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Coal City Middle School is welcoming three new teachers as the school year begins on August 13, 2025.
Matthew Felbein joins as the new middle and high school choir director. He will also teach sixth grade music and oversee the high school’s Footnotes show choir. Felbein recently graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in music education. He said he was drawn to Coal City because of its strong fine arts reputation and family connections in the area.
Felbein credits his own music educator for inspiring him to pursue teaching, noting “how exciting it was to help young musicians find the joy and excitement of making music together.” For his first year, Felbein aims to create an environment where students feel welcome and excited about making music. He said, “I want students to not only feel comfortable and confident making music with others, but also to find ways they can apply the ideas we learn outside of the classroom in both musical and non-musical ways.”
Outside of teaching, Felbein enjoys composing and writing music. One of his pieces was performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City. His other interests include biking, hiking, crocheting, and musical theatre.
Karen Koca is starting her tenth year in public education as a seventh grade science teacher at Coal City Middle School. Koca began her career as a military pilot in the US Army before becoming a flight instructor, which led her toward education. She has previously taught at Manteno Middle School and Reed-Custer Middle and Elementary Schools.
Koca said she looks forward to getting to know students and staff while helping students see that science is “not only fun and cool, but everywhere.” She measures student success by their ability to explain topics discussed in class and how those topics can be used. Koca added that she was attracted by Coal City’s “amazing academics.” During her 27 years in the military, she served as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot alongside her husband. The couple now lives locally with two college-age children.
Nicholas Peters transitions from being a paraprofessional for three years within the district to becoming a sixth grade special education teacher heading the BD/ED program at Coal City Middle School this year. Peters explained his motivation: “Growing up seeing paraprofessionals work with students with disabilities inspired me to work in a school district that offered special education services. After undergrad working outside of the school system, I knew I wanted to be back.”
Peters is an alumnus of Coal City schools who earned his degree from Illinois State University and completed training through Teacher Ready at the University of West Florida. He expressed enthusiasm about joining as a teacher: “I am so excited to have the opportunity to teach in the district.”
His goals include ensuring that both students and support staff are prepared each day while adjusting from aide duties to teaching responsibilities. Peters emphasized providing safety for his students: “Even though they may have large feelings and possible trauma, they always have a safe place in my room.” Standing six feet eight inches tall, he may be one of the tallest teachers in Coal City schools.
In addition to teaching duties, Peters will coach eighth grade basketball this year along with coaching Special Olympics teams. In his free time he enjoys outdoor activities—especially those on or near water.
