Hi! I am Jessica Rausch, the 4th Grade teacher at Sully Buttes' Onida Elementary. I am a Blunt, SD native and attended all 13 years of school at Sully Buttes. After graduation I moved to Spearfish, SD to attend college at Black Hills State University. Four short years later, I graduated with a teaching degree and moved home to marry my high school sweetheart (Lee Rausch) and begin my teaching career. We have four beautiful children, -- Hallie Ann (10), Charlie James (8), Lukas Gerald (6), and Emmalynn Jules (3). They keep us on our toes constantly, but we wouldn't have it any other way! We reside in Onida, with our silly pups, Stella & Havyn. Since college, I have worked for the South Dakota Discovery Center, Oahe Child Development Center, and Agar-Blunt-Onida School District. While with the SD Discovery Center I spent a summer traveling around SD teaching science to children ranging from 4-16 years old. It was a very rewarding job, helping children get excited about science and learning! With the Oahe Child Development Center I taught preschool for children ranging from 3-5 years old. It was a year spent with many wonderful kids learning basic concepts and life skills. While with the ABO School District, I have taught Kindergarten and First Grade students in a combined classroom for 5 years and English Language Arts for 4th-5th-6th grade students for 1 year. I loved working with the kiddos as they just began their education, and while they were just ending their elementary level education. Getting to work with the students at all grade levels has really helped me grow as an educator and fully understand where they should be academically. The last few years I've been teaching 4th & 5th Grade English Language Arts, and just last year I got to add 3rd Grade to the mix. I've loved working with the younger kids again! I enjoy teaching this age group and helping them get ready for the Middle School setting. As long as my students come to school ready to work and are polite--we will get along great! I believe that time at school is for school work, and time at home is for home life. Students will rarely have homework for my classes... if they do, it's because they didn't use their time wisely (or occasionally--our day got cRaZy!). I strongly encourage family time and those "old-school" values at home--chores, supper together at the table, game nights, reading together, etc--and I want you to have time for them. Time goes by much too quickly, and is promised to no one, enjoy your time with your "babies" while you can. I know I look forward to my time with them!