Hello! My name is Emily Barnett! This will be my 11th year at Callanan! This is the only school I have taught at! An interesting fact about me is I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. When I am not teaching, I enjoy being outdoors and reading! My family loves camping in a tent! I graduated from Simpson College with my undergraduate degree and have a master’s from Drake! Go Strom! Go Bulldogs! 

I have been teaching for 32 years with 23 in the Des Moines Public Schools. I am a graduate of University of Iowa.  My hometown is Cedar Rapids.  I enjoy biking, golfing and spending time with my wife of 23 years, while following my two sons in their college sporting events.  My oldest plays soccer at Central College and my youngest is a kicker on the Iowa Western football team.

My name is Sarah Bengtson, and I am an associate principal at Callanan Middle School. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa and my graduate degree from Viterbo University. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and spending time with my family. As I enter my eleventh year in education, I remain dedicated to fostering the academic, social, and emotional development of our students, ensuring they have the tools to shape their own future. I feel fortunate to be part of the Callanan community and look forward to strengthening connections with our students and families. Go Cougars!

Entering my 11th year as a teacher, I’m passionate about creating engaging learning experiences. As a twin and a proud dog mom, I cherish family time and outdoor adventures. Whether I’m at a concert soaking in the music or out on the water boating, I love making the most of life’s moments.

My name is Justin Bowers and this will be my sixth-year teaching eighth grade Early U.S. History at Callanan and my sixth year with DMPS! I am a former DMPS student myself and earned my degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s from Drake university. I enjoy getting to work with DMPS students each day and being a part of the same district I grew up in as well!

Mr. Brown-Now in my 7th year of teaching, I’m dedicated to fostering student growth both in and out of the classroom. My wife and I share our home with 3 dogs and 1 cat. I’m passionate about coaching cross country, track, and soccer, and in my free time, you’ll often find me on the golf course or watching sports.

This my 12^th year at Callanan and I currently teach 6^th grade language arts and math. I am also the advisor for Brother2Brother at Callanan, a mentoring and advocacy club that meets after school weekly.  I graduated from UNI with a degree in Secondary Education after completing 6 years in the military.

This is my 21st year teaching in Des Moines Public Schools and my 12th year at Callanan. Before transitioning to an instructional coach I taught middle school math, primarily 7th grade. I am a proud North of Grand resident and live down the street from Callanan. I graduated with my BA from Grand View University and my MA from Morningside. Outside of school I am a parent to two children and a grandparent to two.

Hello! My name is Jocelyn Digby, and I’m excited to be a 7^th grade math teacher at Callanan this year. I’m from Ames, Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University. As a first-year teacher, I’m committed to making math engaging and accessible for everyone. I look forward to having a great year of learning!

I have been teaching for 9 years with 5 at Callanan Middle School. I am a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. I am the oldest of 6 siblings, and the uncle to 13 nieces and nephews

Hello, my name is Merci Finch, and I love being part of the Des Moines Public Schools. I have the pleasure of being in the district and at Callanan middle school for three years, all teaching Science. When I’m not teaching, I enjoy long walks, movies, reading, listening to music and spending time with family. I enjoy teaching 6th grade Science; I love seeing students learn, being an active participant in in the learning process, coming to class each day to learn, focused, motivated, and enjoying the learning process.

This is my currently my second year in education, both years split between Callanan and Weeks Middle Schools. I have attended both Iowa State University and UNI. I am a father of 3 boys: 11 years old, 3 years old and 21 months old. I have been married to my smart and beautiful wife for 5 years!!!

0 years at Callanan (Hoping to start as soon as possible)

This is my 31^st year teaching instrumental music in Des Moines. I am from NWIA. Attending Drake University brought me to Des Moines. My husband and son are both band directors in the Des Moines area. My husband and I love to rescue special needs dogs. We currently have two.

This is my eighth year in public education, I have taught all grade levels K-12; including instrumental music for a year. I have also taught a few classes of business tech. In DMPS I have taught at Goodrell, Virtual Campus, and now Callanan. My goal is to give every student the opportunity to perform collaboratively with their peers

Mrs. Larson has worked at Callanan for 25 years and continues to enjoy serving her community. She is currently attending Drake University to further her post master’s education. All three of her children attended Callanan and then went on to graduate from Roosevelt. She now has 2 fifth grade grandchildren. She married her high school sweetheart, and they have now been together 40 years.

I have been a teacher with Des Moines Public Schools for 15 years. I attended University of Northern Iowa for my bachelor’s degree and Viterbo University for my master’s degree. I grew up in Ottumwa but have lived in the Des Moines area for the past 20 years. Outside of school I have one son.

My name is Mrs. Maher, and I teach 7th grade Language Arts. I’m passionate about helping students discover the joy of reading and writing! Outside of school, I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending time with my family. I’m looking forward to a fantastic year together!

I have taught for three school years as a high school science teacher. I have taught Science 9, Biology, and Anatomy and Physiology. This is my first year as a middle school science teacher. I have a master’s degree from Simpson College.

I have been married since 2007 and have three children. I like to be outside when it is not cold out. I enjoy planting flowers, fruits, and vegetables, going fishing and hunting, going on walks, and going to the park. I enjoy listening to a variety of music. From middle school through my late teens, I wanted to be a radio disc jockey for a rock station. I found an interest in medical science when I was taking classes for my associates degree

This is my 25^th year teaching in the district, and my second at Callanan. I graduated from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. I also attended Grand View and Viterbo. I am the father of seven, with ten grandchildren.

My name is Traci Nalevanko.  I am a 6^th grade Language Arts teacher at Callanan Middle School.  I have taught every grade 1^st through 8^th grade and each one is my favorite as I teach it!  I earned my Undergraduate Degree from the University of Iowa and my Masters Degree from Iowa State University. I have 2 grown children and three great grand children!

Hi! My name is Mr. Nichols. I am in my 17^th year of education. I have taught in many different content areas throughout my education career. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, our Black Lab “Ranger”, hunting and fishing, boating, working out, coaching various teams in football and wrestling, attending athletic events, and enjoying anytime that I can outdoors! I am super excited for my first year here at Callanan Middle School and to be a part of DMPS.

Hello, I’m Mr. Patterson. I’ve been teaching Global Studies at Callanan for the past 13 years. As a proud Drake alum, I’ve fallen in love with Des Moines and made it my home. My wife, our dog, and I live within the school’s boundaries, enjoying the wonderful community here. I’m excited to kick off our middle school cross country season!

Hello! My name is Bethany Pearson and I am an 8^th grade ELA teacher. This is my 14^th year in education and my third non-consecutive year as a Callanan Cougar. I have taught in Iowa, Georgia, and Texas. I have my bachelor’s in Secondary Education from Drake University, a master’s in public administration from Augusta University, and I am now completing my second year as a doctoral student with Drake University. In my spare time, I like to exercise, read, and spend time with friends and family.

This is my 22^nd year in teaching, prior to Callanan I taught at Weeks Middle School on Des Moines southside -which was also the school I attended as a teen. My first two years with DMPS were at the elementary level, after completing my college practicums at Callanan and Roosevelt. I graduated from DM Lincoln, before getting my undergraduate art degree at ISU. I have a teaching degree from Grandview, and a master’s degree from Drake- so, I’ve never really lived more than 40 miles from my hometown of DsM. I am married, and have 4 kids of my own, with only one still at home and in high school; the others are now adults and in college.

Hello!  My name is Chris Reeves and this is my 30th year of teaching.  I grew up on the South-side of Des Moines attending Granger Elementary, Weeks Middle School, and graduating from Lincoln High School.  I received my bachelor’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University and my Master’s degree from Viterbo University.  I have been an educator in DMPS since 2000.  Outside of school I enjoy taekwondo, fishing, hunting, and spending time with my family.  I am married and have 5 children and 1 granddaughter.

I have been a teacher for DMPS for 26, ALL of them at Callanan! I have co-taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade language arts and math. I enjoy our Callanan community and couldn’t imagine teaching anywhere else! I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with my bachelor’s degree. Outside of school I am married and live in West Des Moines. My wife and I enjoy traveling and trying as many new pizza places as we can find!

Hello, my name is Crystal Seeley, and I am excited to be a 6th grade science teacher this year! I have a passion for science and am excited to help students learn about the world around them! I am originally from Wisconsin, but spent four years at Iowa State University earning a degree in Horticulture. This is my eighth-year teaching science. I completed my science education program through the University of Wyoming and am currently pursuing a Masters in Education through the University of Wyoming. When I am not in the classroom, I can be found walking my crazy dog, dancing, reading, watching football, or exploring Iowa.

My name is Shawntae Smith, and this is my 10th year with Des Moines Public Schools and my second year at Callanan. When I’m not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and listening to music.

I teach 6th Grade Mathematics. I look forward to a year of academic growth, fun and engaging learning, and making math relevant to our daily lives.

My favorite quote is : “Have a good day, but if you can’t, don’t you dare go messing up nobody else’s.” – Tabitha Brown

Welcome! My name is Lindsey Steger, and I am proud to be part of our school community. I have a passion for both education and athletics, coaching volleyball, track, and soccer here at Callanan. Outside of school, I enjoy spending quality time with friends and family. I’m excited to continue fostering a supportive and dynamic environment for all my students and athletes!

My name is Mrs. Christine Vanwyhe (van-why)

I am a sixth-grade language arts and reading teacher. I am a south side Des Moines high school graduate. Go Rails! I have an elementary bachelorette degree (K-6) from Upper Iowa University. I received two endorsement in that field. One in language arts and the other is in reading. I also have a master’s degree in education from Graceland University. In addition to those degrees, I have attended over thirty credit hours of training at Heartland Area Education Agency. I have taught in Des Moines Public Schools for 28 years, 16 years in middle school and 12 in elementary. The one thing I am truly passionate about is being happy in my professional and personal life. I am an educator, but I am also only human.

This is my second year at Callanan, and third year teaching. I graduated from University of Northern Iowa.

This will be my fifth-year teaching in Des Moines Public Schools. I am passionate about reading and literacy; and truly enjoy watching students become active readers.

I live in Clive, with my husband and our three children. Much of my free time is spent watching my children participate in their sporting events: swimming, football, basketball, and cheerleading. I also have a mini-goldendoodle named Mr. Otis Bean, who is the joy of my life!

Ms. Wright is a 6th-grade Global Studies teacher with 16 years of experience as an educator in Des Moines Public Schools, where she herself was once a student. As a product of the same school system, she is deeply connected to the community and committed to supporting her students in their educational journeys. Ms. Wright is also a proud mom to Jalynn, 23, and Elijah, 21, and she shares her home with her dog, Cooper, and her cat, Neo. In her free time, she loves watching soccer, enjoying the outdoors, and meeting new people. Ms. Wright’s goal is to be a reliable coach, cheerleader, and teammate for her students in the game of life, and her dedication to their success is truly remarkable.