Specials
Art
Library
Music
Physical Education
Art
Library
Music
Physical Education
I have been teaching orchestra in Des Moines Schools since 2000. I have experience teaching band and choir as well. I have lived in or near Des Moines my whole life, and even went to college here at Drake University. Outside of school I enjoy playing trumpet, riding motorcycles, and traveling.
My career began in 2004 teaching health and physical education as well as coaching at a high school in Florida. I moved back to Iowa in 2008, and since then I have been teaching in Des Moines Public Schools. I taught elementary PE at Samuelson for a year, then PE and health at Harding Middle School for one year. I then spent eight years teaching PE at King Elementary. I am thrilled to bring my program to Capitol View this year! I also serve on the PE leadership team for Des Moines. One of our focuses is to create our district curriculum for K-5 Physical Education. My program’s purpose is to provide students with a progression of basic skills: locomotors, movement concepts, manipulative skills, and fitness to help students become physically literate.
I received my undergraduate degree from Iowa State University, my graduate degree from Nova Southeastern University and my ELL Endorsement from Grand View University. I enjoy attending PE conferences and learning more about the current trends and best practices in PE to improve my own program. I live in Bondurant with my husband and two boys. We love going to football, basketball and baseball games as a family when we can.
I have been teaching art for 25 years in the Des Moines School District, 13 of those years have been at Capitol View. I have enjoyed every minute. I am passionate about teaching children how to create beautiful works of art that they can keep forever, I hope. I graduated from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa. After spending the summer at a girl scout camp in Vermont I decided my destiny was to teach art so I came back to Iowa and got my teaching certificate from UNI. I have been in Des Moines ever since. In my free time I enjoy walking, making glass beads in my garage for jewelry and traveling as much as possible.
I am a proud graduate of UNI. After graduation, I immediately accepted a job with the Waterloo School District. During my time with Waterloo Schools, I was blessed to receive several teaching awards. Most notably, the Gold Star Award for outstanding teaching. In 2000, I was asked to teach for Des Moines Public Schools. Throughout my time with DM Schools, I’ve been blessed to work with many principals and have received accolades from three separate Superintendents. In 2002, I was named as a “Who’s, Who of American Teachers!”