Directory

I grew up in Essex, Iowa.  I graduated from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa with my Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with Special Education Endorsement and Coaching Authorization.  I have taught at Corning Elementary since 1999 where I am a special education teacher. I am married and have a son and a daughter.

I grew up in Benkelman, Nebraska located in the southwest part of the state. I obtained both my degrees from the University of Nebraska at Kearney; Bachelor's of Science in Business Education and Master of Arts in Instructional Technology. I started my teaching career in August 1999 and started my teaching tenure here at SW Valley in August 2014. I am married with two children; one boy and one girl.

My name is Emily Akkermann and I grew up on a farm northeast of Prescott.  I attended Faith Baptist Bible College and Buena Vista University.  I have been teaching since 2006. My husband, Juern, and I live on an acreage with our four children and we are so glad to be a part of the Southwest Valley Family!

I was raised near Nodaway, Iowa, and graduated from Corning High School.  I earned my bachelor's degree in Agriculture Education from Northwest Missouri State University.  I taught at Nodaway Valley Schools for six years before starting at Southwest Valley Schools in 2019.  I enjoy traveling throughout the world, but especially enjoy working on our family farm.

I am married with 2 kids, 1 boy, and 1 girl.  I graduated from Villisca and live in the Villisca area.  I currently drive a bus for Southwest Valley.

I grew up in several towns in SW Iowa and graduated high school from Sidney, Iowa. I received my bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University and my master’s degree from the University is Northern Iowa. I started working for SWV in 2005.

I grew up in Worth County, Missouri. I have been married for 14 years and have 3 daughters.  I started working at Corning Elementary as a Para in February 2019. I also have a love for photography.

I was born in Canada.  I moved to Minnesota when I was 7 years old.  I graduated from Nashwak-Keewatin High School.  I received a bachelor's degree from Bemidji State University.  I worked for 8 1/2 years at two different Metropolitan Community College Campuses in Omaha as a custodian,  The last 1 1/2 years of that time was spent as a custodial supervisor.  My husband and I currently live in Red Oak and have four daughters.

I was raised on a farm southeast of Villisca and graduated from Villisca High School.  I attended William Penn University and NWMSU. For several years now, I've been a para educator and a coach. I enjoy working with the kids. My wife and I have 3 children and 2 grandkids. I enjoy my family, sports, and helping on our family farms.

I grew up in O’fallon, Missouri. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Physical Education and Coaching from William Jewell College in 2006. I pursued my Masters in Education in School Counseling from Buena Vista University. I began my counseling career in 2008 at Corning Schools, later transferring to Griswold Schools, and now in 2021, I am excited to be back at SWV. My husband, Justin, and I reside in Corning with our dogs, Lilly and Lina, and our cat, Stripes. We enjoy spending our free time riding our side by side in Oklahoma, cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals, and spending time with our family and friends. 

I grew up in Shannon City, Iowa and attended school at both East Union and Norwalk. I graduated high school from East Union High School. I earned both my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Master of Education and Leadership Degrees from Northwest Missouri State University. I started my career in education in 2018 at Southwestern Community College as a TRIO Tutor Coordinator and Advisor. While working in this field I learned to help students strive for their best and work hard towards their goals. After completing my masters I decided that I wanted to enter into the classroom and began working as a Second Grade teacher at Nodaway Valley Elementary School in Greenfield, Iowa. I decided to move closer to my family and am excited to join the Southwest Valley Community and the new adventures it has to offer. I currently live in Corning with littles, my daughter Nevaeh and son Hayden.

I grew up in Creston, Iowa and currently reside in Corning. I graduated from Buena Vista University in 2017 with my bachelors in Elementary Education with endorsements in math, science, and reading. I am the youngest of five and a very proud aunt to seven. I have been teaching since 2018 and look forward to many more years!

I grew up in Southwest Iowa.  I attended Northwest Missouri State University where I received my Bachelor’s degree. I also attended Morningside College where I received my endorsement for Talented and Gifted Education.  Currently, I am teaching the Extended Learning Program at the West Campus for grades Kindergarten through Eighth grade. I am married and have four children and enjoy traveling to new places.

I grew up in Corning, IA.  I graduated from Corning High School . I’m married and have two dogs.  I’ve been working for the district since 2001. 

I grew up in Southwest Iowa and graduated from Villisca High School. I attended school at Buena Vista University for my bachelor’s degree in Business Education with a special education endorsement. I then went to Northwest Missouri State University to complete my Master’s Degree in special education with a behavior emphasis. I started teaching in Villisca in 2002 and have held positions as both business and special education instructor. I am currently working within the special education department as a Strategist II: BD instructor at SWV, West Campus. I am married with three children and enjoy spending time with family/friends.

I grew up and currently live on the same farm south of Villisca. I graduated from Villisca High School and received my Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree from Northwest Missouri State University. I have taught elementary and middle school for 33 years in Red Oak before joining Southwest Valley Middle School. My husband and I have four children and we love spending time with family.

I grew up in Atlantic, Iowa. I graduated from Buena Vista in Storm Lake with a degree in Music Education k-12. I’ve been at Southwest Valley since 2017. And I share my house with a very vocal cat.

Hi, I'm Mike Cormack and it is an honor to teach Social Studies at Southwest Valley High School.  A native of Fort Dodge, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Mankato State University, with a double major in Secondary Education-Social Studies and Political Science-Public Administration.  My wife, Jennifer and I joined the Timberwolves community in 2018, with previous teaching experience at CAM Community Schools.  The National Constitution Center from Philadelphia selected me in 2021 to serve on their Teacher Advisory Council, working with a select group of instructors from across the country on best practices to promote knowledge of that document.  Beyond teaching, I have served two terms as the Mayor of Massena and four terms in the Iowa House of Representatives, as well as working in state government. 

Go Wolves!

I grew up in Lenox, IA. I ran an in-home daycare for 25+ years. I have worked for SWV school since 2017. I have been married since 2000 to my husband, Lawrence Currin Sr, and we have several grandchildren.

I have the BEST job in the district! I love being the school nurse. I have been a nurse since 1999. My husband Terry and I have 4 children and live in Villisca.

My birthday is May 1st.  My favorite things to do include kayaking, swimming, and riding in the car.  My first year as a pet therapy dog was the 2021-2022 school year.  I enjoy brightening days at school for students and staff.

My name is Brenda DeVore.  I have lived in Corning for most of my life.  I graduated from NWMSU in 1989. This is my 30th year of teaching.  I have a daughter named Emma.

I grew up on a farm south of Truro.  I graduated from Interstate 35 High School.  I received my Associates of Arts Degreee from Des Moines Area Community College, and am currently finishing my last year of my bachelor's degree in 5-12 social studies from Buena Vista University.  I have been in a variety of classrooms for three school years.  I live in Griswold with my boyfriend and our two dogs.  I love the outdoors, visiting family, and boating with family and friends.

I was born in Waverly, Iowa, and have lived in several places throughout the state. I graduated from Solon High School. I attended Luther College, where I earned my BA in Elementary Education. I was blessed to get my first teaching job right out of college, and could not have been luckier to land here in Corning as a third grade teacher. During my time in Corning/SWV, I have taught K, 1, 2, 3, and 6th grades. I am married and have two children. I am looking forward to another great year!

Hi, my name is Chris Fenster and I am the Superintendent for Southwest Valley Schools. I am a native of Earlham, Iowa. I started in education in 1996 as an aide and have been in school administration since 2005.  I have three wonderful boys and enjoy playing golf and watching Iowa Hawkeye sports and St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

I was born and raised in Winterset, IA. I graduated from Luther College with a degree in elementary education. I started teaching at Corning Elementary in 2018. My parents live in Grimes, IA, which is currently our family home.

I grew up in Villisca and graduated from Villisca High School. I received my bachelors from Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in Business Management/Marketing. I started as the Business Manager in 2006. My husband Will and I live on a farm Southeast of Villisca. We have three children: Ian, Lydia, and Tanner. We enjoy working on the farm and spending time with family.

Hello, my name is Patsy Gibler and I have been the elementary secretary since 2004.  I graduated from South Page High School. I have two Associate Degrees, one of Arts and one of Science.  I am married to Chris Gibler and have two daughters.

I grew up in Villisca and graduated from Villisca High School in 2012.  After high school I went to Doane College where I got a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2016.  I started working as a Substitute Teacher for Southwest Valley in 2016 and became the Elementary Interventionist at Villisca  Elementary in 2022. I enjoy spending time with my family and reading.

I was born and raised in Corning, and I graduated from Iowa State University in 2008 with a degree in Music Education. I taught vocal and instrumental music at St. Malachy in Creston from 2008-2013. I joined Southwest Valley West campus in the fall of 2013. I live in Corning with my husband Alex, our son Mattias, and our furry family.

I grew up in Tecumseh, Nebraska, and graduated from Johnson County Central High School in 2019. I got my bachelor's degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska. I have been teaching in the K-6 grade setting since 2023, and I began teaching at Southwest Valley in 2024. My husband and I live in Villisca. We have a dog named Rocky & are expecting a baby in February 2025. 

I grew up in southwest Iowa and have three children and thirteen grandchildren.  My hobbies include crafts, working outside, and cooking.  I enjoy anything that is outdoors, especially camping and boating.  In addition, I am an avid fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  I am excited to be a part of the food service team because I enjoy being around children.  

I grew up in Southwest Iowa. I went to elementary, middle school, and some high school in the Red Oak school district, and graduated from Lenox High School. I have lived in Corning since 1994. I received my bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista University in 2016 in Elementary Education, with endorsements in K-8 reading, and middle school science and math. My husband, Scott, and I married in 2018, and we share six children. I work at Corning Elementary School in the Title/TAG program.

I was born and raised in Corning. I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I worked as a Neonatal Nurse for 15 years in Des Moines and have been at Southwest Valley as the East Campus School Nurse since 2017. My husband farms and we have 2 children that attend SWV. We enjoy attending all SWV sporting events and cheering for the Iowa State Cyclones!

I am a native Minnesotan who grew up on a dairy farm in South Dakota before moving to Iowa to finish high school   I did my undergraduate degree at Morningside College in Sioux City, IA and received my Masters of Science in Science Education from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT.  I started teaching in 1994, and have been in Villisca since 1999.  My wife Gina and I were married in 1998 and have 4 children.

I was born in Sac City, Iowa but grew up in Sioux City where I graduated from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School. I worked for Head Start as an Assistant Teacher for 10 years in Villisca and Clarinda. I have been a para-educator with SWV since 2013. My husband, Jason and I have 4 grown children: Steven, Jacob, Nicholas and Kimberly.

I am a native of North Central Iowa. I received my BA in Business Education from The
University of Northern Iowa. After a few years of teaching high school, I worked in the
IT field for several years before becoming a full-time parent for my three children. As
they are off to college and have careers of their own, I am excited to return to teaching middle
school computer technologies. In my free time, my wife and I enjoy gardening, growing
our orchard, traveling, and the theater.

I was born and raised in Villisca and graduated from Villisca High School. I received my bachelors degree from Buena Vista University. I began teaching in 1992 in New Market Community School. In 2003, I started teaching in Villisca Community Schools. I am married to Joe Kernen and we live north of Nodaway. I have three grown children: Natasha, Katelyn and Joey. Joe and I enjoy cooking, canning, and spending time with our children and their families.

I grew up on a farm in Prescott, Iowa. After high school, I attended DMACC in the child development program. I have been a paraeducator in our district for over 30 years in various areas..as a one on one, special education, classroom, and librarian. I have also taught preschool and worked in several daycare centers. My husband and I have been blessed with four children, their spouses, and continue to add to our family with grandchildren.

I grew up in Corning, Iowa. I graduated from Western Governors University in 2021 with my bachelors in Elementary Education. I have been teaching since 2021. I am married and have one daughter. I am looking forward to many more years!

I am from Corning and received my bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Northwest Missouri State University.  I also have an A.S. degree in Ag Business and an A.A. degree. I am a farmer and sports fanatic.  I am the head coach for the SWV baseball team, and can't get enough of it.  My favorite thing to see is the look on a student's face when they succeed from all the hard work and practice they have put in.  

I grew up on a farm north of Corning and graduated from Corning High School.  After high school I attended Southwestern Community College.  I am married to Keith Longabaugh and have two adult children.  In 2006, I became part of the staff for SWV, and still love working with the students.

I have been an Adams County resident most of my life.  I graduated from Lenox Community School District.  I have been the business manager since 2004.  I have four sons, 2 granddaughters, and one grandson.

My name is Sarah Maeder.  I graduated from Central College with my BA in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Physical Education.  I went back to school at Upper Iowa University and got my Instructional Strategist I endorsement and started teaching special education in 2002 at Collins-Maxwell Middle and High School before moving to Bondurant-Farrar in 2006.  At Bondurant-Farrar I taught in a high school level I/II & III special education life skills classroom while going back to Upper Iowa University to receive my Instructional Strategist II endorsement.  In the fall of 2020 I started teaching special education, behaviors, at Corning Elementary.  I grew up in NE Iowa, but most of my family is originally from Corning. I am married, have three children, and live on an acreage north of Corning.   

I grew up on a farm near Barnard, Missouri, and graduated from South Nodaway High School. I received both my Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. Since I began my career in 1995 I have taught at the elementary, middle school, and high school level. I began teaching at Southwest Valley Middle School in 2011. My husband Cory and I live in Villisca and have two children.

Hello Timberwolves! I grew up in Villisca, and I was actually the last graduating class of Villisca in 2013. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Secondary English Language Arts in 2020 from Buena Vista University.  My husband CJ and I have two children, Cecil and Michelle. In my free time I enjoy reading, being outside with my kiddos, and playing video games such as Fortnite, Pokémon, or Animal Crossing.

Hello!  I go by Jes, with just one "s".  In September 2022, I began my career as a paraeducator at Southwest Valley Elementary.  I am so excited!  I have one daughter named Trezlee.  My family and I enjoy camping, attending sporting events, family vacations, and any other outdoor activity. 

I was born in Oklahoma but grew up in Colorado. I received my degree from the University of Northern Colorado. I taught Kindergarten for a year in Colorado before moving to Iowa where I taught preschool for 11 years. In 2017, I joined the Corning Elementary staff. I am married with a daughter who loves going to school in Southwest Valley!

Hello, Timberwolves, I am Mr. McGrew. I will be teaching social studies at the high school and am going to be the head tennis coach. I was born in Waverly, Iowa, and have degrees from both Wartburg College and the University of Northern Iowa in journalism, social studies, and education. My previous full-time teaching positions were at Keota High School (2002-03) and Charles City High School (2003-2020). I have coached tennis at Waverly-Shell Rock and Charles City. In addition to loving to play tennis, I enjoy spending time with my wife Denise and our two greyhounds as well as attending school activities to support the student body.

I grew up in rural Villisca and graduated from high school from Villisca. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Northwest Missouri State Education. I have taught middle school at Clarinda Academy, high school math at Villisca Community School district, and middle school math at Southwest Valley School district. Starting in 2019 I am the Instructional Coach for 6-12 grades. My husband and I live near Villisca, we have a daughter Kelsey and a son Tyler.

I am originally from the east coast but consider Corning my hometown.  I graduated from Corning High School in 1994. I attended Southwestern Community College and Buena Vista University to obtain my bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in special education as well as a reading endorsement.  I have been teaching at Corning Elementary since 2007. I have two sons, Matthew and Brayden. We are a family of racing. I enjoy reading, crocheting, crafting, and camping outside of school.

I grew up in Mid-Missouri.  I graduated from Monmouth College in 1995 with a BA in Art Education.  I have taught K-8 Art in Illinois and Iowa. My husband and I live in Atlantic with our four children.

My name is Sarah Morrison and I am the Kindergarten teacher at the Corning Elementary. I graduated high school from Hampton-Dumont Community School District.  I went on to get my degree in Elementary Education from Buena Vista University and graduated in 2009. I have also received my reading endorsement. I taught Kindergarten for two years in Denison, Iowa before I received my job here at Southwest Valley. I have been teaching here at Southwest Valley Schools since 2012. I am married to Joel Morrison who was born and raised in Corning.  I have two daughters and one son. Go Timberwolves!

I grew up in Villisca and graduated in 2000. I earned an Associates Degree from Iowa Western in 2003. I have over 14 years experience in a licensed child care in-home setting. My husband Richard and I live in Villisca and have six children. We keep busy attending their extracurricular activities. I enjoy gardening and crafting in my free time.

I was born in Marshalltown, Iowa. I received my bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and my master’s degree from Morningside College. My endorsements include reading, social studies, and coaching. I have been an elementary teacher since 2014. I began teaching at Corning Elementary in 2019 and am married to my husband, Matt. We love attending country concerts as well as cheering on the Cyclones and Huskers!

I  grew up in Burlington, IA and graduated from Burlington High School in 2001.  I went on to college and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. I have been teaching in the Corning district since 2007 and over the years I have coached multiple junior high and high school sports.  I am currently also the Activities Director for Southwest Valley. My partner in crime since 2013 Sarah and I just welcomed our son Daxtyn on August 20th, 2019 to join Sarah’s daughter Katey.

I was born and grew up in Maryville, Missouri. I graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a degree in Elementary Education, Early Childhood and Reading Endorsement. I later graduated from Morningside with a master’s degree and TAG endorsement. I have been teaching since 2013 and have been working for the SWV school district since 2017. My husband and I have three children and enjoy the SWV community.

I have lived in Villisca all my life.  I graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education.  I have taught various grade levels in Southwest Valley since 1999. My husband Jason and I have three children and live on a farm west of Villisca.

I was born in Iola Kansas, but grew up in Corning and graduated from Corning High School in 2002.  I started working as a para educator in November 2019. Since then I have gotten my level 1 para educator certificate and a substitute authorization certificate. My husband Matthew and I were married in 2004 and live on a farm north of Corning. We have six children, Megan, Michael, Makenna, Maxwell, Mark, and Milena. I enjoy biking, kayaking, and camping with my family and reading in my spare time.

I grew up on a farm near Prescott, Iowa.  Since 1995, I have worked for the district in every grade level from preschool to 6th grade.  I am a level 2 certified para educator. My husband Tim and I have 2 sons. In my spare time, I enjoy quilting, scrapbooking, and cheering on the Cyclones.

I have lived in Corning all my life and graduated from Corning High School. I have been with SWV school district since 2002 and have worked in every building and every grade. I am married to Tom and we have 3 sons and 2 grandchildren.  We enjoy camping, spending time with our family, sporting events and are Hawkeye Fans!

I earned my bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a special education endorsement from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.  I later added a high school special education endorsement through Iowa State and more recently completed a math endorsement through Western Governor’s University.  I joined SWV in 2020 starting at the middle school.  This year I will be teaching at Enarson and at the high school.

I was born in Bellevue, Nebraska, and grew up in Bridgewater and Fontanelle, Iowa. I have an elementary general education degree with an endorsement in special education. I have taught at Corning Elementary since the 1999-2000 school year. My husband, Bernie, and I have three sons and a daughter-in-law. We enjoy the farm and outdoor activities.

I was born in Corning Iowa.  Raised In Adam’s county.   Attended Corning School District K-12.  I’ve been with CSD & SWV since 2011.

Hello. My name is Jessica, most students call me Ms. Jess. I have worked in education for three years. I grew up in Greene County. I have two kiddos Karli and Karson. I enjoy dirt track racing, fishing and traveling!

I grew up in Villisca and graduated from Villisca High School in 2010.  I began my position as a school cook at Southwest Valley Middle School in 2023.  My husband, Kyle, and I live in Villisca.  In my free time, I enjoy tending to my house plants and helping my husband in his mechanic shop.

Hello, I was born in Corning and raised my whole life in Villisca. I attended Villisca school district as a Villisca Bluejay graduating in 1997. My experience has been working with adults with mental illness. I’m currently a para-educator for SWV Middle School. I’ve been married to my husband since 2015. I have 2 boys, one who graduated from SWV in 2018 and one who will graduate in 2020. Go Wolves!!!

I grew up in Villisca, IA, and graduated from Villisca High School in 2012. I am married to Dominick Sexton, and we have two children, Cameron and Carly. I am excited to work at the Villisca Campus.

I grew up in the small town Summerfield, TX, with the town population of 30 people.  I attended high school at Adrian ISD, in Adrian, TX, with a student count of 129 for all grades K-12!!  There were seven students in my graduating class! I moved to Iowa in 2012, and loved it here so haven’t left!  I live on a farm outside of Villisca with goats, chickens, cows, and pigs!  I absolutely love my goats!  I live there with my husband and two children!  We also have a trucking company to keep us busy as well!

I am married and have 2 children, 3 step children, and 12 grandchildren.  I worked 40 years truck driving, and 8 years driving residents in a retirement center.  Retired to Corning and started driving bus/van for Corning and Southwest Valley.

I grew up in Lenox, IA, not very far from Corning. I attended American Institute of Business in Des Moines, Ia and received an Associate’s degree majoring in administrative assistant. I have spent 20 years working in the healthcare field and have started my dream job as an elementary administrative assistant in 2019. My husband John and I live on a farm south of Corning and have three daughters and one son.

I grew up in Villisca and Corning.  I graduated from Corning High School in 2001.  I received my Associates' Degree from Southwestern Community College.  I began as a paraeducator at Enarson Elementary in the fall of 2021.  I am married to Chris Simmons, and we have four children together.

I grew up near Exira and graduated from the Exira High School in 1991.  After high school I attended Iowa State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science in 1995.  I later returned to Iowa State University and earned my teaching certificate in Agricultural Education in 1998. In the fall of 1998 I started teaching Agricultural Education and serving as the FFA Advisor here in Corning and have remained here since my beginning year.  I am married and my wife and I have three kids

I grew up in Villisca. I received my bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University. I have been teaching since 1989. This is my first year as SWV Elementary Instructional Coach. My husband, Dan, and I have a son and a daughter.

I have lived most of my life in Iowa. I graduated from Corning High School and Northwest Missouri State University. I taught at Corning Elementary from 1992-1998 and Orient-Macksburg from 1998-2000. I spent 2000-2016 substitute teaching and as a homeschool supervising teacher. I returned to Southwest Valley full time as a 3rd grade teacher in 2016, and continue to oversee district homeschool families. My husband, Kevin, and I have seven children and fifteen grandchildren.

I grew up in Villisca, Iowa. I received my Associates of Science degree from Southeast Community College. I transferred to Peru State College and graduated with my Secondary Education - Mathematics degree. I have been teaching at Southwest Valley since 2014. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. 

I was raised at Bedford, Iowa. I earned a degree from NWMSU and have endorsements in English, Spanish, and Library Media.  My employment with the Villisca Community Schools began over 40 years ago. Also, I worked three other SW Iowa schools concurrently with Villisca. My husband and I have three daughters and eight grandchildren.

I grew up in Southwest Iowa and graduated from Villisca High School. I have been employed within the district since 2000. I have been a para educator, worked in the library, summer lunch program, and currently working in the kitchen. I have been blessed with five children and two grandchildren.

I grew up on a farm north of Villisca. After high school, I attended NWMSU and IWCC. Prior to starting as a secretary at the middle school in 2010, I worked as a customer service/account manager for 18 years. My husband and I married in 1991, and we have one son. I enjoy cooking, walking, gardening, and the outdoors.  I also value babysitting for my great nephew!

My name is Melanie Taylor I have worked at Enarson Elementary School since 2008. My first job was the director of the Before and After School Program for 5 years. I am now a  Paraeducator and really enjoy everything about it. I am married to my husband Kelly and have 2 girls Jessie and Katie.

I was born in Corning and graduated from Corning High School.  I received my AAS in Computer Networking Technology at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, IA.  I'm married to Ashley, and we have three daughters.  I've worked at Corning and Southwest Valley Schools since 2008.

I was born in Birmingham, Alabama. I attended college at the University of Northern Colorado where I received both my bachelors and masters degree. Brian and I were married in 1989 and have 3 children. I have taught various grades for 27 years, and now I am enjoying being the principal at Corning Elementary working with a phenomenal staff.

I have been part of the Southwest Valley School District since 2003. I graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with an elementary degree, Graceland University with a masters in Preventive Discipline and Northwest with a second masters in Educational Leadership. I believe in Lifelong Learning! I love working with the students, staff and families of both Corning and Villisca. I live on a farm with my husband and two boys.

I was born in Los Angeles, California, but mostly grew up around Sioux Center, Iowa. I attended Northwestern College where I recieved my bachelors degree in physical education and special education. Lora and I were married in 1994 and we have 3 children.

I grew up in Schaller, Iowa, and lived there most of my life. I graduated from Buena Vista University in May 2011 with degrees in Studio Art, K-12 Education, and Communication and Graphic Design. I graduated from Wichita State University (Kansas) with my MFA in Sculpture and minor in Ceramics. I live with my nieces and nephew and enjoy spending time with them and the rest of my family. I enjoy reading, snail mail letter-writing, swimming, playing volleyball and basketball, and helping animals.

I grew up in Red Oak, Iowa and graduated from Red Oak High School in 2015. I attended Northwest Missouri State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in K-12 Physical Education. I taught K-12 P.E. and Health in Murray, Iowa for one year. I will now teach high school P.E. and weight training at Southwest Valley! I enjoy running, lifting, sports, and being outdoors.

I have lived in Villisca all my life. I attended Iowa Western and received my associate of arts degree in education K-12. I have been a para with the district since 2013. I have experience with early education and special education. You will often find me volunteering with several groups and clubs around the district. I have been married since 2005 and have 2 daughters who attend the Southwest Valley school district.

I grew up in Corning and received my bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Simpson College and my teaching certificate and masters in school counseling from Buena Vista University. I started my teaching career in Villisca in 2011 and have been a part of the Southwest Valley family since its inception. My husband Trent and I got married in 1997; we live in Corning on a farm with our four fabulous daughters. I am the school counselor at SWV Middle School and love providing a listening ear and helping students find solutions for their struggles.

My birthday is October 30th.  I like to play fetch and chew toys.  My first year as a pet therapy dog was the 2021-2022 school year.  I have been known to carry my leash in my mouth in the hallway.  I love being at school and miss it during the summer.