Hello! I’m Miss Emma and I am so excited for an incredible year in Kindergarten! This is my second year teaching kindergarten, but my first year here at Willard Elementary!! I graduated from Iowa State University in 2020 with my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and endorsements in Reading and English/Language Arts. I was born and raised in Geneva, IL and taught back at home last year. I am so happy to be back in Iowa and can’t wait to begin my journey as a Willard Wildcat and have an amazing year in Kindergarten!
Hello and welcome to kindergarten! My name is Miss Straw and I am incredibly excited for my second year at Willard! I graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in May 2020 where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education. I grew up in Red Oak, IA and my amazing elementary teachers inspired me to teach – this is my dream career! Outside of school I love exercising, collecting plants, and spending time with my family. My favorite part about working at Willard is the relationships that are built between students, families, and staff. I am looking forward to having a wonderful year with my kindergarteners in room 103!
Hi, my name is Emily Weide and this is my 5th year teaching kindergarten at Willard! Before moving to Des Moines, I taught general education and special education preschool students. I earned my Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education degree from Iowa State University. I love working for DMPS, especially at Willard, where I have met so many amazing students and have wonderful teachers and friends to work with! When I’m not teaching, I love taking my dog on walks, hiking with my husband, photography, knitting, and crochet.
I can’t wait for another great year of kindergarten!