Now that summer has ended and a new school year has begun, Hellgate High School has a lot of new faces. Among them are our new staff members hired over the summer. These new staff include art teacher Kammi Pilati, English and social studies teacher Matt Shedlock, and school resource officer Nico Graham.
Kammi Pilati is a new art teacher at Hellgate. She has been with the district for about five years, previously teaching art at the elementary level. Pilati went to Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Montana. In 2015, she attended the University of Montana to earn her bachelor’s in fine arts and art education.
When asked about her hobbies Pilati said, “I ski and do yoga in the winter. In the summer I like to fish and go boating, and of course, I do artwork in my free time.”
Overall, Pilati is very excited about teaching at Hellgate High School. “I’m excited about deeper discussions into art and more in-depth projects that come along the transition from elementary to high school art,” she said.
Matt Shedlock is a new English and history teacher at Hellgate. He has taught for about 13 years and was a school counselor for an additional seven years.
Shedlock graduated from Barnstable High School in the mid-90s. He attended the University of Massachusetts and then taught for Teach for America, which recruits college graduates straight out of college to teach. Afterward, he was a student at Seattle University where he got his psychology and counseling degrees, as well as his masters in education from Western Governors.
Shedlock’s hobbies include coaching football at Hellgate, snowboarding, mountain biking, and spending time with his family.
Shedlock said he’s very excited to be teaching at Hellgate High School. “I love teaching and I’m happy to be here,” he said.
Nico Graham is Hellgate’s brand-new school resource officer. “I’ve always expected to be an SRO, although not this early in life. The position was open, and I thought it would be a great opportunity,” he said.
Graham graduated from Big Sky-High School in 2013, then from the University of Montana in 2018 with his degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminology, a minor in communications, and a certificate in forensics.
When asked about his hobbies, he said, “I like to relax, I enjoy a good Netflix show and getting into the gym as much as I can. I also spend time with family.”
“I’m excited to develop relationships with administration and students. It is cool to see everyone warm up and feel comfortable enough to open up to me,” said Graham.
These are just a few of the many new staff members at Hellgate. Each brings their unique perspective and experience to our community. If you get a chance, don’t be afraid to say hello and welcome our new staff members to our school.
