Throughout my life, I have encountered a number of inspiring educators who have impacted me in ways that are immeasurable. They have affirmed and expanded my interests and talents in art. They have questioned, challenged, and motivated me. These teachers have given me the incentive to do the same for young people.

I graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2002 and a Masters in Art Education in 2004. Since then, I have had the opportunity teach art at Norwalk, Ballard-Huxley, and Iowa State University. This is my sixth year as the art teacher at Moulton.

My name is Heather Barrett and this will be my seventh year teaching. I have an undergraduate degree in Sports and Health Science and earned my teaching certificate from Indiana Wesleyan University. I taught first grade for six years and will be teaching fifth grade this fall. I can’t wait for the new experience with the big kids! In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, exercising, gardening and going to concerts.

My name is Kimberly Bartell and I teach our 1st Grade ELL Classroom.  I have been teaching for 15 years, 5 of them here at Moulton Elementary.  I am originally from San Diego, California and graduated from University of California, San Diego.  I also have my Master’s Degree and Reading Endorsement from Drake University and my Spanish Endorsement from Grand View University.  I love teaching and watching children grow and learn!  When I’m not at school, I enjoy reading, traveling, going for walks and watching movies.

I graduated from Luther College in 1994 with a B.A. in Elementary Education with a reading and early childhood endorsement. I received my Masters from Drake University in 2005. I have been a preschool, K/1 Multi-age, first grade, and an in-class teacher at Moulton since 2001. Before teaching at Moulton I was a preschool teacher for the Des Moines Schools and was also a tutor. I love how excited kids are when they learn something new. I enjoy getting to know kids and what their interests are in and out of school. When I am not at Moulton, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I have a daughter who keeps me busy. I also enjoy traveling and golfing.

I have been teaching at Moulton since I graduated from Iowa State University in 1989. I taught Head Start for none years and have been teaching kindergarten since then. In 2000, I graduated from Viterbo University in 2000 with a Masters in Teaching Elementary Children. I am married and have two children. My daughter is a junior at Iowa State University and my son is a freshman at Central College. I love the diversity at Moulton. I have learned so much from the children and families that I have had the opportunity to work with. I especially enjoy the other kindergarten teachers that I work with! They make coming to work fun everyday.

My name is Abby Boruff and I am a 1st Grade Teacher at Moulton. I grew up in Bettendorf and went to college at Iowa State where I graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Special Education. I began my teaching career in the Chicago Public Schools teaching in the Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program. I taught in Chicago for 2 years before coming back to Iowa where I taught preschool, Early Childhood Special Ed and Kindergarten in West Des Moines for 9 years before moving to Des Moines Public Schools to teach at The Downtown School. I taught the 5 and 6-year-old multi-age classroom for 2 years before finding my home at Moulton in 2018. While at Moulton, I’ve taught first and second grade. I earned my Master’s Degree in Curriculum Design and Instructional Leadership from Drake University in 2009. When I am not teaching, I love to read, travel, and spend time with my family and friends.

I am a proud graduate of the Des Moines Public Schools. I attended McKee Elementary ( when it was a neighborhood elementary school), Hoyt Middle school and East High school. While at East I attended school with 7 cousins and my sister. We are a close East side family. My two sisters, brother in law and and three cousins all work as teachers in the Des Moines Public schools. I attended the University of Northern Iowa after graduating high school. I later transfered to Upper Iowa University where I earned a degree in secondary social studies education specializing in teaching Government, Psychology and Sociology for grades 7 -12. While completing my degree I worked as a teacher associate at Ruby Van Meter school in Des Moines for 10 years. I then taught Special Education at Lincoln High school in Des Moines for 9 years.. While teaching at Lincoln I completed my Special Education cretification through Morningside College. I have worked as a special education associate at Moulton for 6 years. This year will be my 25 year working in the Des Moines public schools. In addition to working for the Des Moines schools. I have taught swimming lessons and coached swimming for 32 years . Some of that time working for the Des Moines public schools communtiry education program and coaching through the East High school middle school and age grooup swim team programs. When I am not working at Moulton or teaching swimming thoughout the Des Moines metro I spend time attending my niece and nephew.s sporting events at St Ambrose University , Grinnell College and East High school. All of them are 4th generation East High graduates and attendees. I also enjoy traveling with my family, swimming and reading.

Throughout my school years, I met incredible teachers that inspired me to want to become a fellow educator like them. I studied at Iowa State University in Elementary Education with a Spanish minor and immediately knew I wanted to work in Des Moines, the place where I grew up. I am very excited to be able to give back to my community and meet our amazing students here at Moulton.

Welcome to Moulton! A little bit about me… I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1996. I followed with a degree in Elementary Education and a Social Studies Endorsement in 2002. In 2010, I received a Master of Arts in Education with a Reading Endorsement from Viterbo University. I have taught at Moulton Extended Learning Center since July of 2006. I hold high expectations for every student, every day. I believe children learn best in a loving, safe, and structured environment.
I am a member of the Student Success Committee and SILT ( School Improvement Leadership Team).
My passions are teaching, travel, and family.

I graduated from GrandView College in 2000. My teaching career began in the URBANDALE school district and has included schools in Ohio and North Carolina. My teaching in Des Moines Public Schools started in 2017. I have a Masters degree in Education and Principal Licensure from Viterbo University. Over the years, I have taught at the Secondary, Middle and Elementary levels. It is a privilege to watch students change and grow. The best part of being a teacher is building relationships with students, parents and colleagues. When I am not teaching, I can be found in the woods, having recently finished the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail, or on my motorcycle. My winters are spent doing DIY construction on my home or reading books by the fire. I also have a love of animals and foster for the Animal Rescue League.

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a teacher. My passion for teaching really began in 1994-1995 when I was a senior at North High School. I volunteered at King Elementary a few days a week, and it was there that I found the rewards of teaching. I started Grand View College in the fall of 1995. I graduated in December of 1999 with a degree in Elementary Education with endorsements in Reading and Early Childhood. I began my career at Moulton teaching 3rd grade in 2000. I am currently an interventionist working with 4th and 5th graders here at Moulton. My husband and I currently live in Ankeny with our children. I am currently working towards earning a masters degree in  curriculum and instruction with and ESL endorsement.

Hi!  I joined the Mouton Staff in 2004 and am currently a special education teacher for 5th grade. I have a lot of pride in our school and believe that we are up to great things!  I enjoy the daily challenge of helping students reach their potential.  I believe that every student can learn, make progress, and be successful in the classroom.

Growing up in Des Moines, I graduated from Roosevelt High School (99), and earned my B.A. from Simpson College (03).

When not in school, I enjoy spending time with my husband, John, and our kids, Amanda and Tessa.

My story begins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where I was born and raised. I can still see myself at seven years old, begging my two older brothers to play school with me. Many years down the road I went off to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa where I listened to the seven year old inside me, telling me to pursue a path in elementary education. In December of 2010 I graduated from Loras with a degree in elementary education and an endorsement in reading.

My passion for teaching, learning, and my love of children is what drives me to be the best I can be every single day. I am delighted to be a part of the Moulton team and I look forward to having a fantastic year!

I am originally from a very small town in Iowa called Alburnett. The school I attended was kindergarten through 12th grade all under one roof so the Des Moines Public School system was very different from my personal experience. When I graduated from high school in 1986 I moved to Ames to attend Iowa State. I graduated with my degree in elementary education in 1991.

I took a detour before looking for a job teaching.  I spent almost 10 years working in the retail business until I decided my passion for teaching and working with young children was what I wanted to pursue. In 2000 I started as a substitute for DMPS which included a long term assignment in a special education classroom here at Moulton. The following year I was hired fulltime to do a job share as a first grade classroom teacher. I continued the job share position for several years until I became the parent educator with the Parents as Teachers program, working with children birth to 3 years old. A position as a title support person working with kindergarten, first and second grade followed until I went back to the classroom in 2010 as a third grade teacher. This is my third year teaching 3rd grade. I love seeing the excitement in the third graders as they are learning new things.

I’m looking forward to my second year at Moulton Elementary and Des Moines Public Schools. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2007 and spent my first six years at St. Theresa Catholic School in Des Moines. I hope I’m able to be a positive role model for the students and help them make healthy choices a habit for the rest of their lives. We will be focusing on learning how to move correctly, so students become more confident and want to move more often.

Hello, my name is Denise Gustaveson-Roskamp, but everyone calls me Ms. Gus.  I have been working in education for over 30 years.  In that time I have served in a number of roles from special education to district curriculum support.  Currently, I serve Moulton’s 4th and 5th graders as an interventionist.  My commitment to the Moulton has been expanding and deepening for over 10 years and there isn’t anything that I wouldn’t do to help our students succeed.  In my free time, I enjoy being near the water and playing with my dog Louie.

I have been teaching for 16 years, and 15 of those years have been at Moulton Elementary. I truly enjoy my position working in Kindergarten and my students here at Moulton. I attended Dowling Catholic High School and then graduated from College of St. Mary.

I started my journey with the DMPS SUCCESS Program in January 2007. I was at Hiatt Middle School for 11 years before moving to North and then joining the team at Moulton. I love the flexibility that our program allows for us to meet with students and families and to help make school a place that works for them! I graduated from Iowa State and am a lifelong Cyclone fan. I have three girls of my own who keep me busy outside of school. When I am not at school we enjoy hiking, riding bikes and spending time reading.

I am very excited to be teaching 4th grade at Moulton! I have a degree in elementary education from Iowa State University with endorsements in Language Arts, Reading, and Social Studies. Before teaching at Moulton I taught in Minnesota and worked with after school programs in Des Moines. I am super excited to work with Moulton students and I am excited to learn along with them! In my free time I like to read, cook, and play with husband and dogs.

This is my second year at Moulton, and my second year as a counselor. I used to be a 5th grade teacher in a small district, but decided I wanted to work in a setting with more kids. I have always been passionate about mental health, especially in children, so I got my degree in school counseling and was accepted for a position at Moulton. I love that I get to spend my day working with amazing kids and families, and supporting them in mental health and general wellness.

My teaching career started in Chicago as a preschool teacher for Old St. Patrick’s Parochial School. One year later, in 1990, I took a Kindergarten position with Des Moines Schools at Moulton Elementary. I have been here ever since. I graduated from Simpson College in 1988 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I also received a Master’s Degree in 2000 from Viterbo University. I also have endorsements in Early Childhood and Reading. I am married with two children. My oldest son is a junior at Iowa State University and my youngest son is a senior at Johnston High School. I feel fortunate to be part of the Moulton community. I love teaching the Kindergarten students at Moulton. Every day is a new adventure!

Mr. Jergens has been teaching first grade at Moulton since 2015. He graduated from UNI in 2014 with a degree in elementary education. He also has endorsements in social studies, reading, and athletic coaching. Mr. Jergens is currently working towards his master’s degree in Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leadership. His favorite part of teaching first grade is teaching students how to read!

Seeing students’ bright smiles and eagerness to learn every morning, is why I teach Fourth Grade. With nine and ten year olds, every day is new adventure! This is my second year teaching fourth grade at Moulton Elementary.  Before that, I was a long term substitute at Howe, Riverwoods, Capitol View, and Garton.   I graduated from Simpson College in 2011 with a degree in Elementary Education, and went on to take graduate classes at Drake University.  I currently have endorsements in math and social studies, and am working on my reading endorsement.  I love teaching because I learn about the world and the unlimited possibilities that 20 young minds bring to me each day.

Hi, I go by “Ms Sue” to the kids here at Moulton. I have been an Associate Teacher for almost 7 years here at Moulton, and I am so proud to be here. I grew up in Des Moines and graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy and went on to college to study art. I married a sailor after 2 years of college and we began a new adventure and moved to San Diego, California.  My 2 children were born there and that’s when I realized that children are all unique and learn differently. I began taking classes in child development. I continued on when we transferred to Hawaii and I completed my Early Childhood education. I taught for 15 years in a program that was both parent/child participation pre-school. I helped parents understand child development and how children learn. I also, worked with our elementary school and directed the After School program for 250 children K-6. I took another giant step and took on the position of Pre-school program director for YMCA of Honolulu, Central Y in Waikiki (multi-cultural) for 7 years. I moved back to Iowa to take care of my dad and during the time my dad needed me I was a 2nd grade Associate and substitute.

My name is Marissa Knepper and I am a Special Education teacher at Moulton. This is my first FULL year of teaching. I was a Special Education teacher last year in 4th and 5th grade. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelors in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education. Go Panthers! My husband’s name is Cory and we have a labradoodle named Macy Mae. I am originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I graduated from Linn-Mar High School. One of the many things I love about teaching is helping my students reach their goals and dreams. I love seeing the “light bulb” go off in their head after working hard toward their education. The most important thing about teaching (to me) is the relationship-building between me and my students. I don’t want to be JUST a teacher to my students but a mentor, someone who can help them along the good times and the bad times, educational or non-educational. Every child deserves a chance to thrive in their lives, especially towards their goals and dreams.

Teaching is my passion! I believe in setting high expectations for all students each and every day. When setting those high expectations we are setting students up for success, not only in fifth grade, but for years to come. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2005 with a degree in Elementary and Middle Level Education. Currently, I am working on my master degree. Since 2006, I have taught at Moulton Extended Learning Center. My first year at Moulton involved teaching a fourth/fifth grade combination classroom. Since then I have taught fifth grade.

I am a member of the Community and Diversify Committee, SILT (School Improvement Leadership Team), and our schools Union Representative. Also, I work very hard to help fifth graders fundraise money throughout the year to raise funds for our annual Outdoor Science Education Camp.   I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching at Moulton and look forward to the years to come.  My husband and I live in Grimes. We enjoy spending our time exercising, doing anything outdoors, being with family, and traveling.

I am a speech pathologist for DMPS that serves both Moulton and River Woods this year.  I have 3 children …. One lives in LA CA, one in Boston and my youngest just moved to Chicago.  In my spare time I love to read, go to movies and spend time with friends.  I am an active member of Hope Lutheran Church in West DesMoines.  This is my 3rd year at Moulton and I love the students and staff and am so happy to be here!!

I was born and raised on the north side of Des Moines, and am a daughter of SE Asian refugees. My role as the Community School Coordinator at Moulton is to serve our students, staff and neighbors living and working in the neighborhood that helped shape me. After graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism and mass communications, I worked in radio advertising in Omaha, NE, Denver, CO and Des Moines. I transitioned my career to the nonprofit sector in 2018 where I oversaw culturally-specific programming for youth of color, which led me to my current role at Moulton. My passions include social equity, community stability and youth empowerment.

I grew up in Des Moines and went to Meredith Middle School and Hoover High School. I participated in several orchestras and began singing in high school. In college my love for music grew and I decided I wanted to spread my love of music to as many people as possible so I became a music teacher! I attended Waldorf University and I graduated cum laude with a B.S. in K-12 music education with an endorsement in 5-12 Speech/Theatre and a B.A. in musical theatre performance and vocal performance. I became a Moulton Cub officially in February 2020 and I feel so blessed to be at such a fantastic school!

I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1988 with a B.A. in Elementary Education with a coaching endorsement. I received my reading endorsement from Upper Iowa University in 1994. I have been at Moulton since 1991.  This is my 25th year teaching at this amazing school!

I am currently a math and reading interventionist in kindergarten and 1st grade.    I love my job! I enjoy working with students to give them the extra support and encouragement they need to be successful in and out of the classroom.

I graduated from UNI in 1994 and moved to Texas for my first teaching job. I loved teaching 1, 2,and 3 grade while I was there, but moved to Denver, Colorado to be with my future husband in 2002, I taught in the classroom and was a Math Coach. My family decided to resettle back in Iowa and we moved to the Des Moines area in 2015. I have been at Moulton my whole time in Des Moines and love being a special education teacher. On my evenings, I love to take walks with my daughter and dog, Dotty, I love scary movies, going swimming in the summer and going horseback riding.

Hi! My name is Becca Miller, and I am so excited to be a part of the Moulton Elementary Family! I graduated from The University of South Dakota with an Elementary Education Degree and taught in rural South Dakota for 5 years. I came to Des Moines as a live-in nanny for a little boy. After 3 years with him I went back into education, where I’ve been ever since. I am so proud to be a part of Des Moines Public Schools! I love spending my day surrounded by young people who teach me something new every day. Having an opportunity to be a part of their learning and development is something I consider to be a privilege. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my cat, Salem, who loves to cuddle, play, and escape through the screen door. I also love trying new foods, traveling, hiking, and anything that deals with water including swimming, boating, and paddle boarding. College Basketball (March Madness!) is my favorite! I can’t wait for a great year at Moulton!

Mel began her teaching career while in high school by working in an early childhood center as a teacher’s assistant. She then pursued her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University in Nebraska. Since graduating in 2010 she has taught preschool in Davenport, Iowa, 1st Grade in Fremont, California and Reno, Nevada, and Kindergarten in Tacoma, Washington. She joined the Moulton staff in the Fall of 2020. In her free time she loves to spend time with her son doing anything outside!

I am married to Randy Perrigo and he works for Sysco Food Service in Ankeny.  We have one Son,  his name is David and he is a Associate Principle at Valley High School.  Our daughter in-law Leslie is an Instructional Coach at Maple Grove Elementary in Waukee. The joys of my life are my Grandson Nelsen (5) and Granddaughter Jocelyn Perrigo (2.5). I enjoy scrap booking, ISU Athletics, and time with family and friends.

It seems just like yesterday that I was hired at my first teaching position as a fourth grade teacher. That was in 1990 at Central City School District in Central City, Iowa. As a young professional teacher, I wanted to make a difference every day that I would teach. Fast forward 20+ years, teaching first grade, second grade, coaching volleyball and track, switching school districts, teaching literacy and mathematics, preschool, sixth grade, fifth grade and now first grade, I still believe I touch the future every day I teach.

I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls with an elementary education degree and a coaching endorsement. I went back in 2006 to Grandview College to receive my reading endorsement. When my family and I moved to the Des Moines area, I sought a school that follows an extended calendar. The search lead me to Moulton Extended Learning Center in 1999 and helped me expand my learning and teaching to the present. I enjoy every day I can come to school to teach someone, learn something, and have fun.

I enjoy teaching because every day brings something new and I appreciate that challenge. My favorite part of teaching is seeing the smiles on children’s faces when they succeed at something they have been working hard at. I graduated from Iowa State University in 2004 with a degree in Elementary Education. I also have endorsements in Reading, English/Language Arts and Coaching.

I grew up in the Des Moines area and I’m proud to be teaching for DMPS! I first graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Sociology Degree and then realized my true passion was in teaching. While working and taking evening classes, I earned my Elementary Education Degree and later a Master’s Degree from Upper Iowa University. I previously taught 3rd grade at Capitol View elementary, and then in 2019 I started teaching at Moulton. Outside of school I love biking, hiking, and spending time with my family. I look forward to another great year at Moulton!

I was born and raised in Spirit Lake, Iowa until I graduated high school. I moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa where I attended college and played basketball for the University of Northern Iowa. I graduated college with a degree in Exercise Science. I wanted to be a sports strength and conditioning coach for a college when I graduated but basketball took me down a different path. I moved overseas to England to play professional basketball for the Leiseter Riders. While living in England, I also attended Loughborough University where I recieved a masters certificate in Business Mangagement and Marketing with the hopes of one day opening up my own gym. After a year, I had a career ending injury playing basketball and returned home to the United States. I moved back home to Spirit Lake where I began coaching basketball. I also started helping out in a kindergarten classroom as an associate. My job as an teacher’s associate sparked my love for teaching. I have always loved kids and learning but never realized I wanted to be a teacher. After a year, I moved to Des Moines to live with my sister and attend graduate school at Drake University. I graduated with a Masters of Science in Teaching with a reading endorsement. I student taught at Moulton and ended up starting my teaching career as a 1st grade teacher at Moulton! I enjoy watching and helping students grow as readers and learners! When I am not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband and daughter!

My name is Chelsea Slater and I am the Preschool Teacher at Moulton. I began teaching at Moulton in 2019. Previously, I have taught both Early Childhood Special Education and UPK at different schools. I graduated from UNI in 2009 with degrees in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. While teaching, I attended Viterbo University and graduated with my Masters Degree in Education in 2013. I really enjoy teaching preschool because of the joy the students have. They are excited about learning and have fun while they do it.

I graduated from Iowa State University with an Elementary Education Degree. I’ve worked in a couple of smaller districts before coming to Des Moines. I got a Master’s Degree in Library Studies from The University of Northern Iowa in 2012 and an endorsement in Computer Science in 2019. I came to Moulton in 2019. I’m so glad I did!

I grew up in Nebraska and my family moved to Des Moines, Iowa while I was in high school. I graduated from Southeast Polk High School in 2006. I went on to attend Grand View University, GO VIKINGS! I graduated from GVU in 2012 with a BA in Elementary Education with an endorsement in math. In 2014, I returned to GVU and received my reading endorsement.

I started at Moulton in October of 2014 as an interventionist. This will be my first full year at Moulton and my first year teaching 3rd grade and I could not be more excited! When I am not teaching I like to read books, play with my dogs, and spend time with my family!

I love teaching.

I love my students.

I graduated from Iowa State University in 2019 with my degree in Elementary Education. I started teaching 5th grade at Moulton in 2020. I believe the work we are doing here is purposeful and I feel very fortunate to be able to work with this amazing team. I live in the city of Des Moines with my wife and our son. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors, and reading.

My name is Abigail Thoman and I have had the privilege of working with children my entire life. I have enjoyed teaching many subjects and grade levels in my 15+ years of teaching. One of my favorite grades is 3rd grade. After teaching a year at Harding Middle School and loving the kiddos there, I had the excitement and opportunity to come to Moulton.

Hello! My name is Ms. Thornton, and I have taught in DMPS since 2015. I’ve known since high school that I wanted to be a teacher, and I pursued that dream at Northwestern College. I graduated in 2013 with a degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in K-12 Special Education. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, flowers, and roller skating around Des Moines!

I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2011 and began working in Des Moines Public Schools in 2012! I have always wanted to be a teacher and work with children and I have had many amazing influences along the way. I graduated from Drake in 2017 with my masters in culturally responsive curriculum and leadership, and I am currently back at Drake working on my Educational Leadership degree. I have been at Moulton as an interventionist since 2018.

I graduated with honors and in the top 2% from Iowa State University in 2004 with a B.S. in Elementary Education and a social studies endorsement. I then completed my reading endorsement in the summer of 2004 at Upper Iowa University. I have worked at Moulton Extended Learning Center since the fall of 2004 in various capacities, such as a reading interventionist, teacher of Second Chance Reading, middle school literacy leader, classroom teacher, and SILT member. I currently teach 5th grade at Moulton.  I live in Pleasant Hill with my wife, Liberty, and two of my children, Masio and Serenity.  We have another daughter, Kelsey, who has blessed us with a grandson, Dash.

My name is Kenya Williams and I currently teach 2nd grade. I am originally from south Florida but graduated from Drake University in 2019 with a degree in Elementary education. I am working on getting my masters degree through Drake University to further my education. I love working at Moulton and can’t wait to spend many more years here. When I am not teaching, I enjoy running, cooking, and being outdoors!