5th Grade
Staja Schreck
5th Grade
P: 515-242-8409 | E: staja.schreck@dmschools.org
Biography
Welcome to 4th Grade! I am excited to start my 20th year in teaching with the Des Moines Public Schools. I celebrated 25 years of marriage with my husband Allan. We have three children Megan, Austin and Mason. I have taught Spanish in 6th – 8th grade at Harding and Brody. I also have taught in 1st grade, 5th grade and now have been in 4th grade for four years. I graduated with two majors for my Bachelor of Arts degree from Simpson College in Elementary Education and Spanish. I have endorsements in Early Childhood, Reading and K-12 Spanish. I also hold a Masters of Education degree. I love to travel, go camping, sing, read, swim, and go for early morning walks.
Courtney Starbuck
5th Grade
P: 515-242-8409 | E: courtney.starbuck@dmschools.org
Biography
@MsStarbuckDMPS
This is my 18th year teaching and my second year as a 5th grade teacher. I have my bachelors degree from the University of Iowa. My daughter is 5 years old and starting Kindergarten this year.
Jennifer Sutherland-Keuning
5th Grade
P: 515-242-8409 |
Biography
Hello, I am Jennifer Keuning and I am a 5th grade teacher at South Union. I am an Iowa native and have spent the last 15 years on an adventure, living all over the United States. I received my bachelor's in Human Services Counseling at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. It was there where I began to develop a passion for working with children and families. As a result, I became intrigued with the field of education and how people learn, thus I became a teacher. I obtained my masters of science in teaching from Drake University in Des Moines and met my husband, Drew, while working on my degree. We have two daughters named Addelyne and Ainsley. We also have two golden retrievers named Maggie and Sweetie.
Traci Welker
5th Grade
P: 515-242-8409 | E: traci.welker@dmschools.org
Biography
My name is Traci Welker and I am very excited to begin another year in 5th grade! I was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. I graduated from Upper Iowa University in the spring of 2012 with my Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. I also have my reading and language arts endorsements. I started teaching at South Union in the fall of 2012. While at South Union I have taught Kindergarten, 1st and 5th grade. I am currently attending Drake University while I work towards my Master’s degree in science education and an endorsement in STEM. I have a passion for teaching and making a difference in children’s lives. I recently got engaged and am planning a June 2017 wedding. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my friends and family especially my niece and nephew. I enjoy going to movies, reading, swimming and anything fun that I can do outdoors.