. At the age of 23, Heidi went to San Francisco for the Alonzo King LINES Ballet School summer session. Miss Heidi spent half a year in China teaching ESL and Dance. Heidi became Teacher Certified and taught at Private Schools in Portland. After the Pandemic, she became a Nursing Assistant in the state of Washington. Miss Heidi is currently visiting us in Long Creek. You can find her assisting Mrs. Porter’s class and dancing with the kids! |
Support Staff
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Larry Glaze, Superintendent
Mr. Glaze has 48 years of service as an educator and administrator in Oregon Public Education. He spent five years as a teacher and coach and 43 years as a school principal, school superintendent and district level administration. Twenty three of those years were serving as Elementary Principal and Superintendent of La Grande School District. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Eastern Oregon University in Education and received his M.S. Degree in Education from the University of Oregon. He is currently serving as Long Creek School District Superintendent, Principal and Athletic Director. He has been married to his wife Patty for 43 years Patty is a Realtor in La Grande, Oregon. They have three dau ghters: Amy, Amber and Aubrey. |
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Jennifer Garinger
Office Manager, Deputy Clerk I am a recent graduate (Summer 2016) of Eastern Oregon University with a B.S. in Physical Activity and Health with a minor in Business. I am mother to 9 children, with 4 attending Long Creek School at this time. I am also grandmother to 5, with one of those also attending Long Creek School. I have lived in Grant County for 10 years and in Long Creek for 4. I enjoy reading, gardening and restoring my 127-year-old Victorian home. I enjoy being involved in the school, community, and my Church, so I am likely to be seen at most events. |
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Jennie Freeman
Administrative Assistant, Deputy Clerk Before being employed by the school she worked as an aide in her husband, Patch Freeman’s, classroom. Jennie enjoys working with her husband, the rest of the great staff at school, and being around the students. She went to Long Creek School from Kindergarten through twelfth grade, and is very glad to be here in one of her favorite places! Jennie enjoys gardening, reading, Bible study, crocheting, and hiking. |
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Linda Studtmann
Instructional Assistant, specializing in Technology, Yearbook Linda Studtmann moved to Long Creek with her family in 2008. She offers a variety of skills to Long Creek School students. Linda is an assistant teacher, helping teach elective classes to all grade levels. These classes include Home-Ec, technology, and yearbook for the junior high and high school, and technology and keyboard typing for the grade school. She also enjoys taking pictures at school programs, sports activities, field trips, and any other events. Besides photography, Linda’s hobbies include card making, crocheting, road trips and camping, along with visiting her family. Linda is also a Host Mom to foreign exchange students every year. |
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Bel Dunn
Head Chef My name is Joniebel Dunn. I was born and raised in the Philippines. I studied Bachelor of Science in Information Technology before I met my husband. I moved to Long Creek in 2014. I am a mother of two children and they are both attending in Long Creek School. I love spending time with my Family, camping, mushroom hunting, fishing, hiking/walking with friends. I have worked at Long Creek School since 2020, and my previous job was an ELC Assistant, I did Maintenance/Cleaning as well. Currently I’m the cook and Environmental Supervisor! One thing I love most as a cook is to see the children’s beautiful smile when I greet them with “GOOD MORNING”! I love my Job, everyone working at the school and the Kids! |
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Mark Yarbor, head of maintenance
Mark Yarbor is originally from Burns, OR, and graduated from Burns High School. Mark has done many types of construction, maintenance, heavy equipment and other tradesmen types of work. He is a “jack of all trades” which makes him very useful at Long Creek School. We are happy to welcome him as the new head of maintenance. |
