WAUSA – Wausa Public Schools has taken care of business – as in the district has found a new business instructor.
The board of education approved the hiring of Joseph “Joe” Pfanstiel on March 11 for the position of business teacher for the 2024-25 academic year.
Pfanstiel will replace Mariah Totten, who has resigned from the role and accepted a position at West Point Public Schools.
West Point is close to Bancroft, where Totten grew up and went to Bancroft-Rosalie High School.
“Like I said last month, I wished Mrs. Totten the best,” Wausa Superintendent Brad Hoesing said. “She’s done a good job while she’s (been) here.”
Hoesing believed Pfanstiel “will do a good job for us,” as he student-taught under Dawn Friedrich, a longtime business teacher for Wausa who is retired.
Totten started working at Wausa in the 202223 academic year after being hired to replace Friedrich.
“He knows kind of the process here,” Hoesing said of Pfanstiel, who would be aware of what the strength of Wausa’s FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) program was like under Friedrich’s leadership.
Pfanstiel currently teaches for Creighton Community Public Schools, where he has helped grow and strengthen that school district’s FBLA program and improve students’ proficiency in a nationwide financial literacy test, Hoesing noted.
“He’s done a really good job over there,” Hoesing said. “He’s a pretty strong educator. He learned under a really good one. I’m excited to have him.”
