My name is Bonnie Ackelson and I am proud to be a Hubbell Hawk!  I am a special education associate and have been with the district for over five years.  I am very exited for this school year and look forward to supporting our students!

Hello! My name is Noah Allyn. I am a special education associate, and this is my second year at Hubbell Elementary. I’m originally from Perry, Iowa, and I went to college at Iowa State University in Ames. I now live with my girlfriend, Alyssa, in West Des Moines. We have two cats, one named Noodle and one named Cat. I have a passion for music – I love collecting records, playing drums, and going to concerts. I also have a love for TV, movies, and videogames – if I’m at home, I probably have my Switch in my hands, my cat in my lap, and a movie (or series) on my TV. I really look forward to working, growing, and learning alongside all the staff and students at Hubbell this coming year!

My name is Nicole Bahl and I am part of the Second Grade team here at Hubbell Elementary. I am originally from Iowa city, IA and came to the Des Moines area for college. I graduated from Simpson College in 2017 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and endorsements in English/Language Arts, Reading, and Spanish. While at Hubbell, I earned my Master’s degree with an English Language Learning endorsement at Drake University in 2021. I previously spent 7 years teaching 1^st grade and wanted to explore the world of 2nd!  I am constantly looking for ways to grow and learn and hope to inspire your student to do the same. Together we will make a great team to lead your learner to success 🙂  I look forward to helping them on their educational journey here at Hubbell. Go Hawks!

Hello, my name is Emily Bash and I am the Art teacher here at Hubbell Elementary. I graduated from Grand View University in 2000 with degrees in Fine Arts and K-12 Art Education. I have been teaching in Des Moines since 2001 at Meredith Middle School, Wallace and Park Avenue Elementary and now I am joining the wonderful team at Hubbell. I am so excited to share my love and knowledge of Art with your child and showcase their work on our virtual art gallery www.artsonia.com/schools/Hubbell1.

Welcome to 3rd grade!  I earned my degree in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992, and my master’s degree from Viterbo University in 2006.  I believe that learning is a lifelong, active, and exciting journey.  I am so fortunate to be able to introduce your child to the wonderful world of Hubbell!

Welcome to 5th Grade! My name is Kelsey Brown. I attended University of Northern Iowa and earned my degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in mathematics (K-8). Prior to coming to Hubbell I taught at Edmunds Elementary. I’m very excited for this school year and looking forward to teaching your child!

Heya! My name is Amber Cowling. It is my pleasure to get to work with Hubbell’s students and staff as a Special Education Associate. I love helping the students learn, grow and be creative.  I have my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from DMACC. I have 2 daughters. I started at Hubbell in the 2023-24 school year. I look forward to this coming and future years at Hubbell.

Hello! My name is Carey Dunley-Carlson. I love teaching 2nd grade! I have been with Des Moines Public Schools for 27 years- mostly teaching second grade. I was also a math trainer for the district. I planned and implemented professional development for DMPS teachers in math and worked with all grade levels. I was a supervisor for Iowa State University students for several years for math/ science methods summer school.

My undergraduate degree is from the University of Iowa in Elementary Education where I specialized in social studies and history. I have a Master’s Degree from Drake University in the Effective Teaching program

Welcome from the speech corner! It is my pleasure to work with students at Hubbell who have a variety of different communication needs. I love collaborating with teachers and the rest of the staff to make sure that our learners can participate successfully throughout their school day. Since graduating from graduate school in 2012 I have been working in the public schools as a speech language pathologist. It has been a joy to work with so many children and their families and watch them grow year to year. When I’m not working as an SLP, you can find me wrangling my young children or dogs, going for a run, or reading a good book!

Welcome to 5th grade! My name is Carrie England (formerly Neuhaus). I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a double major in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I have been teaching with Des Moines Public Schools for the past 10 years. 8 of those years were spent teaching 2nd grade at Stowe Elementary. I have really enjoyed the change to 5th grade and the move to Hubbell Elementary!

I have been teaching since 1998. I started my career with Des Moines Public Schools. I then relocated to Orlando, Florida for a few years. I returned to Des Moines in 2003 and have been teaching at Hubbell since. I have taught Kindergarten, first,and fourth grade. I am thankful to get the chance to teach in the elementary school I attended as a child. My days as a student at Hubbell were so special, and I am thankful for the chance to pass on that feeling to my students. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Grandview University in 1998, and my master’s in education from Drake in 2017.

Hello third graders and your families!    I graduated from Iowa State University (GO state!) in 1997 with a BS in Elementary Education and received my master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in English language learning from Buena Vista University.  I am excited to get to know each and every one of you as we start this third grade journey together!  Please feel free to contact me with any questions; I think the journey to being a lifelong learner starts with a great relationship between home and school.

“One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child” ~Maria Montessori

Checking in from the Hubbell Elementary library, I’m Darcy Hankenson. I have been the Librarian at Hubbell since 2014. From 2011-2014 I was a special education associate here. My own children were Hubbell Hawks. This school and this community are my home and my heart. It is my pleasure to support your Hubbell family and your reading goals.  Everyone is welcome in the Library, even the Hubbell Ghost.

Hi! My name is Shana Harder. I am so excited to be the school nurse! Both of my kids are Hubbell Hawks and I enjoy living in the neighborhood. I look forward to supporting your student’s health and wellness, so they are ready to learn as much as they can here at Hubbell! When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, hiking, and traveling with my husband and 2 boys.

My name is Meredith Hegwein and I am on the first-grade team at Hubbell Elementary.  This will be my 16^th year teaching in Des Moines.  I’ve taught first grade, second grade and been an instructional coach.  I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2006 with a BA in Education and a minor in dance.  I received my Masters in Culturally Responsive Leadership and Instruction from Drake University in 2017.  I live in Johnston with my husband and two children, Lily and Phillip.  I love spending time outside, reading, and attending Lily and Phillip’s sporting events and activities.  I am very excited to be part of the Hubbell Hawks!

Hi, my name is Jenelle Jensen and I am an Instructional Strategist at Hubbell Elementary.   I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa.  I look forward to a school year full of inclusion, learning, understanding and patience.

My name is Kellie Johnson and I’m thrilled to be a building sub at Hubbell this year. Child focused teaching and leadership has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. Most of my career has been as a preschool director. This shift allows me the opportunity to focus all of my attention on the children, which I love! I already know many of the students at Hubbell from subbing, primarily in PE last year, and I can’t wait to see them every day this year. My interests include music, art, travel,  and kayaking, especially when those activities include my family. Here’s to a fantastic year of learning and growing together!

” My name is Merlin Joya-Gomez. I attended Drake University and obtained my degree in Elementary Education with endorsements in Spanish (K-8) and English as a Second Language (K-12). This is my first year as a substitute teacher and am looking forward to growing and learning. I am excited to build relationships with students and getting to spend time teaching them!” 

My name is Azra Kadic and I am a product of DMPS. I am happy to be back in DMPS as an educator. I started my teaching career at Meredith Middle School as a math teacher for six years and excited to continue my career at Hubbell Elementary.

I graduated from Iowa State University in 2011 with a Double Major in Speech Communications and Communication Studies.  I then went back to school and graduated from the University of Dubuque with my degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in K-6 Reading.  I started working for Des Moines Public Schools in 2017 as a substitute teacher and have enjoyed working in the Des Moines district ever since.  I’m very excited to be a part of your child’s development and look forward to working with you as a team to ensure your child’s success!

My name is Jean Maurer and I am the SUCCESS Case Manager at Hubbell Elementary. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2007 and have been with Des Moines Public School as a SUCCESS Case Manager since 2012. I am proud to be part of the Hubbell community and feel fortunate to be able to work along such an amazing staff, students and their families.

 
Hello, my name is Shay Maxwell and I am the School Counselor here at Hubbell Elementary. I graduated from Iowa State University with degrees in Psychology and Adult, Child, and Family Studies. I then attended Drake University where I received my master’s degree in School Counseling. I have been the counselor in Des Moines since 2017 at Hubbell Elementary and previously I worked at another district. I enjoy being able to build relationships with students and families.

Hello! My name is Michelle McClure and I am a resource teacher at Hubbell. Before becoming a resource teacher I have been a Behavior Strategist, STEM teacher, Interventionist, Kindergarten teacher, and self-contained Special Education teacher. I live in Norwalk with my husband, Alex and three kids; Rylee (9), Mason (7) & MaKenzie (2). I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family and watching my kiddos at their various sporting events. I am very excited to be a part of the Hubbell Hawks!

My name is Natalie Muth, and this is my 20^th year as a school psychologist.  I spent the first 3 years of my career with DMPS. I then moved to Idaho, where I spent 2 years working as a dual counselor and psychologist at a middle school.  Once my twins were born, I started working just part-time as a school psychologist.  Upon, moving back to Iowa, I took a few years off and then was super excited to return to DMPS, where I’ve currently been part-time now for 6 years. In my years combined I’ve served over 12 DMPS buildings and am excited to add Hubbell to my list!  Although I love working with children of all ages, I’m particularly pulled by the heart stings of the elementary aged students.  Special interests of mine include mental health care, psychotropic medication management, cross-battery assessment, and trauma informed practices.  Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband, 12-year-old twins, and my 8-year-old daughter.  Also, in my free time, I enjoy CrossFit, books, puzzles, and devotions.

Hello and welcome to Kindergarten! This is an exciting time in your child’s life, and I am excited to be a part of it! I graduated from Upper Iowa University with my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a reading endorsement in 2011. That same year, I took my first teaching job with Des Moines as a first-grade teacher and continued my learning by attaining my ESL endorsement. The following year I started teaching Kindergarten and working on my Masters. Even though I completed my Masters in 2015, I am still teaching Kindergarten and just LOVE it! This is my calling! In addition to teaching, I am married with 3 children and several pets! My family and I love animals and being outdoors. Some of our favorite activities to do together include camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, and traveling!

Since graduating from the University of Northern Iowa in 2003, I have spent my teaching years here at Hubbell in a variety of roles. I started my Hubbell journey teaching special education and taught 2nd grade for a few years before leaving the classroom to work with teachers as the IB coordinator for our building. I loved working with all of the amazing Hubbell teachers, but after 5 years in this role was very excited to return to the classroom and got to spend the days with our youngest learners teaching kindergarten. Those littles kept me very busy for the last 6 years! Returning to 2nd grade (and to the exact room I taught in before!) feels like the perfect next step in my teaching career. I love teaching second graders – their sense of humor and wonderful questions keep me on my toes!

When I am not at school, you can usually find me at some type of sporting event. Between my 3 children, they are on teams for basketball, wrestling, football, softball, baseball, and volleyball! We live in the Roosevelt neighborhood and my kids have all attended Hubbell. We love being a part of the community!

My name is Stacy Pedretti and I am part of the Kindergarten team at Hubbell. Kindergarten is such a wonderful time in your child’s life, and I am so excited to help them find the joy in learning throughout this exciting year. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2007 with a degree in Public Relations. I began working for Des Moines Public Schools in 2021 as a substitute teacher. During this time, I went back to school and earned my degree in Elementary Education. I am married to my husband Eric, and we have two daughters, Lillian and Caroline. When I am not teaching, you will find me cheering on my girls at their various activities. My family and I live in the Roosevelt neighborhood and we are proud to be a part of the community.

I work with students, parents, and teachers to help smooth out the bumps in the road that sometimes come up during the elementary years.

I was born and raised on the south side of Des Moines where I graduated from Lincoln High School.  Go Rails!  From there I went to DMACC and UNI.  I have been with DMPS since 1998, and have taught middle school special education, 5^th grade, second grade, and since 2013, physical education.

I have two beautiful daughters, Brooke and Bailey, who are in their 20’s and out on their own.  On weekends and school breaks I love to go camping and kayaking.

I love being a Hubbell Hawk!

I am a graduate of the University of Iowa with a BA in Art and Art History, and a K12 certification in Art Education.  I officially joined the Hubbell team in 2017, but have been a Hubbell mom since 2009.  In my position as a Special Education Associate, I assist students who need extra help learning, focusing, and/or meeting behavior expectations.

I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1999 with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Social Studies, with endorsements in Reading and Drivers and Safety Education. I also received my Master’s degree in Educational Technology. I began teaching with the Des Moines Public Schools in 1999, and  have been teaching at Hubbell Elementary since 2007. Previously I have  taught, 4/5 combination class and 2nd grade at Edmunds Academy, and 3rd grade at Wallace Elementary. I am looking forward to working as a team to ensure the success of your child.

My name is Jen Walker and I am the Community Schools Coordinator.  I support families at both Hubbell and Greenwood Elementary.  I love that my role allows me the opportunity to build relationships with students, families, and within the community. My role allows me to help provide students and their families with the tools they need to pursue their goals and to thrive.

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and watching basketball.

Families may reach me by email, or by calling or texting 515-612-6566.

Hey there!! My name is Sydney West, I work as a Special Education Associate, and I’m so excited to be helping the kids’ minds grow this year!!  Some little facts about myself: I have a cat named Malcom, who is my absolute favorite, I love reading and painting, and my favorite color is pink! I started at Hubbell in 2023 and am so happy to be here still. I look forward to helping students learn and become better versions of themselves. Go Hubbell Hawks!!

Welcome to 3^rd Grade! My name is Chalissa Wilson. I attended the University of Northern Iowa and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish. I later attended Drake University and earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. I’m looking forward to a fun, learning-filled year!

My name is Rosa Zamora, I attended University Vasco de Quiroga in my country of origin, Mexico, where I earned my degree in marketing and also a master’s degree in administration. I have worked for years with children, that’s why I feel so happy and grateful to be starting this project as a special education associate in Hubbell, it makes me excited about the learning that the children can provide for me and I for them.