Welcome!
Meet the Staff!
September 06, 2011
Welcome to the Rock Creek Parents as Teachers Program!
The Parents as Teachers program is one of over 200 in the state and one of thousands nation-wide. It is funded in part by a state grant and in part by our local school district. We have served hundreds of families with child development information, in-home developmental screenings, playgroups and family activities, group connections, resource library and connection to resources county-wide since our beginning 14 years ago and continue to serve families today. Anyone who is pregnant or has a child ages birth to three and lives in the Rock Creek district is welcome to participate in the program.
Our program is staffed by Dannielle Heideman, parent educator and Dena Schmitz, program coordinator and parent educator. Dr. Darrel Stufflebeam, district superintendent, oversees the program.
Dannielle is in her first year with the Rock Creek PAT program. She is married and has three delightful children who keep her pretty busy when she's home! Dannielle has her degree in Family Studies from KSU with an emphasis in Family Life and Community service. She has been a preschool teacher and has run her own daycare facility. Dannielle also enjoys volunteering and has worked with Community Health Ministries and Relay for Life. She is active in the Wamego MOM's club too! Dannielle will complete her PAT training in the new Foundational Curriculum next week in Denver.
You can reach Dannielle at hediemad@rockcreekschools.org
Dena is in her fourteenth year with the Rock Creek Parents as Teachers program. She is married to Terry who teaches and coaches in the Rock Creek school system and they have three children. Lilly is an 8th grader at Rock Creek JR/SR high, Adam is a senior at Rock Creek and Caleb is a junior at Tabor College in Hillsboro.
Dena graduated ages ago from Kansas State (go Cats!). Her degree field was in the College of Human Ecology (formerly Home Economics).She has been employed many places, but during her time as an assistant teacher at a speech and language preschool in Lawrence, she became aware of the Parents as Teachers program that served her school district and enrolled her second child into the program. Upon moving to the Rock Creek district in the fall of 97, she was dismayed to find that there was no Parents as Teachers program here and when the opportunity arose to help start one, she applied for the job and 'wah-la' here she still is! Dena attended the National Parents as Teachers training as well before implementing the program here at Rock Creek fourteen years ago.
Dena enjoys attending her children's many activities ranging from concerts to ball games. She also enjoys attending Rock Creek volleyball matches (her husband is the coach) and cheering on the Mustangs. She and her family also like to spend time with their extended families and friends when possible. You can reach Dena at schmitzd@rockcreekschools.org
We are so happy you have chosen to visit our site and we hope that if you check out our enrollment information if you are not part of the program and also our other articles and newsletter links.
Come and visit us often!
