Creston schools welcomes new teachers

Creston Community School District is welcoming 10 new teachers to its staff, while Mayflower Heritage Christian School will be welcoming two new teachers for the 2023/24 school year.

Abbi Hood

Abbi Hood will be finishing her degree at William Penn University as she teaches kindergarten this year at the early childhood center. Last year she taught special education to first and second grade students.

In her spare time, Hood likes shopping and working out. The best teaching advice she’s been given is to never leave the school angry because of a student. “That student will not remember what they did that made you upset yesterday so forget it and move on,” Hood said. “Everyday is a new day.”

Alma Morales

After moving from Oregon, Alma Morales will be teaching second grade at the elementary school. Morales graduated from Pacific University in 2021 and taught in dual-language elementary classrooms the last two years. Outside the classroom, Morales likes to hike, shop, go to the beach, float, spend time with her dogs and having family barbecues.

Morales explained the best teaching advice she has ever been given was to remember the reason she wanted to be an educator. “I find meaning in these words because that advice is what has kept me motivated to keep going and moving forward especially in those times when I feel very stressed and overwhelmed.”

Kristen Bradley

In her 24th year of teaching, Kristen Bradley will join Creston Elementary School as a third grade teacher. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State, New York, and has taught in five states.

A big football fan, Bradley enjoys cheering on the Buffalo Bills and the Iowa State Cyclones. In her off time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and daughter. The best advice she’s received as a teacher is to build relationships with your students. “Inspire them and light a fire within them because every day matters,” Bradley said. “Stay optimistic, creative and positive.”

Amy Sheeley

With 13 years of teaching elementary students under her belt, Amy Sheeley will be helping as Title Reading staff for the elementary and middle schools.

She went to Northwest Missouri State for her bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s in reading and a specialist degree in educational leadership. During her free time, she reads and spends time with family. Sheeley said she was once told “building relationships is the key to success in the classroom.”

Cayla Maitlen

After student-teaching and substitute teaching at the Creston school district, Cayla Maitlen is heading into her first year as a teacher. She will teach fifth grade.

Maitlen graduated from Buena Vista and enjoys hanging out with friends and family. She was given the advice to make every day a new day to try again.

Jess Carter

Jess Carter started her journey in education as a paraeducator and transitioned into substitute teaching. “This is where I learned my heart belonged in the classroom,” she said. She joins CCSD as a K-8 special education teacher.

Outside of work, her interests include fitness, being outdoors and spending time with family, including her husband Jared. Carter said the best advice she received came in the form of encouragement and motivation when someone told her she was made to be an educator.

Phoenix Thompson

Phoenix Thompson started at Creston Elementary as a paraeducator and substitute teacher in February 2022. While currently enrolled at Buena Vista University, Thompson will be teaching K-8 special education this year. She said the best teaching advice she’s been given is to “just take a breath and build that connection with your students before anything else.”

Outside of school, Thompson like to travel and explore new places with her two dogs and three cats.

Garrison Carter

Garrison Carter has been teaching and coaching since 2010 for high schools around Iowa. A graduate from Simpson College and Dordt University, Carter will be teaching a middle school special education teacher. Carter’s best teaching advise was “kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

In his free time, Carter enjoys spending time with his wife Jessica and three kids, Canton, Lexton and Lawson.

Cole Crawford

Northwest Missouri State alumni Cole Crawford will be teaching middle school and high school PE and health. This will be his fourth year in education, previously working for Wayne Community School District. When it comes to teaching, Crawford was advised to “enjoy your students, be yourself and relationships matter more than anything.”

When not teaching, Crawford enjoys spending time with friends, playing golf and watching sports.

Richelle Lane

Richelle Lane will be entering Creston High School as a special education teacher. Lane was a paraeducator for five years before teaching high school special education for seven years. She said the best teaching advice she’s every received was to “build relationships and be flexible.”

In her down time, Lane enjoys cooking, lifting weights and spending time with her dog and family.

Josie Bolton

Josie Bolton is starting her first year at Mayflower Heritage Christian School with third and fourth grade. She is also an alumni of the school. “I am excited to make an impact in the lives of her students, both spiritually and academically,” she said.

Josie is married to Kaden Bolton and enjoys riding horses, art projects and spending time with her family.

Amber Wires

Amber Wires will be teaching kindergarten at Mayflower. “We are excited to have her back, as she taught first and second grade at Mayflower in 2009,” said school administrator Francine Ide.

Wires said she desires to teach children from the word of God and loves discovering new things about the world that God has made for us to enjoy.