WILLIAM NIEMAN
History Teacher 1970 2001
Bill Nieman modeled respect and appreciation for his students, who in turn learned to
respect and appreciate each other. He listened carefully to students, valuing their ideas,
perspectives, and suggestions. Bill encouraged students to express their individuality,
giving all of them opportunities to experience success.
Critical thinking and problem solving were important to Bill. His lessons revolved around
provocative questions to stimulate thinking, and he carefully guided students to generate
answers. Bill believed that learning came from active engagement, and therefore his
classroom was usually a beehive of activity. Cooperative and project-based learning were
the norm.
Bill was an integral part of the middle school environment. His vision and advocacy for
the middle school concept left a significant impact on district. He was not only an
outstanding educator, but also the longstanding advisor for the award-winning Future
Problem Solvers club. Bill Nieman was admired and respected by students, parents, peers,
and administrators for his dedication and devotion to education.