Campbell takes on numerous roles with the elementary schools


Stacy Campbell has been teaching for the MCSD for five years now. She holds several titles and takes on many roles, but the biggest are the elementary ELP coordinator and PLTW trainer. Students in PLTW work with K’NEX, Lego-type building blocks, to plan and solve a problem. (Photo by Kim Brooks)
Panther Professionals
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     Panther Professionals is a weekly series highlighting educators, administrators, staff and aides who are dedicated to the future of the Monticello Community School District.

     More often than not, educators take on many different roles and titles aside from “teacher.” Such is the case with Stacy Campbell.

     Growing up here and attending school in Monticello (Campbell was a Cassidy.), Campbell said it’s nice to be able to return to her roots. The Monticello district is the one and only school district she’s taught in.

     “I went to school here and my kids all go here,” she said. Despite living in the Midland School District, Campbell said their three kids are enrolled in Monticello.

     First and foremost, Campbell is the MCSD’s only ELP (Extended Learning Program) coordinator of the two elementary schools. She spends the majority of her time in this role, working with students in grades K-4.

     The ELP program is also known as TAG (talented and gifted).

     “I provide reading and math enrichments every day for one hour with each of the students,” explained Campbell. She said the kids she works with are pulled out of their regular classrooms and brought to her room to work one-on-one.

     Those students that are under the ELP program are scoring in the 95th percentile or above when it comes to standardized tests.

     Campbell then spends a fourth of her time as the K-3 math support instructor.

     “It’s similar to Title I Reading for meth,” she said. “It’s for those students who need extra math help.”

     Campbell works with those students in a small-group setting and co-teaches math in the kindergarten classes.

     She spends half her day at Shannon Elementary School and the other half at Carpenter School.

     Campbell also gets a paid stipend as an elementary AIW (Authentic Intellectual Work) teacher leader.

     Her non-paid position is working with PLTW (Project Lead the Way) as a Launch Lead Trainer. This is the first year PLTW has been brought to the MCSD.

     “This is the favorite part of my job,” boasted Campbell.

     PLTW was made possible thanks to a state grant. Campbell works with the students at Carpenter School on STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) curriculum. The students follow design and engineering standards to work through a problem and try to solve it.

     “They work as a group,” said Campbell. She said PLTW helps fill any gaps in terms of science standards.

     “I am so excited the kids get an opportunity like this,” she said of introducing new educational offerings.

     Campbell rotates between the classrooms at Carpenter every day with PLTW.

     With four job titles to her name, Campbell is also an elementary PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) team member; sits on the elementary attendance committee, which monitors the students’ attendance records; and sits on the teacher dialogue committee, led by Superintendent Brian Jaeger.

     “This was something he started last year,” said Campbell of the committee that provides feedback between the teachers and Jaeger.

     Having worked for the MCSD for five years now, Campbell said each day brings about something different.

     “It depends on the schedule,” she said. “Everyone here is really flexible if we need to rearrange the schedule a bit.”

     Campbell said staying in touch and communicating with the elementary teachers is a huge part of her job as well, making sure everyone is on the same page as far as the students’ are concerned. She said if she can’t make it into one of the classrooms, the students take initiative and are able to access their work via the Google Classroom.

     Campbell sees a lot of students during a school year.

     “I work with about 300 students,” she said.

     She also spends her time earning a master’s degree in instructional teaching from the University of Northern Iowa. Campbell said the additional education would allow her to work with an AEA or a university if she chose in the future. For now, though, she’s happy working with the students.

     “This has given me all kinds of new ideas,” she said of picking up a higher degree.

     Campbell received her undergraduate’s degree in elementary education with a reading endorsement from the University of Dubuque. She earned her ELP/TAG endorsement from Morningside College.

     After working in the restaurant management business, Campbell said she quickly realized the career field was not a good fit for her as a busy mom.

     “So, I went back to school,” she said. “I love teaching the kids. These kids are our future.”

     Campbell even works with her own son, Porter, who’s in fourth grade.

     “It can be hard because I’m not always ‘Mom,’” she said. “There are different expectations.”

     She said working for the MCSD has been wonderful because everyone has been so accepting of change and new ideas.

     “We’re encouraged to take on different leadership roles,” she said.

     When it comes to curriculum, Campbell said Gretchen Kriegel is a huge resource for the teaching staff.

     “She’s a big help and we’re lucky to have her here.”

     Campbell said the MCSD also offers its students a lot of opportunities as well.

     “With three kids of my own in the district, they could do anything they wanted to do and never have any doors close in their face,” praised Campbell.

     She also has two daughters in high school, Courtney, 12th, and Kahde, 9th.

     In the family’s free time, they love attending professional sporting events and are hug supporters of the St. Louis Cardinals.

     “We also enjoy going to music festivals in the summer,” shared Campbell.

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