I’m a mom of two loving girls Camila 13 and Angie 10. We also have American Labrador named Terry Dante Rivas. I am Salvadoran.  My favorite hobbies are riding bikes, cooking and watching movies. I enjoy helping kids to learn and working with the wonderful staff at Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

I grew up on the East side of Des Moines. I attended Wallace Elementary, Hiatt Middle School, and North High School. I earned my teaching degree at Grand View College. I have been at Pleasant Hill for the last 24 years. I have taught Kindergarten for 22 years and Preschool for 3 years.

My husband, Travis, and I will celebrate our 26th anniversary this summer. Our son Zack is 23 and lives in Ames.

I am an avid reader and spend a lot of my free time reading. A few years ago, I started running and have completed many 5K’s, 10K’s and 7 half marathons with my awesome running partner, Ms. Horstman.

Hola, My name is Geshya Camacho, I am from Puerto Rico, and I am bilingual. I have been with the district for 18 years. I first started as a Native Language Tutor, then a Bilingual Community Outreach Worker and also Bilingual Family Liaison with the district. This will be my 7^th year as a Special Education Associate. I graduated on 2003 with a BA in Social Work at the University in Puerto Rico.

I live in Des Moines with my 3 kids, Adriel Jose, Yahelis and Kamila Zoaris.

During my free time I enjoy decorating, movies, music, working out, shopping and love spending time with my kids doing different activities.

I am excited for another great year at Pleasant Hill Elementary.

Go Panthers!!

I grew up on a farm south of Barnum, Iowa. I graduated from Buena Vista and later received my reading endorsement from Drake.  After graduating I taught first grade and then went on to teach reading recovery and title for fifteen years. I am looking forward to another outstanding year and can’t wait to help the staff and students of Pleasant Hill as much as possible. This will be my 13th year at Pleasant Hill and I absolutely love it here. The supportive families and staff make it a great place to work. 

My husband, Corey, and I live in Pleasant Hill and have four children.  Hallie and Hannah are 17 and will be attending South East Polk as 12th graders. Kyle is 16 and Kadie is 15 and they will be 10th graders this year. 

Our summers are spent going to sporting events, spending time on the family farm, and going boating. 

Hello families!

My name is Caitlin Dicken, and I will be your child’s Montessori Associate! I have been working for Des Moines Public Schools for 5 years with the preschool program and have a passion to learn and grow alongside each and every student.

While I am not teaching, I enjoy cooking and baking, lifting weights, bike riding, shopping, and decorating. I live in Des Moines with my husband and little dog Lady Bird.

I am so excited to join the Pleasant Hill family and have a successful school year with your children!

I grew up in Des Moines Iowa where I attended McKee Elementary School and Hoyt Middle School. I graduated from East High School.

I attended the University of Northern Iowa where I graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. I was a member of the UNI Swimming Team and was a co-captain my senior year. “GO PANTHERS”!

My husband Troy also graduated from UNI. We have three children that all graduated from East High School. As a family we enjoy going on vacations. Disneyworld is one of our favorite vacation destinations. We also enjoy hanging out at the swimming pool, going to amusement parks, playing games, watching movies and of course reading books.

We also enjoy watching sporting events as a family. Our favorite teams are the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, and the UNI Panthers

I started my teaching career at Smouse Opportunity School in Des Moines. For seven years, I taught 2^nd and 3^rd grade students with Behavior Disorders. While at Smouse I took graduate classes at Drake University. I really enjoyed my time at Smouse and didn’t think that I would ever leave. Then, in 2007 a first-grade teaching position opened at Pleasant Hill, and I didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to teach at such a great school. The challenges at Pleasant Hill are different than the ones I faced at Smouse, but just as equally rewarding.

Hello! This will be my 4^th year at Pleasant Hill Elementary. I really enjoy making our school a safe, clean, fun, and inclusive environment for all. I’m a huge sports fan (Iowa State Cyclones, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears) and love traveling with my wife in my spare time. Pleasant Hill Panther Proud!

Rosenbery

Hello!  My name is Megan Eischeid and I am so excited to be back at Pleasant Hill this year. This will be my third year as a school counselor in DMPS and my third year at Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

My educational path started in Grimes, where I grew up. I graduated from Dallas Center Grimes High School and went on to college from there. I graduated from lowa State with my BS in Psychology and followed that degree with my Masters in Professional School Counseling from Loras College.

I currently live in Grimes with my family and golden retriever, Wally! I enjoy reading, traveling, hiking, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family.

I am eager to support all of our Pleasant Hill students as they grow this year. As a School Counselor, I offer referrals to outside counseling, short-term individual counseling, small group counseling, crisis support, and whole group classroom lessons, simply to name a few. If you’re interested in learning about any of these supports, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Hi, I am Ms. Elgin and this will be my 18th year at Pleasant Hill and 24th year teaching for Des Moines Public Schools. I have spent the majority of my career working with students with IEPs and I love my job!

I also live in Pleasant Hill and my younger 2 children went/go to school at Southeast Polk. Mackenzie graduated last year and is now attending Kirkwood Community College for nursing. Graydon is in 8th grade and an all around athlete! He plans to play football this fall, and he plays soccer, basketball, baseball, track, and he wrestles.

We have 5 pets Gretchen and Maya our dogs, Piper, Goose, and Wrigley our cats. We enjoy cheering on the Hawkeyes and spending time together as a family!

I graduated from Iowa State University with a BA in Curriculum & Instruction and an endorsement in Art Education. I also have a Master’s Degree in Art Education from The University of Northern Iowa. I have enjoyed being a teacher in the Des Moines district for many years. I taught in the general classroom for 12 years. I have taught art at Pleasant Hill for 11 years.

When I am not teaching, I am enjoying life at home and in the community. I have a wonderful son who is a former student here at Pleasant Hill. We like to watch movies and go to farmer’s markets. I also enjoy gardening, walking my very large dog, and spending time with the rest of my family.

I am so excited to see everyone again this fall and meet the new families that will join Pleasant Hill! I can’t wait to see what all of our talented young artists have in store for us this year!

Hello, Pleasant Hill students and families. My name is Spenser Ford! I’m excited for another year at Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in both anthropology and linguistics with an emphasis on teaching ESL. Following college, I moved to South Korea, planning to teach English for a year. I quickly learned that teaching was my passion and continued my teaching career by remaining in Korea for the ensuing twelve years as a language instructor. During my last year there, I pursued further education through the University of West Florida to become a certified teacher.

My wife and I recently moved back to the United States to become teachers in our home country in 2022. We love spending time outdoors, doing activities, like long-distance running, cycling, camping and fishing. I grew up in Iowa, and she is from upstate New York. We are ecstatic about living in Iowa and continuing our adventure together, here in the Midwest!

Hello! My name is Stephanie Harden.  I grew up on the East side of Des Moines where I attended Adams Elementary School, Goodrell Middle School, and graduated from East High School.

I have been with the school district for 10 years. I started as a Library Associate at Edmunds Elementary. This is my sixth year at Pleasant Hill Elementary.  My first year I was a Special Education Associate. This will be my fifth year as the Office Manager. I feel very blessed to be part of the Pleasant Hill Elementary family.

I live in Pleasant Hill with my husband Jeff and our dog Biscuit.  We have three children:  Jordan, Levi, and Robbie.  I love to camp, read, watch movies, and walk our dog.

My name is Amanda Horstman.  I have been teaching kindergarten for 20 years. Almost all of them at Pleasant Hill Elementary. I have also lived in Pleasant Hill for 20 years.

I have four sons and two grandsons. Yes, that is a lot of boys! My youngest son, Hudson, is 14 and attends Southeast Polk as a freshman. My 17-year-old, Harlan, is a senior at SEP high school.  My son Haden graduated from SEP and is now a junior at Grinnell College.  The oldest Horstman, Jake, is 28.  Jake, my daughter-in-law Meghan, and my grandsons Archer and Frankie, live about a mile from me and hang out with us often!

In my “free” time I love to be outside, go running, going to Hawkeye sporting events, and spend time with my family.  My biggest hobby is definitely running.   I have run 8 half marathons and countless 5K and 10K races as well.  My favorite teaching partner, running partner, and friend just happens to be Mrs. Bowman, the other kindergarten teacher.

I am looking forward to another great year teaching kindergarten!

I grew up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and attended St. Cloud State University where I played collegiate tennis.  After graduating from college, I moved to Illinois to embark on a 12-year teaching career at a high school, intermediate school and ultimately an elementary school.  I enjoyed teaching Physical Education before deciding to teach tennis full-time for a number of years.  I’m so excited to have landed back in teaching at Pleasant Hill Elementary where we have the best students and staff around!

I have a wife who is also a teacher, a 16-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter.  Both of my children are active in tennis, hockey and baseball/softball.

I love to teach students to be physically active and be the best they can be.  I look forward to meeting our new students and connecting with our current students

Hi! My name is Kayla Kinyon. This will be my 3rd full school year here at Pleasant Hill, as I started in April of 2022.

I live in Des Moines with my Husband Brogan, our two children, Valerie and Logan and our dog Bailey. I am excited for this new school year!

Hello,

My name is Tawnee Koch and I have been an Instructional Strategist in the Des Moines School District for 9 years. I taught at Garton Elementary for the first five years of my teaching career. I supported students within their classrooms, and I provided teachers with the support they needed to meet students’ individual needs. In January 2021, I transferred to Pleasant Hill Elementary where I continue to teach students who have IEPs. In 2009, I graduated from William Penn University with a B.A. in Elementary Education, and endorsements in Special Education and Reading. Before becoming a teacher at Garton, I substitute taught in a variety of school districts. I am super excited to be a part of the teaching staff at Pleasant Hill Elementary School and am looking forward to building lasting relationships with students, parents, and staff members. Teaching has always been my passion. Every day I am faced with new adventures that teach me the skills I need to grow both professionally and personally. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time and making memories with my husband, three children, and our dog Lucy.

Greetings, Pleasant Hill families!

My name is Patricia Leong-Ford. I prefer to go by, “Ms. Patty,” at school. I enjoy the outdoors, long-distance running, cycling, traveling, fine arts, music, cooking, card games, reading and yoga.

I grew up in the Finger Lakes area of western New York. I spent most of my youth attending outdoor summer camps and I eventually became a camp counselor.  This is how I first realized my passion for working with children, providing them with the support they need, and creating safe spaces to learn and grow. I later became a part-time substitute teacher in my hometown of New York.

I graduated from SUNY Cortland with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a concentration in French language and culture in 2007.  During my time as an undergraduate I studied abroad in London, England for a semester and then in Nice, France. These experiences inspired me to see even more of the world after college, so I decided to take a job teaching English in Seoul, South Korea in 2009.

Teaching in Korea reminded me of how much I enjoyed working with children in New York. I was eager to learn more about childhood development, student engagement, literacy development, creative instructional strategies, and curriculum design. Therefore, I decided to pursue a serious career in teaching. At two different private elementary schools, I gained experience with small group intervention outside the homeroom. I also gained experience teaching in the homeroom, working with students with special needs and multi-language learners. I also gained experience working in education administration and leadership.

In 2017, I received a master’s degree from Framingham State University in Massachusetts for international education. The program had American professors fly to Seoul to instruct weeks of intensive courses to our cohort of nineteen educators, in person, and after school hours. It is my hope to return to school once again to continue my learning.

Between 2019 and 2022, I completed my student teaching and exams for a license in K-6 education from the University of West Florida online, which was transferred to Iowa. After thirteen years of living and working in Seoul, South Korea, my husband, and I thought it was time to move back to the United States. My husband is Mr. Ford, who teaches fourth grade at Pleasant Hill! He grew up in the Des Moines area and it was his love for this city that drew us back. We are very happy to be here and love working at Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

Hello, Pleasant Hill Elementary students and families. My name is Destiniy Long. I’m so excited to be your school nurse for the 2024-2025 school year. This will be my second year of school nursing.

I graduated with my Associates of Science in Nursing (ASN) from Mercy College of Health Sciences in 2014. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 2023. I’ve primarily worked here in Des Moines at our local hospitals.   

I live in Mitchellville, IA with my husband Danny. We have 5 daughters. Natalie, Isabella, Mackenzie, Layla, and Paislee. We love having a full house of girls!!!  

My hobbies include camping, boating, and pretty much anything that has to do with being outdoors. I also enjoy party/event planning and free reading. I am an Iowa Hawkeye fan and love the Las Vegas Raiders. Go Raiders!!!  

I look forward to creating a fun filled year and looking forward to the opportunity to serve the Des Moines Public School District as your school nurse! 

Blessings,  

Mrs. Long/ Nurse Destiniy

Hello! I am Natalie Madsen (formally Miss Young). I am originally from Mount Prospect, Illinois (a northwest suburb of Chicago). I first came to Des Moines when I attended college at Drake University! Go Bulldogs! I have my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Reading. I also completed my Master’s degree in 2013 which focused on Curriculum and Instruction. I student taught at Pleasant Hill in spring of 2009 with Nancy Jennings in 3^rd grade. I loved it so much, I had to come back and teach here!

I have been at Pleasant Hill since 2010. My first year I was an interventionist and the following year I taught Kindergarten. For ten years, I taught second grade. This will be my third year as an instructional coach. I am lucky to work alongside the amazing teachers we have here at Pleasant Hill.

I live in Bondurant with my husband Brian and our sons, Wyatt and Rhett. We also have our dog Kip who we adopted from A Heinz 57.   When I’m not working, you can find me playing outside with Wyatt and Rhett, exercising, walking Kip, or reading books! I am looking forward to a WONDERFUL school year!

HI, I’m so excited to begin this new school year. I have been an associate since 2009, starting out at Carlisle schools then moved to DMPS in the fall of 2016. I spent seven years on the north side at Oak Park Elementary and now love being here at Pleasant Hill.

I live in Runnells where I enjoy gardening and spending time with my kids and grandkids. There’s never enough of that!  My free time usually finds me sitting at my sewing machine creating fun things with fabric.

Hi! I’m excited to be teaching 4th grade at Pleasant Hill! I have lived in Des Moines all my life-attended Moore, Meredith, and graduated from Hoover. I attended Iowa State University and Viterbo.

This will be my 34^th  year teaching-I have been with Des Moines Public schools all 34 years. Teaching 4^th grade is brand new for me. I look forward to learning along with the kids.

I live in Des Moines-just me, my dog, Lily, and 2 cats-Minnie and Pommie (I’m an animal lover). I enjoy gardening-love the growing season- reading and cooking in my free time.

I am Ms. Debbie Moon and I am thrilled to be joining the welcoming staff at Pleasant Hill Elementary. I returned to my home state of Iowa from the coast of Maine a few years ago. I am a graduate of Central College and received my master’s degree in education at Northern Illinois University. While in Maine I discovered Montessori education and haven’t looked back! I received my American Montessori Society certification in Beverly, Massachusetts and love sharing as much as I can about this peaceful, child-centered philosophy with all ages. I am over the moon excited to be a conduit for Montessori education at Pleasant Hill and within DMPS.

My husband Jim and I make our home in Altoona. Our daughter Jamie is a University of Iowa alumna and is currently a nurse in Jacksonville, FL. Our son Caleb is a sophomore at the University of Iowa and our son Kerry is a new resident of Ankeny completing our circle from Maine. Our two furry cats, Hope and Quavo, complete our family.

I’m truly looking forward to meeting the children, families and colleagues as we begin a new adventure together!

I was born and raised in Des Moines.  I attended Watrous Elementary (which is now Morris Elementary), McCombs Middle School and Lincoln High School.  I absolutely loved school and want to instill that love and respect I have for education into my students.

I decided to become a teacher after working with special needs students as a teacher associate at Smouse Opportunity School.  I went to college as a non-traditional student and graduated in 2004 from Simpson College in Indianola.  I have a BA in Elementary Education, Reading Endorsement and a Special Education Endorsement.  I taught Special Education for 10 years, 2^nd grade for two years and 1^st Grade since 2015.  I truly love working with children!  I am so excited to be teaching 1^st Grade again with one of my best friends, Mrs. Dolphin!!

I am married to Flip and we have two children.  Jadie is an art director for a firm in Kansas City.   Cody moved to Colorado and works for Miller Coors.  I have the privilege of being a grandparent to two precious kids!  In my spare time, I enjoy playing games with my family, decorating my house, and gardening.

I am very thankful and appreciative to be working at such a wonderful school where every student’s education is a priority.  I look forward to meeting and visiting with all my students’ parents.  My door is always open, so please contact me at any time with any questions or concerns.

Hello, Panther Families and Community!

Welcome to our 2N Classroom Family: We are teammates, friends, investigators, and creators. We respect and listen to each other. We set goals and constantly encourage each other to reach them. 2024|2025 is going to be an amazing year! (As well as my 24^th year teaching!) My elementary teaching certification and graduate hours have focused on literacy and leadership.

Family, reading, modern quilting, cooking, and volunteering keep me busy outside of school. (I make a mean triple-chocolate cheesecake and fresh pasta…)

Please contact me via michelle.nelson@dmschools.org, via Snap! Connect, or 515.242.8432.

“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” – MISTER ROGERS

Pleasant Hill Elementary is an exceptional school community! Join us in celebrating your student’s academic and social-emotional growth. Go Panthers!

I attended Grand View College.  I graduated in 1999, majoring in Elementary Education.  I received endorsements in the areas of Reading, Language Arts, and Early Childhood.  I am starting my 26^th year of teaching.  My first year of teaching was in Newton, Iowa.  I taught 1^st and 2^nd grade reading.   Then, I taught four years at Wallace Elementary in Des Moines.  There, I taught 4^th and 5^th grade and was also the 3^rd-5^th Literacy Leader. I graduated with my Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Viterbo University in Wisconsin during the summer of 2005.  This is my 21^st year at Pleasant Hill teaching 5^th grade.

I have a 19-year-old son, Brett, and a 17-year-old daughter, Kendall.  Brett attends Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio.  Kendall is a junior in high school.  We have a Miniature Dachshund named Sugar.  I enjoy attending my children’s sporting events.  I enjoy being outside.  I enjoy spending time with my children and the rest of my family, friends, and of course, Sugar!

Hello!  This is my 3^rd year at Pleasant Hill Elementary school.  I am committed to making our school clean and safe for all of the students and staff at the school. I have been cleaning for over 30 years now. I’m a mother of two daughters, Danica 16 and Jasmine 11. I also care for my sisters two children, Destiny 16 and Damien 13. I am originally from Newton Iowa.  In my free time I like the outdoors and all kinds of animals. Go Panthers!!

Hey Everyone! My name is Vanessa Purcell and this is my second year as the librarian at Pleasant Hill.

I come from a small town in Missouri and moved up here in 2022 after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University, Go Bearcats! I currently live on the Southside of Des Moines with my husband, Simon, and our cats Nymeria and Circe.

If I’m not at Pleasant Hill you can find me spending my time cooking, reading, or traveling to new places!

I’m so excited for another great year at Pleasant Hill and to help our students grow as readers!

This will be my 25th year teaching at Pleasant Hill Elementary School. Over the years, I have taught 1st grade, 4th grade, and special education. I love teaching, being with family and friends, working in the yard, and being active in my church.

This year I will be starting my 20th year teaching for Des Moines Public Schools. I am looking forward to starting my 3rd year at PH as an Academic Interventionist as well as the Intern Assistant Principal at Pleasant Hill. I have spent 15 years prior to coming to Pleasant Hill teaching at Capitol View Elementary in Des Moines and 2 years at Lovejoy Elementary. I have taught kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade, fifth grade and was an academic interventionist for 6 years prior to coming to Pleasant Hill.

My husband and I live in Urbandale with our 5 children. Cole and Ella are our twins that will be sophomores this year at Urbandale High School and Madelyn our daughter will be in 8th grade at Urbandale Middle School. Our youngest two kiddos will be at Webster Elementary School, Ava in 5th grade and Maddox in 4th grade. We keep busy with softball, basketball, soccer, show choir, track, cross country and enjoy being outside together. I am currently serving as the Silver Cord coordinator for Urbandale High School.

I graduated from Johnston High School in 2000 and graduated from the University of Iowa in 2005 with my Elementary Education Degree. After I began teaching, I knew I wanted to continue learning and graduated with my Master’s Degree in elementary education in 2005 from Viterbo University. I am currently working on my Administration Degree at Viterbo University and will graduate in 2026. I have been the co-chair of the district Educator Quality and Professional Development Committee for the Des Moines Public Schools for the last 8 years. I have been trained as a District Leadership Coach that empowers staff to set self-initiated goals around individual growth and learning.

I believe that my job as leader and teacher is to have high expectations of all students and I believe all students can and will learn at high levels and will be successful adults. I look forward to another great school year and please know I am here to support all students and be the best advocate for the students at Pleasant Hill!

Hi, I’m Angela Tonasket and I am new to Pleasant Hill Elementary, but I have lived in Pleasant Hill since 2010.  I am married and I have four adult children and two grandchildren.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in education at Grandview University with endorsements to teach preschool and elementary classrooms, kindergarten to eighth grade special education and reading interventions.  I also received an endorsement to teach special education in preschool to third grade from University of Northern Iowa. My master’s degree is from Drake University.

In my free time, I like to garden and spend time with family, but I am happiest when I am working with my students.  Thank you for sharing your children with me.

My name is Shannon Webb-Ren. I have been married 10 years, my husband’s name is Steve. We have 2 children. Our daughter LillieAnn  is 13 years old and is an 8th grader at Hoyt Middle School. She attended Pleasant Hill Elementary from preschool through 5th grade. Our son Kylen is 7 years old and is a 2nd grader at Pleasant Hill Elementary.  We also have a 4-year-old dog named Dallas.

I have lived in Des Moines my whole life and also attended Des Moines Public Schools. Pleasant Hill Elementary has been a wonderful school for my kids and I am excited to be a part of this great team of caring people. I look forward to my 2nd year here of many adventures in learning and spending time with the kids.

Hello!  It is hard to believe but Pleasant Hill Elementary has been my home for 28 years now!   I live in Waukee, Iowa which leads to me always being asked, “Why do you make that drive every day?” and my reply is, “I love my school!”  It is always a great day to be a panther!

I grew up in the small town of Denison, Iowa where I was 1 of 12 children.  After high school I attended AIB (American Institute of Business) in Des Moines were I earned an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and Office Management.  I worked for 7 years as an office manager for a small sales business in Des Moines.  I then decided to go back to school at Upper Iowa University in Des Moines and earned my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.  I also earned endorsements in Reading and Early Childhood.

I began teaching at Pleasant Hill Elementary in 1997.  During my years at Pleasant Hill I have taught a first/second grade combination class for one year, a fourth/fifth grade combination class for one year, fourth grade for ten years, kindergarten for two years, intervention groups for one year, third grade for two years, fourth grade for two years, second grade for five years, fifth grade for two years, and now I am back at second grade this year!

In my free time I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling, shopping, and going to movies.  I also enjoy watching or attending sporting events.  I am a Denver Broncos fan, Iowa State Cyclones fan, as well as a Kansas City Royals fan!

I have been the music teacher at Pleasant Hill Elementary since the fall of 2012.  I have been a music teacher in the Des Moines district since the fall of 2006. Since beginning my music teaching career in the fall of 1997, I have taught vocal music at all levels from Kindergarten to 12th grade. During my tenure with Des Moines Public Schools, I have provided many different performance opportunities for students, including extracurricular choruses and show choir.  At Pleasant Hill I direct the Panther Pride Show Choir and our Panther Pride Chorus who enjoy the opportunity to share out in the community, including a performance at the Iowa Cubs.  I enjoy writing music for students, and I have written and performed several compositions over my years of teaching.

I believe in teaching the fundamentals necessary to help students take their music to the next level. I also believe in giving students many different performance opportunities to showcase their talents and develop confidence.

I have a son, John who is in his second year at DMACC with plans to transfer to UNI, and my daughter Emma, who will be a Junior at Southeast Polk both attended Pleasant Hill Elementary.   My wife, Julie, is teaching Third Grade at Pleasant Hill Elementary.  I also work part-time for Colfax Tractor Parts as a farm equipment detailer.

During my time at Pleasant Hill, I have seen growth in the musical talents and involvement of students and am excited about the musical opportunities we will have at Pleasant Hill!

I graduated from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa with a BA in Elementary Education and endorsements in reading and special education. I taught third grade for four years in Manning, Iowa, and five years of fourth grade at Northwest Elementary in Ankeny, Iowa, before becoming a stay-at-home mom and Children’s Ministry Director at NewLife Church in the summer of 2008. I came back to teaching again in the fall of 2013 as the part-time interventionist here at Pleasant Hill Elementary. I returned to the classroom full-time as a third grade teacher in the fall of 2015. I’m looking forward to my tenth year teaching third grade at Pleasant Hill Elementary. Each year brings its own set of challenges, but I love learning new things to help all kids be successful!

My husband, Scott, and I live in Altoona with our kids, John and Emma. John is a student at DMACC, and Emma is in 11^th grade at Southeast Polk. I enjoy reading, playing games, doing puzzles, serving at church, and watching Emma participate in show choir.

Hello!  I grew up in the Des Moines area and graduated from Des Moines Christian School.  I am beginning my 15th year of teaching and my 2nd year at Pleasant Hill Elementary.  I completed my bachelor’s degree at Iowa State University in Elementary Education and my master’s degree at the University of Northern Iowa in TESOL.

My first 7 years of teaching were focused on the middle school age teaching reading, social studies, religious studies, or math.  Then I spent 6 years as an intervention teacher as well as an alternative math teacher.

I have two brothers (and one sister-in-law), two nieces, one nephew, as well as my mom.  We enjoy spending time together especially when it comes to attending Iowa State football or basketball games!  One of our favorite places to go is Colorado.

My first teaching job was in Thailand, where I lived for 5 years!  I have been able to travel to over 10 countries including Mexico, Dominican Republic, South Korea, and Australia. I love to travel and look forward to the next adventure!