Back Row (L to R): Michelle Klein, Heather Nolting, Barbara Glasener, Whitney Ott-Zuzich, Ryan Andreassen, & Trela Rottinghaus
Front Row: Dean Youngblut, Samantha Thornton, Sara Harrold, Megan Schultz, & Jennifer Dillon

Connector Teachers

Specialist Teachers

Michelle Klein is in her 31st year of education. She has taught for 28 years at the middle school level and has spent 8 of her last 11 years in the Jesup Community School District as one of the middle school special education teachers. She is currently in her 3rd year as a Connector Teacher. Also, she is the high school girls’ golf coach. Michelle has a Bachelor's degree from Central College University in Pella, Iowa. She and her family live in Jesup where both children have graduated from Jesup High School. Michelle Is looking forward to the challenge of her position this year and working with teachers district-wide.

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Samantha Thornton is in her eighth year at Jesup Community School District. Serving in her third year in the Connector Teacher role, Samantha will also be adding English I teacher to her resume this year. She received a Bachelor’s degree in English Education from Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota and her Gifted & Talented Endorsement from Morningside College. She is currently working on her graduate degree in Educational Leadership through University of Northern Iowa. 

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Dean Youngblut has taught for 20 years at the High School and Junior High level.  He has taught Middle School Math, General High School Math, Pre-Algebra, Consumer Math, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Statistics, and Precalculus.  He has been teaching in the Jesup Community School District for five years.  Dean has a Bachelor’s Degree from UNI in 7-12 Mathematics Education and a Master’s Degree from Drake University in Educational Leadership.  Dean graduated from Jesup High School in 1998 and has two children attending Jesup Schools at this time.  

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Elementary Focus:
​Common Formative Assessments

Megan Smith is in her 7th year of teaching at Jesup. She is currently teaching second grade and prior to that taught kindergarten. Megan earned her BA from the University of Northern Iowa with endorsements in literacy and math. In 2016, she earned her MA from Viterbo University. Megan recently moved to Jesup with her husband, Sean, and her daughter, Elsie. In her spare time, Megan enjoys going on bike rides and walks with her family. She is looking forward to getting more involved with different members of the Jesup staff and finding ways to continue to promote teacher collaboration.

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Ryan Andreassen is in his 4th year of teaching. Enjoys the challenges and many rewards that go with teaching and learning along side 3rd grade students. Ryan earned his BA in Elementary Education with emphasis in Special Education, and is currently pursuing his masters degree. He is looking forward working shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesup’s top-notch teaching and support staff to help to continue to make Jesup Schools the best place for every learner. ​

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Cyndi Nuehring is in her 14th year of teaching.  She has taught Title I/Reading Recovery and 3rd Grade at Central City for eight years and currently is teaching K-3rd at Perry #1.  Cyndi earned her BA for Elementary and Middle School from UNI and a reading endorsement from Drake University. She lives outside of Jesup with her husband, Keith, and 4 children.  Karsten, Carmen, and Kohl all attend Jesup and Kyle will soon. She is excited to be more involved in the TLC program and helping others become more involved also.

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Middle School Focus:
​Assessment & SBG Instruction

This is year 22 in the classroom for Trela Rottinghaus, her fifth at Jesup. She’s voluntarily taught middle school English for 20 years (though she loved teaching high school - and Shakespeare - too).  She added Talented and Gifted classes and an Instructional Coach position to the mix a little under ten years ago just in case middle schoolers ever got boring (they haven’t). She received her BA in English Literature and Secondary Education from Loras College, an MA in Education from Viterbo University, and a Talented and Gifted endorsement from UNI.

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Gina Feldt is in her eleventh year of teaching. She has taught 4th through 8th grades in Sioux Rapids, IA, Germany, Georgia, Colorado, Louisiana, and now back in Iowa. At Jesup Community School, she has taught 5th and 6th grade Science and is currently teaching 5th grade Math and 6th grade Language Arts. Gina received her B.A. in Elementary Education with endorsements in Math, Reading, and Language Arts from the University of Northern Iowa. In her free time, Gina enjoys coaching, traveling, and spending time with her puppies. She is excited to work with the Middle School staff as we move forward in the ever developing world of education.

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High School Focus:
​Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW)

Barbara Glasener in her 30 something-th year of teaching; her 26th year at Jesup. She enjoys the challenges of technology -- most days. One of the rewards of working with a broad range of ages is observing students grow as they progress toward graduation. She earned her B.A. in Communication Arts and Secondary English Education. After four years in the classroom she went back to school to earn her M.A. in Library Information Science while spending a lot of time substitute teaching in several districts. Afterwards she moved to Wisconsin where she was a district coordinator of Technology and Library Services for three years before returning to Iowa to teach at Jesup. During her time here she has worked with a team of teachers to bring the Internet to JHS through the federal Adventures in Supercomputing program. As part of that program she also started the school website. Her students developed and maintained the school website until the current incarnation. Through a contact at ISU, she helped get JHS students started with long-distance, dual credit courses over the Internet, introducing this educational option to the district before it was common.

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Jason Sullivan

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District Wide-Specialists

Whitney Ott-Zuzich is in her eleventh year of teaching middle school here at Jesup. She has taught 6th & 7th grade Literacy, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Social Studies, and 6th grade Language Arts.  Whitney received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and K-8 Social Studies from the University of Northern Iowa, and received her K-8 Reading Endorsement from Upper Iowa University. Whitney lives in Waterloo with her husband and daughter, but enjoys working in a smaller, close-knit community like Jesup. She is excited to work with our staff and help build stronger relationships among teachers.

​​Currently Learning About: Classroom Management & Zones of Regulation

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Sara Harrold is in her eleventh year of teaching.  She has taught 2nd and 5th grades at Fort Madison, Midland, and Jesup Community Schools.  At Jesup Community School, she currently teaches 5th grade Math and Social Studies.  Sara received her B.A. in Elementary Education and a Reading Endorsement from Loras College.  In her free time Sara enjoys spending time with her family, reading, attending and coaching athletics.  She is looking forward to working with different staff members throughout the year and helping to continue to make Jesup Schools great!
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​​Currently Learning About: Student Engagement 

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​​​Tim Sauer

Currently Learning About: Culture & Climate

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