Skyview English Department

Skyview High School's Mission

Learning through action. Honor through achievement. Strength though relationships.

Resources and Links

Click on each of following buttons to access policies & procedures for the

Skyview English Department

Staff & Contacts

Questions or concerns?

Please email the course instructor

or a department chair:

Ms. Bridgett Paddock & Mrs. Jill McKnight

Photo of Mr. Bedford

Mr. Alex Bedford

bedforda@billingsschools.org

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My name is Alex Bedford and I am an English teacher here at Skyview High School. As a former graduate of Skyview, it was only fate that I would come back and teach at my old school. I graduated from Montana State-Bozeman in 2015 with a degree in English education. I love teaching here at Skyview, and love that I get to *hopefully* impart a lifelong enjoyment of reading and learning on these students.

photo of Mr. Brooke holding a calf

Mr. Kevin Brooke

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brookek@billingsschools.org

Kevin Brooke has been teaching English for 28 years. He teaches junior and senior language arts classes.

Photo of Mrs. Cordes

Mrs. Kate Cordes

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cordesk@billingsschools.org

Kate Cordes is a National Board Certified English Teacher with over nineteen years of experience as an educator. She received her undergraduate degree in English, psychology, and medieval studies from St. Olaf College and spent a year at Oxford University studying Anglo-Saxon and 20th-century British literature. After working briefly in the corporate world, Kate returned to Montana to pursue an M.Ed. degree. In addition to being a classroom teacher, she works as an AP Reader and educational leader for College Board and the National Education Association. In her free time, Kate spends time with her pet cows, reads, writes, and travels.

Mrs. Stace Hersh

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hershs@billingsschools.org

B.A. Secondary English Education, University of Montana

M. Ed. Reading and Literacy (grades 6-12), Walden University

18th year as an English educator (2004-current)

Ms. Morgan Hofmann

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hofmannm@billingsschools.org


Mr. Dan Johnson

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johnsondw@billingsschools.org

A Billings native, Dan Johnson earned his M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction from Montana State University and his BA in Secondary Education--English from Rocky Montana College. He completed post-graduate level work with Montana Teachers of English Language Learners and holds certificates in Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Teaching of Diverse Language Learners. Dan serves as an Elk River Writing Project teacher consultant and has been deeply involved in the Montana Writing Project and Elk River Writing Project during his career. During his 10 years of teaching, he has taught in every classification of school in the state of Montana. Dan focuses much of his classroom practices on emphasizing student choice in writing and reading and focuses on building a strong foundation of skills in these areas. Beyond just this, he also has a strong passion for argumentative writing in his classroom, and Dan has been heavily involved in speech and debate at every school he has been at. He currently serves as president of the Montana Forensics Educators Association and chairman of the Montana East National Speech and Debate Association's Committee. He was the recipient of the MFEA Class AA Anne Sullivan Debate Coach of the Year Award in 2021.

Mrs. Emily Loftus

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Loftuse@billingsschools.org


Photo of Mr, Mackenzie standing in front of a white wall

Mr. Scott Mackenzie

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mackenzies@billingsschools.org

11th & 12th Grade English Teacher


B. A. English,

University of Montana

Missoula, MT


M. Ed.

Secondary English

Montana State University-Billings

Billings, MT

Photo of Mrs. McKnight

Mrs. Jill McKnight

Department Co-Chair

mcknightj@billingsschools.org

x5253

B.A. English, University of Wyoming

B.A. Secondary Education, Crichton College

21st year as an English educator

NWP teacher-consultant, Elk River Writing Project

English Department Co-Chair

Sponsor -- ARC Club

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Mrs. Maggie Melvin

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melvinm@billingsschools.org

Maggie Melvin holds a BA in English with a teaching endorsement, as well as a BS in Elementary Education. She has taught in School District 2 since 2013 and has had the opportunity to teach at various grade levels, but most enjoys working with high school students. Building relationships with her students in order to share her love of literature so that they may likewise develop a love for education is her focus. A former graduate of Skyview, she is life-long Billings resident and strives to improve her community by working to educate its youth.

Ms. Bridgett Paddock

Department Co-Chair

paddockb@billingsschools.org

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Bridgett Paddock is an English Language Arts teacher at Skyview High School. She has a B.A. in English Literature and a Master's in Education and is in her 13th year of teaching. A recipient of the Billings Public Schools Golden Apple Award, Bridgett is also an Assistant Director for Elk River Writing Project and Co-Chair of the Skyview English Department. Her focus is on creating positive relationships with her students and colleagues in order to help them to be as successful as possible and to create successful, contributing citizens of our communities.

Photo of Mrs. Pfaffinger holding a Key Club bear

Ms. Kathy Pfaffinger

pfaffingerk@billingsschools.org

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Kathy Pfaffinger graduated from University of Montana Western with a B.S. in Secondary English Education, earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Idaho, and is a National Board Certified teacher. She has taught for 31 years in all secondary levels of English Language Arts, including drama, speech and debate, and journalism. She sponsors Key Club and actively advocates for student involvement in community service. She participated in the development of the Montana Common Core Curriculum for English Language Arts and the HiSET exam. English and literature for communication and basic understanding of one another is Kathy's passion. Knowledge of foundational skills provides a way to improve our day-to-day lives and the lives of those we touch.

Mrs. Catherine Wetmore

wetmorec@billingsschools.org

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