Contacts and Staff

XinXing currently has ten Mandarin Immersion classroom teachers and four Immersion classroom teaching assistants that are bilingual, native speakers of Mandarin Chinese. We also have two visiting teachers from China who serve as resource teachers in our classrooms. XinXing shares specialists in Music, Physical Education, Special Education, and Media with Eisenhower Elementary and is also supported by the wonderful administrative staff from Eisenhower Elementary.

Searchable Staff Directory

David Salmala

Contact by email

Position:

Media Center Paraprofessional

Phone Number:

952-988-4292

Jeff Shepherd, MLS

Contact by email

Position:

Media Specialist

Phone Number:

952.988.4308

Jeff Shepherd joined the Hopkins Public Schools in 2013 as the Library Media Specialist at Eisenhower and XinXing Academy. He earned his bachelor's degree in elementary education with a specialization in reading education, and his master's degree in library science from the University of Iowa.

Dilu Shi, BA

Contact by email

Position:

Grade 3 Chinese Immersion Teacher

Phone Number:

952.988.4346

Dilu Shi started her career in Hopkins Public Schools as a teaching assistant for XinXing kindergarten in 2009. She then moved to a teaching position in Grade 3 XinXing in 2010.

Missy Solberg

Contact by email

Position:

Enrollment and Attendance Secretary

Phone Number:

952.988.4303

Missy began working in the Hopkins Public Schools in 2013.

Ruoxi Song, M.Ed

Contact by email

Position:

Grade 4 Chinese Immersion Teacher

Phone Number:

952.988.4359

Ruoxi Song began teaching 4th grade in the XinXing Chinese immersion program in 2017. She received a BA in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from Huaqiao University and an M.Ed degree in Second Language and Culture Education

Mara Sorenson, B.A.

Contact by email

Position:

Elementary Music Teacher

Mrs. Sorenson is in her 8th year of teaching, and her first here at Hopkins Public Schools. She is currently pursuing her Master's of Arts in Music Education with a Kodály Emphasis from the University of St. Thomas.

Alison Swiggum, B.A., M.A.

Contact by email

Position:

Orchestra/Music Teacher

Phone Number:

952.988.4574

Alison Swiggum teaches orchestra at Hopkins High School and Eisenhower Elementary/XinXing Academy. Alison holds a Bachelor of Arts in music education from St. Olaf College and received her Master of Arts in music education from the University of St. Thomas.

Xiaoli Tang, MA

Contact by email

Position:

XinXing Grade 6 Teacher

Phone Number:

952.988.5157

Xiaoli Tang has been teaching in the XinXing Chinese immersion program in Hopkins since 2016. She has an MA in English applied linguistics from Beijing Foreign Studies University and an MA in Second Languages and Cultures from the University of Minnesota.

Phyllis C.C. Teh

Contact by email

Position:

1st Grade Companion Teacher

Ms. Teh was born in Malaysia, a fourth generation Chinese. After earning her high school diploma, she went overseas to study in Vancouver, B.C. Canada and earned a BA degree majoring in Psychology and minoring in Economic.

QiuQin Tisdell, M. Ed.

Contact by email

Position:

Xinxing 1st Grade Teacher

Phone Number:

952-988-4270

QiuQin(QQ) has been teaching since 1996 in China, Singapore and US. She worked as a Xinxing 1st grade para in 2008 and started teaching 1st grade in 2009.

Donghong Wang, MA

Contact by email

Position:

Kindergarten Chinese Immersion Teacher

Phone Number:

952.988.4328

Donghong has been a kindergarten teacher in XinXing Academy since 2007. She also is the Chinese language arts and Chinese math curriculum coordinator for the XinXing program.

Molly Wieland, PhD

Contact by email

Position:

K-12 World Language and Immersion Coordinator

Phone Number:

952.988.4038

Molly Wieland joined Hopkins Public Schools in 1995. She taught French in Hopkins for 19 years and now coordinates the K-12 world language program and the XinXing Chinese and Juntos Spanish immersion programs.

Amanda Windyk, LICSW

Contact by email

Position:

School Social Worker

Phone Number:

952.988.5333

Amanda completed her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at Minnesota State University, Mankato in May 2007. She completed her Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work at St. Thomas University/College of St. Catherine in May 2009.

Leigh Woodburn, M.Ed.

Contact by email

Position:

Physical Education Teacher

Phone Number:

952.988.5232

In 2012, Mrs. Woodburn celebrated her 25th year teaching in the Hopkins Public Schools and her 30th year teaching. Most of her experience is teaching secondary physical education and secondary EBD special education.

Jingyi Yang, MA

Contact by email

Position:

Grade 3 Chinese Immersion Teacher

Phone Number:

952-988-4258

Jingyi Yang has a BA in Chinese Language and Culture from Baoding University in China and an MA in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from St. Cloud State University and Beijing Normal University.

Rong Zhan, MA

Contact by email

Position:

1st Grade Teacher

During Rong's seven years in Beijing, she taught international students from all over the world Chinese. Rong got her K-12 teaching Chinese license from St. Cloud State University.

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