News : We just had to ask VSMS Art Teacher Kari Russler

Keri Russler, pictured here with her family, will teach art at VSMS beginning next week.

Kari Russler is the new art teacher at Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School, coming to VS from Wapsie Valley.

Today we let Mrs. Russler, in her own words, answer our silly questions before sharing some serious thoughts about her career. Being an art teacher, she naturall answers "all of them" when we ask about her favorite color.

Mrs. Russler's husband's name is Tim Russler. He is a carpenter and works with Local 308 out of Cedar Rapids. Her daughter's name is Kyla. She is 7 years old and will be a first grader this year in Center Point- Urbana Elementary. Her son's name is Brock. He is 2 years old and loves everything to do with football and monster trucks.

Q. Is there anything that your family asks you not to cook, ever again?

1. I made spinach meatballs once and my daughter said to me “Mom I really love you, but I HATE this dinner.” She was 5 at the time.

Q. Does it matter in your house which way the toilet paper roll goes?

1. Not at all.

Q. Tell us about your favorite chair:

1. In college I found a couch with a floral print on the side of the road. I ended up taking it to my dorm. I named it Matilda.

Q. Funniest memory as a parent:

1. When I managed to get stuck in a BabyBjorn Carrier while carrying my son. I was in a public park and had to ask a stranger to help me escape.

Q. What was your first job?

1. When I was 12 years old I would ride my bike to the strawberry farm by my house and pick strawberries for 50 cents a pound.

Q. If you were to get a traffic citation it would most likely be for….

1. Excessive radio volume

Q. One place in the world you really, really wish you could visit?

1. France

Q. First pet you remember?

1. I had a cocker spaniel named Lord Buster Thunderbolt the Third.

Q. Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

1. Mrs. Blue my third grade teacher. She made every day exciting.

Q. Tell us about a favorite Christmas present you have received:

1. A year before my Grandmother passed away she sewed a Christmas tree skirt for me. It took her several months to complete because of the pain in her hands. It is such a special gift to me. I place it under my Christmas tree every year now.

Q. Iowa or Iowa State (or other)?

1. Iowa

Q. Was there something your parents said to you, over and over, that you, would growing up, said to yourself, "I will never say that to my kids?"

1. “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit!” I say it all the time to my kids now.

Q. Best TV show ever?

1. Roseanne

Q. Fill in the blank: In a perfect winter, it would snow…..

A. for a week and stop. During that week the snow would never fall on streets or sidewalks.

Q. Name your favorite:

Candy bar: Rolos

Color: All of them

Sports team: Green Bay Packers

Our serious question:

Q. When and why did you decide to become a teacher?

A. When I was a Senior in High School I had taken all the available art classes in my school. My school counselor gave me the opportunity to take a few college courses in Des Moines during half of the day. I had an amazing Art teacher there and I really wanted to be like her someday. I enrolled in the Art Education program at UNI and loved every moment. This is my 10th year teaching. I absolutely love it.

And finally :

Q. Is there anything you wish we would have asked you?

"What are 5 things you want your students to take away from your class?"

A: 1. Setting goals and mastering them

2. Develop technical skills

3. Ability to find inspiration and modify it to make it original

4. Finding a personal style

5. Make authentic art that is student directed, expressive, and personally meaningful.