Nearly 5,000 people work to provide and support a quality education to more than 30,000 students in Des Moines. From school administrators and educators to bus drivers and technology professionals to food and nutrition providers to financial experts, these dedicated DMPS employees are committed to providing the best possible experience for students and families. Each month the Become Here Spotlight will shine on an administrator, an educator and a staff member to share a little more about the many people working to teach and support the children and students of our community, and in the words of those who nominated them for the recognition.

20220302 JillVersteeg 73A0398JILL VERSTEEG
East High School

Jill is an empathetic leader who truly cares about East High and the East High community. Jill has served through one of the most difficult days in DMPS history and continues to connect with the students, staff and community, For the Service of Humanity. She recently won the IHSPA Administrative award and has raised the scores of Panorama surveys in every category over the last three years. This includes an amazing 31% increase in School Climate scores amongst the staff. We are extremely thankful to have Jill as one of our amazing leaders in DMPS.

20231130 Dawn LewisDAWN LEWIS
Moulton Elementary School

Dawn, our instructional coach, is relentless and persistent in being a resource and a support for every teacher – and student, as well – in our building.  Her pursuit of pedagogical strategies for our teachers has created a culture of high expectations for rigor and student autonomy in every classroom.   Her student-centered focus, married to her desire to be helpful, is shifting our culture of collective efficacy towards better student outcomes consistently.  Without Dawn’s diligent work monitoring student progress, we wouldn’t have the level of successful intervention that we do have.  Moulton wouldn’t be making the gains we are without her.  Thank You Dawn!

20231130 Charlie IsemingerCHARLIE  ISEMINGER
Operations

Charolette “Charlie” Iseminger is a name that many people here at DMPS know, but not face that everyone would recognize. A district employee with more than 25 years of service, Charlie has been a member of the Operations team since 2001.  Prior to that time, she provided more than 4 years of service at PACE Academy, Cattell, and Stowe as a Special Education Associate.  Charlie has worn a number of hats in her time with the district, including in her current role as the district’s Facility Specialist.  In this position, Charlie has a wide range of responsibilities.  Just a few of these include administration of the district’s Facility Work Order system; licensing and regulatory certifications for everything from elevators to boilers, to Facility-operated vehicles; and management of the district’s secured keying system(s).  Every work order that is entered into the district’s Asset Essentials Work Order System (formerly School Dude) crosses Charlie’s desk and she helps to coordinate the assignment of maintenance activities with both the district’s in-house Crafts staff as well as a number of external service contractors.  Charlie coordinates the district’s stores of various inventory items used by the district’s maintenance staff and is the first point of contact for many people that walk through the doors at the Dean Avenue Operations Center. A few other responsibilities that Charlie has held over the years including the following:

  • Charlie was responsible for building and implementing the district’s first digital work order system more than 15 years ago.
  • She was responsible for all accounts payable activities for the Facilities Services Department for more than 15 years.
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