Preschool Staff Bios

Mary Jean Annexstad – Preprimary Teacher

Education and Training

  • B.S. Elementary Education – Creighton University, Omaha, NE
  • M.S. Masters in Education – Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
  • Preprimary certification – MMTTC Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center, Chicago, IL
  • Infant Toddler Certification – MECA SEATON training center, Chicago, IL
  • Early Childhood Certification – Upper Iowa University DM
  • Level One Sailing Instructor – US SAILING. INC

Karlette Brannon – Preprimary Teacher

Education and Training

  • BA-Univ. of Central Oklahoma
  • MEd-Oklahoma City University
  • Three-six certification-American Montessori Society-1979

Teaching Experience 1980-2012

  • Westminster School, Oklahoma City
  • Sayre Montessori, WDM
  • Cowles Montessori, DM

Nan Kloberdanz – Preprimary Teacher 

My name is Nan Kloberdanz, I have been a Preprimary Teacher at Cowles Montessori for approximately 14 years.  I have a Master’s Degree in Physical Education and taught Elementary Physical Education in the North Kansas City School District before moving with my family to West Des Moines, Ia.

I attended Drake University and received my Endorsement in Elementary Education and my Approval in Reading.  I went through the process of becoming a certified trained Montessori Pre-preprimary Teacher; I also received my Approval in Early Childhood Education from Upper Iowa. I feel so lucky to be a Montessori Teacher in the Des Moines School District, it truly is my passion.

Kathleen Mahoney – Preprimary Teacher

Hi, I’m Kathy Mahoney I teach at the pre-k level. I have taught in Montessori classrooms for over 35 years at both the Pre-K and El levels. I’m very excited to be working at Cowles. The support from staff and families is fantastic.

Montessori Training and Education

  • Midwest Montessori Teacher’s Training Center Chicago, Ill. Pre-K certification 1973
  • Midwest Montessori Teacher’s Training Center Evanston, Ill. Elm 1 certification
  • 1993
  • Iowa Montessori Training Center Des Moines, IA El 1 and El 2 certification 2002
  • Masters in Elm Ed. Vitterbo 2003
  • BA  Double major in Language Arts and Social Sciences Upper Iowa 1985
  • Pre-school special endorsement 2008 Upper Iowa

Teaching experience

  • Montessori Children’s Center Pre-K, 1976-1993
  • Cowles Montessori El 1, 1997-2009
  • Cowles Montessori Pre-K, 2009-present

Carol Mattes – Preprimary Teacher

My name is Mrs. Mattes.  This is my 9th year teaching pre-primary at Cowles Montessori and I love it!!  I received a B.A. in Speech/Drama from Concordia Teacher’s College, Seward, NE and then my Montessori certificate from St. Catherine’s College in St. Paul, MN, in 1986.  After getting married in 1990, I chose to stay home with our 3 children.  I then received my B.S. in Elementary Education/Early Childhood at Grand  View University in 2003 and started teaching again.  I am so happy to be your child’s teacher and look forward to each day – learning and growing together!!

 

Andrea Wright - Preprimary Teacher

Originally from Pennsylvania, I graduated from Graceland University with a B.A. in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Special Education.  My very first year of teaching was spent in a self-contained, Special Education classroom of multi-age students in a small town Iowa school.  I’d done an independent study about Montessori in college, so when the opportunity presented itself, I applied for a position at Montessori Children’s House in West Des Moines.

     I taught Preschool, Kindergarten and 1st grade at Montessori Children’s House over a 21 years period.  During that time, I received my Montessori Training for the Preprimary Level (3 – 6 year olds) through the St. Nicholas Montessori Training Centre in London, England and Simpson College.  I also took some unofficial training for the Lower Elementary Level (6-9 year olds) in Minneapolis, MN.

      In the spring of 1999, I was hired by DMPS to teach at Cowles Montessori beginning that fall.   During the summer, I received my official Montessori training for Lower Elementary at the Mid-American Montessori Training Center in Omaha, Nebraska.  I taught Lower Elementary at Cowles for five years.  In the Spring of 2004, due to our growing enrollment in our preschool program, I was asked to start up a new Preprimary classroom.  Although I enjoyed teaching at the Lower Elementary level ~ the children are great and there are so many cool lessons ~ I agreed to make the move. 

     In 2007, I received my Early Childhood endorsement from Drake University.   I really appreciate, enjoy and learn from the Montessori workshops and conferences I’ve been able to attend over the years.  It is so important to keep growing and learning.  I believe my students keep me young and on my toes!   I love all the Montessori materials and activities at this level and enjoy spending my time with young children, watching them grow every day!  You never know what they are going to do, say or imagine! 

Thank you for sharing your children with me!

Caroline Olsen – School Nurse

I’m Caroline Olsen.  I’ve been the School Nurse at Cowles since 2007.  I graduated with my Practical Nursing diploma in 1983, my Medical Assistant diploma in 1987, my RN in 1994, and received my Bachelors from Grand View in August 2012.  I wouldn’t recommend that path, but it worked for me!

I have been happily married since 1983 to my husband Chris, and have two daughters, Lauren and Katy.

I have worked with children for most of my nursing career and can’t imagine doing anything else.