Eight teachers have joined the staff at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn for the 2023-24 school year. Following is some introductory information supplied by the new staff members.
ANGELA BERG is the new high school business teacher. Her B.A. in Business and Marketing was earned at Iowa State University, and her M.B.A. at Drake University. She was attracted to HMS because it’s “a forward-thinking school.”
Berg grew up in Waukee. She and her husband live in Spirit Lake. In her spare time, Berg loves to garden, cook and entertain. She has a one-year-old yellow lab retriever, Buster, who loves to go on ATV rides. She and her husband enjoy traveling and being with family and friends.
“I’m so excited to teach business, as it ignites my passion for helping kids to find their calling,” said Berg. “I’m able to take my two decades of successful business career and relate it to the school curriculum. I’m grateful to be part of this team.”
BETH LETIEN is the new 7/8 grade math teacher. She graduated from Iowa State University in 2015 and lives in Royal with her daughter and poodle mix, Scarlet. Letien grew up in Des Moines, but her high school years were spent in northwest Iowa. She is a 2010 graduate of Emmetsburg High School.
Letien says she is looking forward to meeting her students. “I absolutely love teaching middle schoolers,” she shared. “They’re hilarious!” The new math teacher enjoys spending time with her daughter and other family, reading books and listening to true crime podcasts in her free time.
McKENNA MASSMANN is the new 5/6 grade social studies teacher at HMS. She is a graduate of the University of South Dakota, obtaining a degree in Secondary Education History in 2023. “I have always loved history and decided to find a way to make a career out of it,” revealed Massmann. “That’s when I found the education pathway at my university and fell in love with teaching.”
Although she grew up in the Ozarks of Missouri, Massmann moved to Iowa her senior year of high school, and then attended college in South Dakota. She admitted her excitement to share the world of social studies with her students and share information from the past and present. “I am also looking forward to seeing my students grow and expanding their knowledge,” she added.
Massmann enjoys spending her free time learning more about history, from reading biographies to watching documentaries to visiting museums.
KIRSTIN MOERMOND is HMS Elementary’s new first grade teacher. She is a 2020 graduate of South O’Brien High School and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Northwest Missouri State University in 2023. The first-time teacher grew up in Primghar and has three younger brothers. A recent bride, she and her husband are living in Sutherland.
What Moermond is looking forward to is growing relationships with students, their families and staff at H-M-S. She states, “Everyone I have met so far has been so awesome to talk to and work with, so I am so grateful to be joining such an awesome school.”
In her free time, Moermond loves to bake, go on walks, and spend time with family and friends.
LIBBY MWALE is the new high school math teacher. She graduated from Dordt University in 2023, receiving a degree in Secondary Mathematics Education with endorsements in Middle School Mathematics, Middle School Science and Coaching.
Originally from Omaha, Mwale attended Elkhorn High School, where she was active in several activities as well as her church youth group. She and her husband, Julius were just recently married and the couple lives in Sheldon. She has one older brother.
Mwale is happy be at HMS for her first year in the classroom and is eager to share her love of math with her students. “The amount of mathematics that surrounds our lives is immense and I want to help my students understand and appreciate all that mathematics has to offer,” she remarked. “I am also looking forward to building great relationships with my students, parents, other teachers, administrators, and the HMS community.”
When not in the classroom, Mwale enjoys baking, watching movies and TV shows, and spending time with her family and friends. If the weather is nice, she also likes taking walks and listening to some good music or podcasts.
ROSE RANKIN assumes her role as one of the new 5/6 grade instructional strategists. She is a 2023 graduate of Dordt University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and endorsements in Reading and Special Education. Rankin and her two siblings grew up in Birmingham, located in the southeastern corner of Iowa.
Eager to meet the HMS community over the coming weeks and months, Rankin says, “I am looking forward to working with amazing coworkers, as well as getting to know my wonderful students and their families.” Rankin likes going for walks, baking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends in her free time.
JULIA STORM is the new high school social studies teacher and will also serve as the assistant varsity track coach. Graduating from George-Little Rock High School with the Class of 2019, she just this year obtained her Social Sciences degree from the University of Northern Iowa. In college, she served as the head coach for Iowa Elite Volleyball and was also a freshman volleyball coach at Waterloo East.
Storm admitted her excitement to be a part of the HMS community. “I can’t wait to learn and grow as a teacher everyday in a school that is absolutely phenomenal,” she said. “I can’t wait to be a part of this awesome school district!”
Storm, who has three siblings, enjoys reading, listening to Taylor Swift, watching shows and movies, online shopping, and spending time with her family, friends, and cat.
CARLY WARD is the other new 5/6 instructional strategist. She grew up in Sanborn and in the HMS Community School District, graduating in 2017. She later completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Mary Lou Fulton Teacher’s College at Arizona State University in Phoenix.
Ward is excited to be back home. “I am looking forward to building a great working relationship with the other teachers in the building to best serve our students,” she shared. “I am also looking forward to attending performances by students involved in the arts, and supporting our sports teams.”
Ward met her husband, James, in Arizona. They have two children with another on the way. When she’s not working, Ward enjoys resting with her family and taking time to reset her brain. She also loves to cook, bake, craft and do DIY home projects.