Hello Jefferson Elementary Families! My name is Leslie Bechen and this is my 3rd year at Jefferson Elementary as the Success Case Manager.  I was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa and I graduated from Simpson College.  In my free time, you can find me cheering on my  children in their various sporting activities.

The Success Program is here to work with students and families who need support in the areas of behavior, attendance and education. I can assist with referrals for basic needs, housing, parenting skills and mental health.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me.

You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.   -Christopher Robin

My name is Rhonda Davis and I am a Special Ed Associate at Jefferson. I have been at Jefferson for 14 years, I have had several job titles during that time, Special Education is my love! I have a husband Bill, and three children who have been students at Jefferson. Go Jets!!

Hello ,my name is Amy Levang. I have worked for DMPS for 17 tears as a Special Education Associate. I live on the southside with my husband Jason and our spoiled corgi Addison. We have two sons, Jake and Sam, who both attended Jefferson. I enjoy spending time with my family , reading and shopping. Go Jets!!

My name is Kathy Metelman and I am so excited to be the ELL teacher at Jefferson School this year. I graduated from the University of Iowa with a B. A. degree in elementary education and with a M. A. degree in TESOL from University of Northern Iowa. I live in West Des Moines with my husband and our daughter lives in Portland, Oregon. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and my friends, reading, exercising, and walking on trails. I am so excited to be a part of the Jefferson family and really looking forward to working with the Multilingual Learners!!!

My name is Joey Phelps and I started at Jefferson during the 21-22 school year. I received my B.S. in Biology from Iowa State University in 2018 and worked in public health before working for DMPS. I spend most of my free time with my partner and our elementary age daughter. We enjoy spending time in nature and reading lots of books.

Hello Jefferson Families! I am Stacy Satterstrom and this is my 7th year in Des Moines working as a Speech-Language Pathologist with DMPS. I currently work with children 3-years old through 8th grade at schools on the southside of Des Moines. Prior to moving to Des Moines, I was a school-based SLP in the Chicago area for 10 years. I am a graduate of Marquette University (B.S. speech pathology and audiology ’05) and Southern Illinois University (M.S. speech-language pathology ’07).

When away from school, I love spending my time with my husband and our 3 young daughters, who keep us pretty busy! We enjoy riding our bikes on the DM trails, playing softball, attending concerts and sporting events, traveling to new places, and making memories with our extended families and friends. Looking forward to working with the wonderful families at Jefferson this year! 

David Steinke serves as the 5^th grade Band Director on the South Side of Des Moines since 2017.  Mr. Steinke has served as an Instrumental Music Educator in Des Moines teaching primarily Band since 2008.  Mr. Steinke is also the Percussion Instructor for the Lincoln High School Marching Band & provides Percussion support for the 5^th though 12^th grade Band programs throughout the year.

Mr. Steinke graduated from Iowa State University twice with a Bachelors of Visual Fine Arts in 2000 and a Bachelors in Music Education in 2007.  He received his Master’s in Educational Technology from Full Sail University in 2011. Outside of the School year, Mr. Steinke has worked as a percussion clinician for the DMPS Summer Middle School Band Camp & Cyclone Percussion Academy at Iowa State University.

Mr. Steinke is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, the Iowa Band Masters Association, the South Central Iowa Band Masters Association, and Alumni of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps.  He is a co-founder of ConcertCraft Publications, specializing in chamber music for percussion and custom arranging for Marching Band.

Hello! My name is Abbey Vitosh. I am the Special Education Consultant! I grew up in Iowa City as an Iowa State fan and moved back to Ames for College. I completed my undergraduate degree at Iowa State and my Master degree at Morningside University. In my free time I like to be with my family/friends, spend time outside boating, hiking, and sitting by a fire, working out, and cheering on Cyclone athletics and the Chicago Cubs. Previously I worked as a Special Education teacher in the elementary setting. I have taught a variety of levels and grade spans within the district.

Hello! My name is Michelle Volquardsen and I am the Advanced Learning Program Consultant. I have been working in Des Moines Public Schools for 10 years. I taught 6^th and 8^th grade science at Hoyt Middle School for 6 years. During that time, I earned my masters from Drake University in Culturally Responsive Leadership. I also worked toward my endorsement in Gifted & Talented at Drake. That endorsement allowed me to pursue my current position in the Advanced Learning Program. Outside of school, I love to spend time with my family, go on walks, and learn new things. I have two toddler girls that keep my husband and I very busy!

Hi my name is Madison Wilcut . I have been with DMPS for a little over 12 years now . I worked at Metro Kids as the Assistant Enrichment Leader for only one month shy of 10 years then joined my work family upstairs a couple years ago as a Special Education Associate. Which by the way I am loving it ! When I am not at work you can find me curled up in a corner reading, coloring, or shopping at Marshall’s .

Hello, my name is Grace Wolgamuth and this is my first year in DMPS. I graduated from Grand View University in 2021 and fell in love with books and libraries. I am so excited to be a Jet and to be a part of the great community that we have here! My goal is to encourage children to read, and help them expand their knowledge from the classroom into the library with the great selection of books that Jefferson has to offer! I love to kayak, hike, go to local sporting events, and spend time with my friends and family. OH, and of course I love to read!

My name is Giovanna Zavell and I am your Community School Coordinator! I split my time between Jefferson and Wright Elementary Schools. I am excited to begin a full school year and support our students, families and staff. I am originally from Chicago and graduated from Drake University (Go Bulldogs!) in 2018 with degrees in Magazine Journalism and English. Outside of work, I enjoy taking long walks, reading and spending time with my friends. I hope to meet all of you this school year and continue to grow our Jefferson Jets community!