Staff Spotlight

For a complete list of our staff, visit our staff list.

Riddle School District is very appreciative of the staff who are responsible for getting each new school year off the ground.  The amount of work that goes into preparing and beginning the school year feels impossible until the first day of school comes and it’s all worth it.

Laura Means

Laura Means

Ms. Laura Means is our Riddle Elementary School Principal. She joined our school district in 2022. She brings with her several years of teaching experience and leadership as a teacher, instructional coach, program coordinator and school administrator.

Ms. Means has always been an advocate for children, has worked hard to build strong literacy programs, enrich learning cross the curriculum and remove barriers to student succuss for ALL learners. She says she loves being a part of the Riddle School District and is grateful to work with such an amazing staff, students and families in our school community.

Russell Hobson

Russell Hobson

Mr. Hobson joined the Riddle School District in the fall of 2002 as a Social Studies teacher.  Since then, he has taught many different classes within the Social Studies spectrum, but routinely, he is blessed with teaching 8th grade U.S. History, High School U.S. History, U.S. Government, Personal Finance, and Government. He is now the junior and senior high principal.

As an educator, Mr. Hobson tries to make his classes fun and enjoyable and relate topics to what his students are going through in their lives.  Dates may change, but the psychology of humans has not.  He is very proud of the fact that in his Personal Finance class, students learn how to do taxes.  By their senior year, many of our seniors are doing their own taxes and understand how those taxes affect their future.  Beyond that, like many of his peers at a small school, other things fall on his plate.  Mr. Hosbon is the high school Athletic Director and has coached many different sports here at Riddle High School.  Currently, he is the Head Boys Basketball Coach for the high school.  At the end of the day, he loves working at Riddle School District because of the people he comes in contact with. He said, "The staff here is amazing and truly cares about their students.  The students here are a joy to be around, and I am very proud of all of them."


Dave Gianotti, RES principal and RSD superintendent

Dave Gianotti

Dave Gianotti began working in Riddle in 2004 and is currently the Superintendent and Maintenance Director of the school district. Dave began teaching Science courses overseas in the US Peace Corps in 1987. He has taught and worked in elementary, junior high, high schools and college levels mainly in sciences, but he also taught several years in language arts, mathematics, theater, outdoor education, and other areas as needed.

Dave has the best job in the world working with Riddle Elementary School students and appreciates the support of the Riddle community. “I would personally like to thank the Riddle community and parents for their support of the Riddle School District. We are fortunate to be able to work with these great kids!”

Amy Chandler

Amy Chandler

Ms. Amy began as a Title I Aide in 2005. She eventually moved into the position of Office Secretary. She wears several hats in the district and has been invaluable in getting the 2022-2023 school year up and running.

She prides herself in positive communication between herself, parents and students.

Corina Hobson

Corina Hobson

Corina keeps our JR/SR school building clean and students fed, working as a custodian and in the cafeteria. She’s full of a unique spunk we all enjoy.

'I absolutely LOVE my job!'

Lavleda Schuyler

Lavelda Schuyler

Lavelda has been a pillar at the JR/SR High for over two decades. Beginning a new school year is no easy task and Lavelda does it all with a smile.

‘Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow.’’

Lance

Lance Puckett

After helping to tutor his own grandchildren, Lance discovered a passion for teaching and working with children. A resident of Riddle, Oregon, a small town about 25 miles south of Roseburg, he met with his Medford-based Vocational Counselor Jane Hagle to discuss coordinating a work experience in the Riddle School District. He became an Instructional Assistant at Riddle High School, focused on helping students with disabilities in the subjects of math and language arts.

“My first week has been absolutely amazing!” he told Jane. “I have worked with a number of new students, and I just can’t express how much I enjoy my job!”

It did not take long for Riddle High’s Principal, William Starkweather, to also recognize Lance’s passion and skill for tutoring youth, and he offered Lance a permanent position as an Instructional Assistant.