Education:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Teaching from Iowa State University
• Master of Science in Education: Teaching Effectiveness and Professional Development from Drake University

International Baccalaureate Training: 

• Category I: Making the PYP Happen

Teaching Experience: 

This will be my 13th year in the Des Moines Public School District. My first five years I taught special education at Moulton Elementary. Then I taught special education for 4 years at Walnut Street Elementary. I then took a two-year hiatus from teaching and was a special education consultant for 2 years for the district. But I missed teaching and having connections with students. So, I got back into teaching special education this past 2019-2020 school year at Walnut Street Elementary.

Family/ Hobbies: 

Education:

• BA from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA (Special Education Endorsement and Reading Endorsement)
• MA from Viterbo University, Des Moines, IA location.

Teaching Experience:

I have been teaching in the Des Moines District since 2002. I taught special education at Brody Middle school for four years. I taught special education K-6 for two year at Capitol View Elementary School and two years for grades 4/5 at Oak Park Elementary. While at Oak Park, I decided to give the classroom a try and taught first grade for three years. I was then asked to teach Title Reading and Math for two years.  I went back into the classroom and taught first grade for two more years.  In 2016, I transferred to Walnut Street Elementary School.  I have been teaching special education since then, there!  I have enjoyed all of my many roles in education and feel privileged to be given the opportunities I received as a teacher in the last nineteen years.

Family/Hobbies:

I live in Ankeny with my oldest son Ryker who is in 9th grade in the Ankeny School District. My youngest son Rayden is a year old and has been a wonderful addition to our family.  During my free time I enjoy reading, watching movies, working out….including walking, running, kickboxing, and strength training.  I also enjoy going on bike rides and spending time with my family and friends.

I have always enjoyed working with children and have been at Walnut Street School for 7 years now. In my off time I enjoy being outside and gardening. I have been married for 15 years and have two sons and a niece I adopted as my own, that are all fully grown and still the loves of my life.

I was born and raised in Des Moines where I attended Roosevelt High School. I graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2017 with emphases in English and Communications. During my time at TESC, I was a teacher’s assistant and artist docent for the Olympia School District. I enjoy music, movies, T.V. (if it’s a form of media, I like consuming it in some way), the summertime, Spring, most of Fall, cooking, and hanging with my friends and family.

My passion for working with special needs children come from my life experience. I have a son with Autism and a stepson with pervasive development disorder so I am very aware of the special needs to handle/care for special need children. I have been with Walnut Street School for 3 years and enjoy every minute. When not at work I enjoy spending time with my husband. We have two children (one girl and one boy) together and he has twins (both boys) from a previous relationship. We love to travel, go to movies and see live music.