My Mehlville Story

My Mehlville Story
Each Mehlville School District staff member has their own unique story about their decision to apply to work in the district, their experience and their motivation to continue working here. We asked some incredible men and women to share their stories with you! 


Aaron Poe, substitute teacher

This is Aaron Poe’s fifth year working as a substitute teacher in the Mehlville School District. Poe has primarily served as a long-term substitute at Buerkle Middle School and Mehlville High School, and also works as a coach at MHS. His favorite part of his job as a substitute teacher is building relationships with colleagues, students and families. Poe also likes that Mehlville is a melting pot that allows him to meet people from different backgrounds. After he started subbing, Poe began pursuing a degree in education and will graduate this spring.

“Anyone looking to make a change in their career that wants to give back, working as a substitute is a great way to get started. The kids need to see our faces and hear our stories,” said Poe. 

Alyssa Fraher, counselor at Point Elementary School

This is Alyssa Fraher’s second year as the counselor at Point Elementary School. In her role, Fraher pushes into the classroom to lead lessons and does anything she can to help students be successful academically and socially. She loves helping students develop strategies they can use to solve problems they face each day.

“There was so much support from my counselor group and from Central Office when I first started, “said Fraher. “I love going to work every day and this is a place that feels like home.”

Anissa Quilling, choir teacher at Mehlville High School

Anissa Quilling began her career at Mehlville High School as a long term substitute teacher in choir before taking over full-time the following year. She says she immediately felt welcomed into the school community. Quilling says she has felt supported by her principals to provide her choir students with new experiences and to grow the program into a thriving, diverse community.

“I love what I do, I feel appreciated here, and I feel accepted here,” said Quilling. “If you apply to work in the Mehlville School District, that’s what you can expect.” 

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Dajana Djukic, early childhood paraprofessional at Point Elementary School

This is Dajana Djukic’s second year as a Mehlville Early Childhood paraprofessional at Point Elementary School. She says her role as a paraprofessional is to be an extra set of eyes and hands to help the teacher create a safe learning environment for students. Her favorite part of her job is working with children. Djukic, who is a parent with children who attend Mehlville School District, also likes that her schedule and days off are identical to her kids’ schedules. 

“Mehlville School District stands out to me because it’s diverse,” said Djukic. “I feel like there is so much diversity here that everyone feels included and like they belong.”

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.

Dan Wright, librarian at Mehlville High School and Oakville High School

Dan Wright previously worked as an English teacher in another school district. Wanting to change things up, he came to the Mehlville School District six years ago to work as a librarian. Wright says one of his favorite things about working in the district has been feeling like colleagues and administration are interested in what he has to say and are receptive to new ideas and trying  new things. 

“It is tremendously diverse and an incredibly unique group of people," said Wright. “This is a place that everybody fits in because there are so many different types of people and we have so many students from various backgrounds."

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.

Jennifer Garrison Brown, band director at Washington Middle School

Jennifer Garrison Brown has worked as the band director at Washington Middle School for the past 26 years. After graduating from Mehlville High School, Brown attended college in Texas, where she planned to stay to start her career. But when asked to interview for a job in her home district, Brown couldn’t pass up the opportunity and has now spent nearly three decades working tirelessly to grow the MHS band program where she fell in love with music.

“My favorite has been the connections with families,” said Brown. “I feel like our families are appreciative if you’re trying to help their child, advocating for their child or giving them that push when they need it.”

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Jennifer Nonnenkamp, nurse at Oakville High School

This is Jennifer Nonnenkamp’s fourth year working as the school nurse at Oakville High School. In her role, she sees between 70 and 120 students each day, supporting them with daily medications, health checks and other needs to keep students healthy and learning in class. Nonnenkamp loves helping students feel comfortable while they’re at school.

“I think the Mehlville School District is a fantastic place to work because the students are amazing and the administration is supportive,” said Nonnenkamp. “It’s been a key part of me loving where I work."

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Kathy Stowers, school food technician at Bierbaum Elementary School

This is Kathy Stowers’ third year as a school food technician at Bierbaum Elementary School. In her role, she helps to serve food, clean dishes and runs the register. Stowers’ favorite parts of her job are her coworkers and having the opportunity to interact with the students. She is raising her grandchildren and likes that she’s able to put them on the bus in the morning and get them off the bus in the afternoon.

“It’s fun to work here and gives you enough hours to be busy and active,” said Stowers. “It works because if you have kids, you’re off when they’re off. To me, that’s a big bonus.” 

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Katie Jennings, school bus monitor

This is Katie Jennings’ first year working as a school bus monitor in the Mehlville School District. In her role, she assists students with getting on and off the bus and makes sure they are buckled in safely. Jennings enjoys being the first person to greet students each morning.

“Having a son who attends Mehlville School District, I wanted to be a bigger part of the community by working here,” said Jennings. “Seeing how excited the students are to get to school each day is very rewarding and gives you a new perspective.”

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Katrina Woodard, school bus driver

This is Katrina Woodard’s first year as a school bus driver in the Mehlville School District. Woodard always tries to have a positive impact on students as the first person to see them each morning and the last to see them in the afternoon. 

“Seeing the students reminds me of what it was like when I was going to school,” said Woodard. “It’s very rewarding, everyone here is so welcoming and they help you out a lot.”


View all openings in the Mehlville School District.

Laura Malik, English language development specialist at Point Elementary School

Laura Malik spent the first nineteen years of her career in the Mehlville School District as a fifth-grade teacher at Rogers Elementary School before transitioning to her current position as an English language development specialist at Point Elementary School. In this role, she works with classroom teachers to support students who speak languages other than English. She believes the diversity of our students and families is what makes the Mehlville School District special.

“Having so many students that speak multiple languages is an asset to our district and our students,” said Malik. “It’s a valuable experience to be in the Mehlville School District. Our staff is student-focused, and we collaborate to support students the best we can.”

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Leah Byrd, administrative assistant at Bernard Middle School
Leah Byrd has worked as an administrative assistant at Bernard Middle School for the past four years. In her role, Byrd processes student attendance each day, greets visitors as they enter the building and assists teachers with anything they need. A parent herself, Byrd says her favorite part of the job is the interaction she gets to have with other parents and the stories she hears from them.

“The people here have been so welcoming, and I’ve received tremendous support from my administrators, co-workers and teachers,” said Byrd. “Seeing how supportive the community and parents are makes a huge difference in how the district flows, and I love that.”

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Marc Raines, head custodian at Blades Elementary School

Marc Raines previously worked in sales and marketing, but he was laid off in 2018 when his department was eliminated. Raines’ friend who works in the Mehlville School District encouraged him to apply for a job, and he’s worked in the district ever since. He loves the excitement of working in an elementary school because no two days are the same, as well as the staff he has the opportunity to work with. 

“This district is a good district that treats their people very well,” said Raines. “Whether you work as a custodian or in transportation, maintenance or as a teacher, everybody in the district has the ability to work together as a family.”

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Tim Klott, cafeteria recess monitor at Rogers Elementary School

This is Tim Klott’s third year as a cafeteria recess monitor at Rogers Elementary School. In his role, Klott and his team of CRMs supervise students in the cafeteria during lunch and on the playground at recess. His favorite part of the job is interacting with the kids and learning from them, as well as the partnership he has with the teachers.

“Whether you’re the superintendent, a principal, the office staff or a teacher, we’re all interconnected,” said Klott. “Each layer looks at a student and determines the best way to help them succeed and grow. Knowing that I fit into that in some way has helped me see that this is a really amazing school district.” 

View all openings in the Mehlville School District.


Dr. Whitney Maus, principal at Forder Elementary School

Dr. Whitney Maus began her career in the Mehlville School District as a third-grade teacher before transitioning into administration. A graduate of Mehlville High School, Dr. Maus now serves as the principal at Forder Elementary School, a place she once walked the halls as a student. Dr. Maus believes the district does an excellent job of providing its teachers with the support needed to help students be successful.

“The Mehlville School District has very dedicated employees and teachers,” said Dr. Maus. “If you look at the longevity of the staff within our district, people really come and stay. We’re becoming a destination district where people want to come to work.”
View all openings in the Mehlville School District.

Alex Arcipowksi, school food technician

Alex Arcipowski has spent the past five years working as a school food technician in the cafeteria at Mehlville High School. You'll find Alex in the wrap and bowl line most days, as well as preparing tacos on Taco Tuesday. His favorite part of his job is getting to see everyone coming through the line each day and that his coworkers seem like a family to him.

View current openings in Mehlville School District.

Betsy Leeker, elementary school teacher

Betsy Leeker spent three years working as a parent educator in the Mehlville Parents As Teachers program before becoming a teacher at Wohlwend Elementary School where she has worked for the past 14 years. Her favorite part of her time in Mehlville School District has been the ability to try new things and focus on what works best at her school, like the current shift to placed-based education. She's able to teach many lessons outdoors in her own teaching style while still meeting the district standards.

View current openings in Mehlville School District.

CC Shelp, paraprofessional

After spending two decades as an early childhood teacher, CC Shelp transitioned into the business world. She realized that she missed the compassion and empathy of working in education and began working in Mehlville School District as an early childhood paraprofessional at John Cary Early Childhood Center. CC loves the relationships she builds with her students and advocating on their behalf. 

View current openings in Mehlville School District.

Connor Cassity, high school teacher


Connor Cassity is in her fifth year as a math teacher at Oakville High School. After starting in Mehlville School District, she felt like she was able to quickly build connections with students, staff and the community. Even though every students won't work in a field where they do math, she likes that she's able to teach students problem-solving and interpersonal skills they can use in any career.

View all current openings in Mehlville School District.

Dana Deeken, bus driver

This is Dana Deeken's third year as a bus driver in Mehlville School District. Dana arrives at work each day, checks the bus to make sure everything is working properly, then heads out on her route to pick up Mehlville Early Childhood students. Her favorite part of her job is being with her students. She also loves that she feels supported by others in the transportation department.

Learn more about being a bus driver in Mehlville School District. 

Donna Davis, custodian

Donna Davis started her career in Mehlville School District working in the cafeteria at Bernard Middle School before transitioning to a full-time position as a custodian. Donna worked as a waitress for most of her career and was drawn to Mehlville School District because of the pension and retirement. She's now the head custodian at Oakville Elementary School and says that if you do your job and work hard, there will always be an opportunity for you to advance within the district. 

Learn more about being a custodian in Mehlville School District.

Dr. Julie Durham, principal

Dr. Julie Durham spent the first 14 years of her career in Mehlville School District as an elementary school teacher before transitioning into a leadership role. After a few years as an assistant principal, Julie became the principal at Hagemann Elementary School where she has worked for the past five years. A district graduate, she knew she wanted to return to Mehlville as an educator because of the impact her own teachers had on her. Julie's favorite thing about being a principal is to take the knowledge she had as a teacher and using it on a larger scale to positively impact more students and staff. 

View current job openings in Mehlville School District.

Eric Heuerman, middle school teacher

Eric Heuerman, currently an industrial arts teacher at Bernard Middle School, has taught in Mehlville School District for seven years. Prior to working in education, Eric had a career as a carpenter. He likes that students are excited to do woodworking and metalworking and that he can incorporate information they're learning in other classes, like math, into what they do in his class. Eric loves the support that he receives and the family atmosphere in Mehlville School District.

View current job openings in Mehlville School District.

Lisa Gastreich, substitute teacher

Lisa Gastreich has worked for the past decade is a substitute teacher in Mehlville School District. Before her career in education, Lisa worked in sales for 20 years. She found substitute teaching when looking for a change because she didn't feel like she was making a difference each day. One of Lisa's favorite things about working as a substitute teacher is the flexibility. She's able to choose the days and locations she works. She also loves the connections she makes with the kids and feels the work she does is rewarding.

Learn more about being a substitute teacher in Mehlville School District.

Nancy Dixon, school nurse

Nancy Dixon has worked in Mehlville School District for the past 16 years. She was a substitute nurse for the first three years while she was still working full-time as an emergency room nurse.  After that, she transitioned into a full-time position as the school nurse at Blades Elementary School. In her role, she provides students with their prescribed medications throughout the day and treats students for minor injuries and ailments. Her goal is to work with parents and teachers to keep students healthy and learning in class as much as possible. Nancy loves that working as a school nurse gives her a similar schedule to her children so that she can spend more time with her family.

Learn more about being an nurse in Mehlville School District.


Shaun Williams, cafeteria recess monitor

Shaun Williams says his role as a cafeteria recess monitor at Forder Elementary School is to make a positive impact on the kids he works with. He spends an hour with his students each day at lunch and recess. During that time, Shaun tries to be a role model and someone students can depend on. He loves Mehlville School District because of the camaraderie he feels with his coworkers.

Learn more about being a cafeteria recess monitor in Mehlville School District.


Wendy Williams, administrative assistant


Wendy Williams began her career in Mehlville School District as a bus driver but is now in her second year as the administrative assistant at SCOPE School. She supports SCOPE staff and students coming from Lindbergh, Affton and Bayless school districts, as well as from Mehlville High School and Oakville High School. Wendy's favorite part of her job is the students. Since her face is the first they see when they come to SCOPE, she strives to always give them a warm welcome. Wendy likes working in Mehlville School District because of the close relationships you're able to make and because leaders take your thoughts and concerns into account when making decisions.

View current openings in Mehlville School District.


Sharron Gatling, Mehlville School District bus driver

"Bus driver is one of the most important roles because we are the first person kids see each morning and the last person they see at the end of the day." 

Learn more about being a bus driver in Mehlville School District and apply.


Nihada Sopovic, Mehlville High School food technician

"In this job, we have a lot of time off. I'm able to stay home when my kids are home and spend time with my kids."

Learn more about food technician openings in Mehlville School District and apply.


Ben McClusky, Beasley Elementary School music teacher

"It's hard to find another district with as much socioeconomic and cultural diversity as what Mehlville has. That's something that's important to me."

View certified teaching openings and apply.

Fatima Warren, Trautwein Elementary School counselor

"I applied here because Mehlville had the same core values that I did when teaching students: Giving back, service and having gratitude for what you have."

View counselor and certified teaching openings and apply.

Frederick Muthonjia, Mehlville School District system support specialist

"The thing that changed how I look at this is being able to help students. Not just with technology, but being there to support them. It's very rewarding." 

View openings in our technology department and apply.

Jenn Rich, Oakville Middle School English-language arts teacher

"We have so much diversity in our student body, including families that are immigrants. That's something so special about our district that not every district has."

View certified teaching openings and apply.

Meagan Ochoa, Oakville Elementary School principal

"We may not always have the high-end of everything, but our teachers put their hearts and souls into everything, and it works for the kids. That's what I love about Mehlville."

View administrator openings and apply.

Regina Gleason, Mehlville High School English-language arts teacher

"Our teachers have a voice. I think what's best for kids is that people who are working with them can advocate for them."

View certified teaching openings and apply.

Stacey Bader, Rogers Elementary School nurse

"Working in the school setting is a great work-life balance for myself and my family. I loved hospital nursing, but working 12-hour shifts, nights and holidays was tough."

View school nurse openings and apply.
The Mehlville School District strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment against employees, students or others on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sex including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity and other characteristics protected by law. The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: contact Adam Smith at 314-467-5006 or [email protected].