By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
 LAKE ORION — Lake Orion Community Schools hired five new staff on June 26, including three teachers and two assistant principals.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Adam Weldon introduced the hires during the board meeting, beginning with Hannah Ordiway, now a second grade teacher at Paint Creek Elementary.
“She’s coming to us after earning her bachelor’s degree from Oakland University,” Weldon said. “This past fall she completed her student teaching at Stadium Drive Elementary, and then was hired by Farwell Schools in January”
Ordiway worked as a third grade teacher at Farwell Elementary, according to LOCS documents.
Shelby Balitzkat will work as an early-on teacher at LOCS’ early childhood center. Balitzkat worked as an early childhood instructor for LOCS since 2019, and earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from Oakland University and a master’s degree in special education from Grand Canyon University. Balitzkat will begin work July 8.
Kristina Kross was hired as a resource room teacher at Webber Elementary. She previously worked at LOCS as a second and third grade reading interventionist at Carpenter Elementary. Kross earned a master’s degree in the art of teaching from Marygrove College in 2010, according to LOCS documents.
Ordiway and Kross will each begin during the 2024-2025 school year.
Brad Bailey and Danielle Bredemus were hired as assistant principals at Lake Orion High School, and began work July 1.
Bailey has taught at Grand Blanc High School since 2001 in multiple industrial technology, business and CTE (career and technical education) classes, according to Weldon.
“Brad is also a community member, and his two children … will be attending Lake Orion High School in Stadium Drive this coming school year,” Weldon said.
Bredemus taught from 2013 to 2019 in two districts in Chicago and the greater-Chicago area, according to Weldon.
Bredemus taught fourth grade at North Elementary School in Crystal Lake, Illinois from 2016 to 2019, and has been an assistant principal at North Elementary since 2019.
“In the tradition of the way classroom teachers welcome their students by name, we like to welcome our new employees by name,” board treasurer Jake Singer said. “So welcome, and welcome back to some of them, to Shelby, Kristina, Hannah, Brad and Danielle.”