Carrie Bennett
Instructional Coach
Whitney Cavanah
Talented and Gifted Teacher
Education
· Viterbo University, West Des Moines Campus- PK-12 Administrator & Evaluator License, Gifted and Talented Endorsement
· Framingham State College, Framingham, MA- Master’s of Education in international Education
· University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA- Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in math
Teaching Experience
· Dean of Students
· TLC Instructional Coach
· Induction Coach for Beginning Teachers
· Math Coach/Leader
· Classroom Teacher K-5
Family/Hobbies
My husband, Mark, and I have two boys ages 23 and 27. Our oldest attends Purdue University in Indiana and our youngest attends Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
As a family we enjoy gardening, traveling, and learning about people and places around the world. My most recent travels took me to Montana. This is a state I have wanted to visit for a very long time. I loved the beautiful trees, the streams and sunrises!
I am excited to work with staff and students at River Woods as we Think, Learn, and Grow together.
Education:
Luther College: Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in reading.
Teaching experience:
First year teacher this year at River Woods
Hobbies:
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends when I am not at school.
Education:
- Upper Iowa University – Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and K-8 Reading endorsement
Teaching Experience:
- 3rd Grade – 2017 to 2019
- 1st Grade – 2019 to present
Family/Hobbies:
I love spending time with my family, watching movies and cheering on the Nebraska Huskers and Las Vegas Raiders.
Education
- University of Iowa- Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with an endorsement in Education K-6, Social Studies, and Language Arts
Teaching Experience
- I started out working in the insurance industry as an account manager for small businesses. I missed kids and the creativity that comes with working with children, so I went back to school to get my teaching endorsement. I have been teaching now for 21 years. The first three years I taught in Houston, TX at Aldine ISD. The school was enormous. It had 10 first grade classrooms and an additional 4 bilingual classrooms. (Yes, that’s just the first grade in a k-5 school!) Des Moines offered me a job as a title and Reading Recovery teacher at Lucas, so I decided to move back to Iowa to be closer to family and the chance to enjoy 4 seasons again. After 3 years as a Reading Recovery teacher, I was chosen to be one of the first literacy leaders in the district. I worked as a literacy leader/coach for 8-9 years at several schools around the district. I missed the classroom and working directly with children all day, so I put in for a transfer to River Woods and have been here ever since serving as an intervention teacher and then 2nd grade classroom teacher.
Family/Hobbies
- I have 2 step-children and two furry children. I love spending time with my family and friends. I am active in my church, an avid sports fan (Go Hawkeyes!!) and I enjoy reading, cooking and primitive rug hooking.
Bridget King
Academic Interventionist
Education:
- University of Iowa- Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a Reading Endorsement
Teaching Experience:
- Title Reading and Math at River Woods Elementary
- 1st Grade at River Woods Elementary
Hobbies:
- I enjoy spending time with family and friends when I’m not at school. My husband and I enjoy riding bikes, doing home improvement projects, and traveling. I also enjoy reading, doing craft projects, and going for walks with friends.