Palmer Public Schools

Jim Chvala

Professional Biography

Mr. Chvala teaches courses in Spanish and Earth Science, and 2022-23 represents his 32nd year of teaching, and 29th at Palmer. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Wayne State College in 1991, with endorsements in Spanish, Earth Science, and Geography for grades 7-12, and a coaching endorsement. In December of 2017, he completed the requirements for the Master of Science in Education with an emphasis in Instructional Technology which will enhance the delivery of distance education courses, which he has taught since 2002. In 2022-23, Spanish classes will be sent to students at four other schools.

While teaching at PHS, he has been the high school Spanish teacher since 1994, and also taught 8th grade Earth Science, K-6 Computers, and K-6 Spanish from 1997 through 2002. He served as the head boys' and girls' coach for track and field from 1997-2013, and as assistant coach in 2014, bringing back the pole vault program at Palmer in 2012 after a thirty year absence, then served as Co-Head Coach from 2015-2020; he returned to the position of head boys' and girls' coach for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Coach Chvala also started the current cross country program in 2009; his teams have sponsored the Palmer Fall Festival Fun Run and Walk since 2002. He is a sponsor for the Integritas house (part of the implementation of the Ron Clark Academy initiative at PHS), and a part-time bus driver.

From 1994-97, Mr. Chvala also taught Spanish to high school and junior high students at Elba Public School, spending half the day in Palmer and the other half in Elba. Prior to coming to central Nebraska, he was the high school Spanish teacher / K-12 guidance counselor at Chambers Public School from 1991-1994, where he coached track & field, was a cub scout leader, and served on the Comprehensive Health Education Team and the Crisis Team.

Professional and Educational Goals
To become a resource person for the distance education community
To make a teaching presentation at one or more conferences

Uses of Technology
Jim Chvala uses technologies to complete various tasks during the school day. They range from taking attendance, entering grades, and e-mailing lesson plans and activity sheets to using YouTube videos and a online resources in place of textbooks. He utilizes the following technology tools in his teaching:

Google Classroom; StudySpanish.com; Kahoot.com, WordReference.com; The Shadow Poetry Page; the World Wide Web; ClassTools.com; a puzzle generator; iMovie; iPhoto; e-mail;

MicroSoft, Apple, and Google office software (word processing, spreadsheet); and Google's Calendar and Classroom; Google Cardboard

Experience with Diversity
At school and away, Mr. Chvala works with people from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Among other things, he has interpreted and translated for speakers of Spanish, worked cattle with a bank president, coordinated class field trips to the ethnic business district in Grand Island, shared grilled fish with natives of Laos, worked with adults from the now-closed local group home, collaborated with high-ability learners, and provided assistance to various people in the Palmer community and surrounding areas.

Great innovators have come from all walks of life; as educators we need to give everyone the skills and tools to make their greatest contribution to society.