Hi! My name is Kaitlin Clough and I am thrilled to be teaching 2nd grade at Samuelson Elementary! I grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa and then attended Iowa State University for my undergraduate degree. I also have a Masters Degree from Drake University. I taught in Marion, Iowa the first three years of my career and have been at Samuelson ever since!
My husband, Ben, and I love living in Des Moines. We have two children-Maddie and Max and a dog named Ginny. We love spending time outside, watching movies together, and visiting family and friends.
I strongly believe in DMPS’ mission, “Becoming the model for urban education in the United States” and feel proud to be an educator here. I love working with children and helping them grow emotionally and academically and am so honored to have your child in my class.
Hello! My name is Megan Davidson and this is my third year teaching here at Samuelson. I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2007, and worked in the insurance field prior to following my passion of teaching. In 2015 I earned my Masters of Science in Teaching degree from Drake University with endorsement in ELL and reading. Being a teacher has been an amazing career change for me, and I feel so fortunate to work with all of the wonderful students and staff at Samuelson.
I also recently got married in September and enjoy spending time with my husband. We both love to read, watch movies and cheer on the Iowa Hawkeyes together! Having grown up in Urbandale, I am lucky to have my parents here in town and love spending time with my family. In my free time, I also enjoy hot yoga, cooking and doing crafts.
Hi! My name is Marisa DeVito and this will be my 4th year teaching 2nd grade here at Samuelson. I graduated from Drake University in 2019 with a BSE in Elementary Education, a Reading endorsement, and a minor in Leadership Development. I am currently getting my Master’s in Culturally Relevant teaching through Drake University. I always love to find new ways to grow and educate myself alongside my students.
I believe in creating a space where students feel safe and supported and know that they are cared for every day. I want students to feel comfortable to take risks in learning, understand that mistakes are part of our educational journey, and believe in their ability to learn as much as I believe in them. I am looking forward to a wonderful year of learning ahead 🙂
Hello Sam Fam! I’m William Morris and I have had the pleasure of teaching at Samuelson for 4 years now. The staff and students here would make anyone proud to be a Husky Pup! When I ‘m not teaching, I am hanging out with my family. My wife Jana is a teacher for Des Moines as well. Together we have two middle schoolers, Erin and Ryan. When I’m not at Samuelson teaching, you can find me at my kid’s extracurricular activities, traveling, playing with Daisy our golden doodle, or catching a baseball game, GO RED SOX!
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