If the pandemic offered anything positive for the folks at Community R-6, it's that distance learning creates opportunities to expand. So one of the five new instructors for middle and high school students is virtual.

No, he's not the result of artificial intelligence. Jonathan Gilke is a real human, but the former Community math teacher will provide pre-calculus lessons from his home in Springdale, Arkansas.

This gives the school high level math options for interested students. For the vacant music, social studies, mathematics and special education positions, the school selected three veteran teachers and one just out of college.

Kody Asquith is the rookie, a recent graduate of Hannibal-LaGrange University who did his student teaching at Palmyra. A baseball player, he was also tagged as the Trojans' varsity softball coach.

"I'm a little overwhelmed," he admitted with a generous smile. Referring to both the classroom and the diamond, he added that "I'm going to be learning right along with them."

Although social studies was not his primary area of study in college, Asquith has hit the books with the enthusiasm of someone eager to try something different. But his purpose -- the reason he became interested in education -- remains the same.

"I want every child to succeed," he explained. "If I don't know the answer I want to find it for them, give them skills they can use."

Daniel Wichern II knows the area well. The middle and high school math teacher grew up in Mexico and spent last year teaching at Montgomery County.

If he has a weakness, it's his affinity for face scrunching dad jokes -- except that Wichern sees groaners as a benefit. It's a way to soften their general fear of number crunching.

"I have an open challenge: what job will not have math in it," Wichern pointed out. "I want to be a positive influence. If you don't tell bad jokes, some kids aren't going to be into the subject."

Having a sense of humor also keeps Wichern's spirits up.

"If they don't like the joke, at least I do," he said.

Like Wichern, Cheri Buckner also comes to Community from Montgomery County. She will handle special education responsibilities.

"My biggest goal is to make an impact on the kiddos," Buckner observed. "I want to build relationships with students and families and help them through whatever their struggles are."

Buckner is in her fourth year as an instructor after a career in computer programming. And she is excited at the prospect.

"I always wanted to be a teacher," she said. "When an opportunity presented itself, I went back and got a degree."

Shawna Penn shares a Mexico connection with Wichern. For the past 14 years she taught music at Hawthorne Elementary.

For Community R-6, Penn will serve as music instructor for K-8 students and help with high school choir.

Her plan is to work on a sense of rhythm with the youngest students then send them to drums and xylophones. Fifth graders will learn recorders.

"It's sequential," Penn explained. "We see where the kids are and go from there."

The pandemic knocked out elementary music, but she expects students to catch on quickly.

"It's not as important to know the name of quarter notes as it is to play a quarter note," she pointed out. "You can learn that later."