After a two-year absence, Michelle Adler returns to Idyllwild School as kindergarten teacher and she’s very happy to be back.

A Wisconsin native, who, along with new Athletic Director Darren McKay, is a big sports fan and participant, Adler was furloughed for a year after her first stint at Idyllwild School. Then she taught ceramics to 8th graders for a year at Diamond Valley Middle School.

“I’m allergic to clay and I knew nothing about ceramics,” she laughed. “There was no manual about how to operate the kiln. I am so happy to be back here.”

Adler is especially thrilled to be back in a classroom of tiny desks and sweetly decorated workstations. “I think it’s the most crucial grade there is,” Adler said, “The children learn to read and write.”

In returning, Adler said degree of parent support at Idyllwild is noteworthy. “I love the parent involvement,” she said, noting how grounding it is for the children.

Adler also has plans outside the classroom, too. McKay said she would coach girls’ volleyball team for Idyllwild. In her previous tour here, she coached softball and basketball too.

A graduate of Viterbo University in LaCrosse, Wisc., she is beginning her sixth year of teaching. When asked how a Wisconsin native comes to Idyllwild, she said, “I don’t like the cold weather.”

And it wasn’t until after she took the job, she learned there’s snow on the Hill during the winter. “But it’s still better than Wisconsin,” she added.

When asked what her goals are for the year, she said, “I’m going to do my best and hope I stay around here for a long time.