The BRPS Board of Education welcomed three new staff members to the BRPS family at the most recent board meeting:
Pat Craven, Special Education Director, is a 2003 graduate of Brigham Young University - Idaho. He earned his Special Education certification from Ferris State University in 2006, followed by a Master’s in School Leadership from Ferris State, and Special Education Director certification from Grand Valley State University in 2018.
Pat spent 12 years teaching high school special education at Evart Public Schools before becoming a Special Education Supervisor at the MOISD, where he worked for the past 8 years. His focus there was on regional programs for adjudicated youth, elementary ASD resource classrooms, and middle school emotional impairment classrooms.
In his free time, Pat enjoys summers at the lake with his family, spending time fishing, swimming, boating, and playing euchre. He’s also an avid sports coach, having coached various teams throughout his adult life, from little league baseball to varsity football and baseball.
Candace Nielsen, BRMS Assistant Principal, brings 24 years of educational experience to Big Rapids Middle School. She holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, a bachelor’s degree in Special Education with a minor in Reading (grades 6-12), and an endorsement in Learning Disabilities. Candace’s background includes roles as a Behavior Interventionist, Special Education Teacher, Testing Coordinator, and Work-Based Learning Coordinator.
Candace and her husband reside locally, where they run a large Angus beef farm. They have four children—three of whom are college graduates, while their youngest is a senior at Big Rapids High School. In her free time, Candace enjoys running, reading, and traveling.
Jnanna David, Assistant Technology Director, holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with focuses in Biology, General Science, and History. She completed her degree at Michigan State University and the University of Vermont, where she was a member of Kappa Delta Pi.
Jnanna's professional background is diverse, with experience as a Science Coordinator and Curriculum Developer for a small Montessori school, followed by five years at Novato Unified School District, CA, where she progressed from Paraeducator to Tier III IT Technician. During her time there, she founded and managed the “Tech Wranglers” student helpdesk for Chromebook repairs. She later served as an I.T. Systems Analyst/Administrator and Business Services Administrator for the Trinity County Office of Education in California.
A lifelong science enthusiast, Jnanna comes from a family of science teachers with a combined 40 years of experience. She has always had a passion for paleontology, meeting Jurassic Park paleontologists Jack Horner and Robert Bakker at a young age.
In her free time, Jnanna enjoys reading history, exploring international cooking, and taking slow nature hikes. She also has a love for animals, having raised rescue kittens, and currently shares her home with a tortoiseshell rescue cat named Frankie.
Please join us in welcoming Pat, Candance, and Jnanna to the Big Rapids Public Schools family as we look forward to another successful year!