Feature

Meet the New Teachers!

Wyatt Jones

October 21, 2025

Ms. Reina Amor Arce is in her 16th year of teaching, with the bulk of her experience coming at a middle school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The graduate of Leyte Normal University is an enthusiast of karaoke. Arce said that her biggest challenge at Topeka High has been sharing a classroom, but nevertheless, her passion for teaching has persisted. “My mind and heart led me to teach special ed,” Reina said. “It’s an avenue to help these kids.”

Ms. Dana Johnson was looking for a change to get experience in ESL, and she took the opportunity to do so at Topeka High. The Kansas native hasn’t found the halls of Troy to be overwhelming, but rather, an exciting challenge. “Working with Freshmen has been a whole new adventure,” Johnson said. Her favorite part of Topeka High is the block schedule, and when she’s not teaching, she’s reading, writing, cooking, or being an Auntie.

Ms. Esha Mitra moved to Kansas in May of 2025 after teaching middle school in Las Vegas and was attracted to Topeka High by its beautiful architecture. “The building was a big draw for me,” Mitra said. She’s also found appreciation for the environment in the building, especially the support network of teachers and administrators. In her free time, she likes to read, cook, and write, but she’s hoping to take writing beyond hobby status. She’s an aspiring fiction author and she’s currently working on a book.

Ms. Melissa Goacher originally applied to be a reading interventionist, but when offered a job in FACS, she took the opportunity. As an elementary teacher of eight years, she’s pleased by the behavior of her new students. “I didn’t know how receptive high schoolers would be,” Goacher said. “Words and environment matter.” Her favorite part of Topeka High is her two new teaching colleagues in the FACS department, but if she stops teaching, you can expect to (not) find her on a homestead far from people.

Ms. Theresa Indiola is a passionate special education teacher who obsesses over finding ways to teach every single student. She originally went to the University of San Carlos for electronics engineering, but found her calling to be teaching. The native of Cebu, Philippines, has also taught in Shiprock, New Mexico, but she says she prefers the climate Kansas. If she weren’t teaching, she’d like to be a mall worker or an electrical engineer, and she loves to bake and cook in her free time.

Ms. Betsy Brogren joined Topeka High after seven years of working at State Street Elementary. This shouldn’t come as a surprise; black and gold runs through her blood. Brogren herself, as well as her brother, parents, grandparents, and great-grandmother, all attended Topeka High. Brogren is one prong in our trident of new FACS department teachers, but her passion for culinary arts doesn’t stop at school. When she’s not teaching, you can to find Brogren cooking, baking, puzzling, or reading.

Ms. Susan Fangman wanted to get back in the classroom after working as a community educator. The former Garner-Edgerton and Seaman school district teacher is one of the building’s three new teachers in the FACS department. So far, Fangman is loving the variety and diversity of Topeka High. Fangman enjoys quilting, and she’d be working as a fashion designer if teaching weren’t an option.

Dr. Jinhua Wang came to Topeka this year after teaching in Kansas City. She’s also a former teacher at Seaman High, where she taught Chinese and ESL. Wang, who says she “was always interested in languages,” was attracted to Topeka High and USD501 in general by its high ESL population. “Every day is like a new adventure,” Wang said. Her favorite part of teaching at Topeka High is the school spirit, and especially the running of the halls.

Mr. Danny Davison has always loved Earth and Space Science, so when he saw an advertisement for an open position at Topeka High, he took it. Davison was born in Heidelberg, Germany, but he grew up in Manhattan, Kansas. So far, he’s found Topeka High to be a great place to teach—a complete contrast to what he was told before taking the job. When Davison is not at school, he’s fulfilling the dreams of every five-year-old by building rovers, 3D printing, and using his class-3 rocket license to full effect.

Mr. Carter Jones works in physical education and as a wide receiver coach for Topeka High. The native of Norton, Kansas, has found Topeka High to contrast with his own experience at a 3A high school, but he’s taken the challenge in stride. He didn’t attend college with a plan to go into education, but religious beliefs made him reconsider. “God led me to teach,” Jones said. In his free time, he enjoys walking with his wife and playing Xbox, along with watching sports.

Ms. Casey Williams was looking for a change when a science position opened up at Topeka High. Williams has felt welcomed by the staff and students in the halls of Troy. “Nobody takes themselves too seriously, and there’s something for everybody,” Williams said when asked for her favorite thing about Topeka High. Williams has been inspired to teach since having a brilliant biology teacher in high school, but if she weren’t a teacher, she says she’d either be working in microbiology or as a personal chef.

Mr. Joseph Chua had been tutoring online for 2 years, and before that, he was working in a behavioral program for little kids in Las Vegas. This year, he took a job co-teaching special education English at Topeka High, which he says he’s thrilled about. Chua doesn’t care what subject he’s teaching as long as he’s in the classroom teaching and socializing. If he weren’t teaching, he’d like to work in a fast-food restaurant where he gets to talk to new people every day.

Ms. Jennifer Vrbanac, a Topeka Native and former Washburn Rural student, moved back home recently after living in Missouri for three years previously. The Washburn University and KSU student always wanted to be a teacher, saying she has no idea what else she’d ever do.. Vrbanac has found Topeka High’s diversity to be her favorite part of working at the school. “Everybody fits in no matter what,” Vrbanac said. When she’s not teaching, she’s working out, reading, or with her puppy.

Dr. Angela Neuroth is experiencing her first year of high school teaching, but while her job title has changed, her reason for teaching English hasn’t. “I love sharing that other world and showing them that reading isn’t a punishment,” Neuroth said. When she’s not in the classroom, you can expect to see her in her garden, growing Japanese vegetables, tomatoes, and cucumbers, among other things.

(Not Pictured) Dr. Asuncion Lalo, an avid sketch artist, took the job teaching special education at Topeka High after hearing about it from friends in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “I tried to look for the background of Topeka, and it amazed me. The building itself is so beautiful, as if I’m in a Harry Potter movie,” Lalo said. Her passion is in helping students with math and science, and so far, she’s found the support and respect from staff and students to be her favorite part of the school.

(Not Pictured) Mr. Drake Whalen came to Topeka High from USD501’s own State Street Elementary. He played football as a fullback for Southwestern University in college, and still enjoys coaching youth sports and playing golf. He’s currently getting his Master’s in special education at KU. Whalen has liked Topeka High a lot so far, and when prompted, said that his favorite thing about the school is that “there’s lots of support for students and staff.”