Mr. Fagan graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in History. Since then, he has been instructing kindergarten through eighth grade classes. Although, he now teaches at the primary level, the majority of his teaching experience has been working with students in the intermediate grades. Mr. Fagan feels extremely fortunate to be able to teach at the Centennial Valley School in addition to serving its local community.

Name: Mr. Fagan

Hometown: Gainesville, Florida

Siblings: One younger brother

Favorite Type of Foods: Mexican, Cajun, and Seafood

Favorite Dessert: Cheesecake

Favorite Color: Green

If I could have one superpower, it would be: Time Travel

Favorite School Subjects: History and American Studies

Favorite Childhood Books: Anything written by Lewis L’amour or Ernest Hemingway

Favorite Childhood Movie: Lonesome Dove

If I could be any animal, I would be: A grizzly bear

Hidden Talent: Mr. Fagan has some extensive carpentry experience

Favorite Holiday: Christmas

Ideal Vacation: Exploring and fishing the Alaskan and Canadian back countries

When I was in Elementary School, I wanted to be: A middle-school student

Ms. Gustafson has been living in Laramie, Wyoming for eight years and is in her eighth year of teaching art at the Centennial Valley School and Slade Elementary. Prior to working for the school district, Ms. Gustafson received her Bachelor’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Art from the University of Nevada, Reno. She also has a Master’s degree and is a certified special education teacher. In her free time, Ms. Gustafson likes to create art using graphite, watercolors, and colored pencils. She has recently taken up powerlifting, and in March 2018, she competed in her first competition. It has become her second love outside of teaching art. She also enjoys hanging-out with her 130 pound Rottweiler/Ridgeback mix. Ms. Gustafson is extremely passionate about sharing the enriching world of art with her students. It is her hope that they are all able to takeaway a set of skills, which can translate into all of the other areas of their lives while simultaneously developing a lifelong passion for art.

Name: Ms. Gustafson

Hometown: Fallon, Nevada

Siblings: One older sister and one younger brother

Favorite Type of Food: Thai

Favorite Dessert: Cupcakes

Favorite Colors: Ms. Gustafson loves EVERY color, so it is hard for her to choose just one

If I could have one superpower, it would be: Healing Power

Favorite School Subjects: Art and History

Favorite Childhood Books: The Babysitter’s Club Series

Favorite Childhood Movie: The Little Giants

If I could be any animal, I would be: A dog

Hidden Talent: Competitive Powerlifter

Favorite Holiday: Halloween

Ideal Vacation: Sightseeing at any historical site or city

When I was in Elementary School, I wanted to be: An art teacher

Ms. Kozlowski was born and raised on a farm in Iowa. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Music and Music Education from Clarke College in Dubuque. She then went on to earn her Master’s degree from the University of Iowa. She has 23 years of teaching experience, 12 of which have been at the rural schools in the ACSD #1. She has five children that range in ages from 16 to 28. Her husband, Mr. Kozlowski, is a Wildlife Biologist for the U.S. Forest Service. When she is not teaching, Ms. Kozlowski loves to sing, go for walks, be outside, and knit. However, her favorite pastime by far is spending quality time with her children. She feels very fortunate to be teaching music to the amazing students at the Centennial Valley School, Harmony Elementary, and Valley View.

Name: Ms. Kozlowski

Hometown: Vinton, Iowa

Siblings: Five brothers and one sister

Favorite Type of Food: Fried Chicken

Favorite Dessert: Cherry Pie

Favorite Color: Green

If I could have one superpower, it would be: Flying

Favorite School Subject: Physical Education

Favorite Childhood Book: The Big Book of Fairy Tales

Favorite Childhood Movie: The Wizard of Oz

If I could be any animal, I would be: A moose

Hidden Talent: Ms. Kozlowski is a fantastic lawn mower

Favorite Holiday: Christmas

Ideal Vacation: Spending time at her farmhouse in Iowa

When I was in Elementary School, I wanted to be: A farmer

Mr. Dixon states that his wife of 40 years, Mrs. Dixon, does an excellent job of keeping him going in the right direction. He has a son and a daughter-in-law, who have a son of their own, that live in Eastern Nebraska. His daughter lives in Northeastern Iowa. Mr. Dixon has worked for the ACSD #1 for 39 years where he has enjoyed his time teaching physical education at both the Centennial Valley School and Valley View. In addition to teaching, Mr. Dixon also works full-time with livestock on a ranch located just south of Laramie.

Name: Mr. Dixon

Hometown: Beaver City, Nevada

Siblings: Two younger sisters and one younger brother

Favorite Type of Food: Angus Beef

Favorite Dessert: German Chocolate Cake

Favorite Color: Blue

If I could have one superpower, it would be: To forecast accurate weather conditions and future beef markets

Favorite School Subject: Physical Education

Favorite Childhood Books: Dr. Seuss Collections 

Favorite Childhood Movies: Anything produced by Disney

If I could be any animal, I would be: A cockroach, because Mr. Dixon claims that they can survive through anything

Hidden Talent: Still thinking…

Favorite Holiday: Any holiday that is centered around food

Ideal Vacation: Exploring the Rocky Mountains

When I was in Elementary School, I wanted to be: A train engineer