Cherryland Middle School Staff

I am incredibly excited and proud to begin my 6th year as principal at Cherryland Middle School. This is my 15th year in education. Every day I feel fortunate to be able to work with amazing staff and students. This year I am especially excited about our continued partnership with the Positivity Project. Personally, I am married to Kelly who is a social worker at Munson and we have two boys who attend Lakeland Elementary School and Cherryland Middle School. Go Elks! 

Hello! I'm Ms. Bissell and I love what I do! I work to create a future world where all students thrive! 

Hello!  My name is Nick Anderson and I teach band at Cherryland Middle School and Elk Rapids High School.  This year will be my 9th year of teaching and 7th year at Elk Rapids Schools.  I attended Central Michigan University where I received my Bachelor of Science (Music), Bachelor of Music Education, and Masters of Music (Performance) degrees.  I enjoy boating, running, swimming, skiing, reading, and spending time with my awesome family!  I am married to my wonderful wife, Stephanie, and we have two beautiful daughters, Madeline (age 8) and Eleanor (age 4) - plus we have a new addition to the family - our puppy Zuko!

Hi all! I am Bethany Bell-Wilson. I teach 7th grade writing teacher as well as 7th and 8th grade accelerated language arts! I love getting involved in school activities and helping students make connections to our school and community. Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.  

This will be my 16th year teaching at Cherryland Middle School and I love it. I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2006 with a major in Physical Education and a minor in History. I then went on to pursue my Masters in Exercise Science. My family and I love to spend our time adventuring in the great outdoors.  If you'd like to visit the CMS PE  webpage, please click here. 

Welcome! My name is Julie Greene and I love helping middle and high school students gain skills necessary to support future success in all areas of their lives. I earned both my bachelor's and master's degrees in special education from Grand Valley State University and I feel honored to spend each day with amazing staff and students. If I can be of any help along your journey, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Greetings! My name is Jessica Kovacs. This will be my 13th year of teaching, and 2nd year at CMS. I graduated from Lake Superior State University in 2009 with a BS in Mathematics and from Michigan State University with my Masters in Teaching and Curriculum in 2016. My family and I love to hike and enjoy the outdoors. 

2023-24 will be my 23rd year teaching at Elk Rapids Schools! I will be teaching 7th grade World History and 8th grade US History. In additional to teaching, I am Co-President of the EREA, serve of the District Technology Committee and am a member of the K-12 Curriculum Committee. I enjoy traveling and being outdoors with my wife and two daughters!

I have the privilege of being the long-term guest teacher for 7th grade, 7th grade accelerated and 8th grade accelerated ELA students while Mrs. Wilson is out on maternity leave. I am a graduate of Michigan State University where I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. I substitute taught for 20 years and up until 5 years ago taught middle school English and Language Arts at an international school while living overseas with my family.

Hello, my name is Erin Paxson, this year I will teach special education at CMS and ERHS grades 8 and 9. I have teaching degrees in art and special education grades K-12. This will be my second year teaching in the Elk Rapids school district. I am excited to work with an amazing group of students this year!

This will be my 23th year at CMS and 34th overall! I teach Fine Arts for grades 6-8 and Language Arts for 8th grade. In my spare time, I enjoy my family time, traveling,  reading, and collecting unique stones on the beach while walking the dogs. Go Elks!!

Welcome to Cherryland Middle School!  This school year represents my 31st year in education.  I currently teach 6th Grade Reading and Writing, serve as a member of the CMS Leadership Team, the K-12 Curriculum Committee, and the Regional Literacy Committee.  I also serve as Co-President of the Elk Rapids Education Association.  As a former Elk Rapids student (Class of 1988), I proudly proclaim, "Once an Elk, always an Elk!"

I am so excited to be at Cherryland for my 5th year! I am teaching 6th grade and 7th grade science. I graduated from U of M and have worked in many aspects of education over the years. I have three children- a freshman and a junior at ERHS and a freshman at University of Michigan.  I love hiking, biking, boating, camping, traveling, and basically any outdoor activity. My favorite part of teaching is the kids- I love these middle-schoolers! Go Elks!

This will be my 3rd year at CMS and my second year teaching STEM! I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Physical Science and Mathematics in 2017. In 2023, I obtained my Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governor's University. I love the beach, hiking, biking and being a dad to my two kiddos! 

This will be my 30 year of teaching, and my second year at CMS. I graduated from the University of Cincinnati for my undergrad and from Michigan State University for my graduate. I'm excited to be the National Junior Honor Society advisor this year. My family and I enjoy the outdoors and hanging out with our two chocolate lab puppies (Moose and Bear).

Hello everyone! My name is Tyler Wilson and this will be my fourth year at Cherryland Middle School. I will be teaching 6th and 8th grade Social Studies. I also am the assistant JV Boys Basketball Coach over at the High School. Each and every year I look forward to building relationships with my students, sharing my knowledge with them, as well learning from my students. I love sports, exercise, the outdoors, and spending time with my family. My wife (Mrs. Wilson), and I recently welcomed our first born this past year. I am looking forward to another great year. Go Elks! 

Hello fellow Elk families! 2023-2024 will be my 6th year at CMS as a Special Education Paraprofessional. I love working with every student at CMS. I am looking forward to this school year!