Omaha Public Schools welcomed new teachers this summer during a special networking event in June.
 
“The beginning of every school year is the same feeling – the butterflies in your stomach and just excited for something new,” said Shelly Burghardt, Forest Station Elementary principal. “You’re getting ready to touch kids’ lives and make a difference, and that’s something that not everyone gets the privilege to experience.”
 
Forest Station Elementary hosted the New Teacher Welcome Center. The event connected teachers with information from district departments and provided free resources for the upcoming school year.
 
“Each year, you get a fresh start, and that’s what I love about teaching,” said Amy Stenger. She brings several decades of experience to Omaha Public Schools after retiring from another district. “You get to try it again, do it even better, learn and move on. I really enjoy that part of the profession.”
 
Stenger attended the welcome center event and is one of approximately 130 new teachers joining Omaha Public Schools for the 2022-2023 school year.