About Our Kindergarten Teachers

Mrs. Appel

My name is Mrs. Appel. I have been a kindergarten teacher here at Prairie Elementary since 2005. Before I came to Worthington, I taught Kindergarten and Special Education at Fulda Elementary and at Riverside Elementary in Jackson, MN. I have been a teacher for over 20 years! I received my BA from Mankato State University, Mankato, MN, and I am working on getting my MA through Southwest State University, Marshall, MN.

I think that kindergarten is the best because we are always learning new things in different ways. We do lots of learning through music!
My husband and I live on a farm outside of Fulda, MN, and we have 4 children. Matthew, Andrew, Bennett, and Kameryn.

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Mrs. Bell

My name is Rachel Bell and I teach kindergarten at Prairie Elementary School. I graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Family Life and Child Development.

After graduating in 2007, I taught preschool for three years in Mankato, MN and the Le Sueur- Henderson School district. I started teaching kindergarten in the Worthington school district in 2010.

What I enjoy most about teaching is watching the students interact and grow throughout the school year, seeing the students coming to school with smiles on their faces and being able to introduce the students to new experiences.

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Mrs. Bristow

Hi! My name is Mrs. Bristow and I teach Kindergarten at Prairie Elementary! I graduated from Mankato State University with a BA in elementary education. I was a stay at home mom for 13 years as well as a business owner. I was a substitute teacher for the Worthington school district for a year before I became a kindergarten teacher.

I live in Worthington and have 3 wonderful daughters. Ashlyn, Brigette, and Callie. They keep me very busy with their activities and I also enjoy being involved in the community!
 I enjoy teaching Kindergarten because everything is so new to the students and it’s fun seeing them so excited to learn! The smiles when they walk in the door each day and their eyes lighting up when they learn something new makes every day a great day!

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Mrs. Fritz

Hello! My name is Angela Fritz. I have been a kindergarten teacher at Prairie since 2018. I have taught both 5th grade and 1st grade in Madison, South Dakota in before coming to Worthington. I graduated from the University of Sioux Falls with a degree in Elementary Education, a minor in reading, and endorsements in English language learners and kindergarten.

I am originally from Worthington and I am so fortunate to be able to teach in my hometown! I married my husband Eric in 2017.

I have always wanted to be in a kindergarten classroom! Kindergarten students are so eager to learn and are excited to come to school. I love that the kiddos get to learn through play and exploring.

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Mrs. Hallquist

I am so excited to be joining the Prairie Elementary Kindergarten team this year! I attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN where I received my elementary education degree, focusing on pre-primary students in December of 2006. I had various subbing jobs and ended up in preschool for a year before teaching kindergarten at Otsego Elementary School for 13 years. During that time I received my masters in curriculum and instruction from Saint Catherine University in St. Paul, MN and graduated in August of 2013. I moved to Worthington this summer with my husband and two boys. We are excited to be part of this community. We love traveling, reading, and going for walks and bike rides. I absolutely love teaching kindergarten and seeing the excitement the students bring with them each day.

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Ms. Ihnen

Hello! My name is Brianne Ihnen and I teach kindergarten! I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2023. I was a paraprofessional at Prairie Elementary prior to receiving my teaching license.

I am originally from Lake Park, Iowa and enjoy spending time in the Iowa Great Lakes. Outside of teaching, I enjoy traveling, golfing, and spending time with friends and family!

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Mrs. Ling

My name is Mrs. Ling. I have been a kindergarten teacher here at Prairie Elementary since 2020. Before I came to Worthington, I taught Kindergarten and First Grade at Round Lake Brewster Elementary and at Hartley Melvin Sanborn in Hartley, IA. I have been a teacher for over 14 years! I received my BA from University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA and I am working on getting my MA through Southwest State University, Marshall, MN.
I absolutely love teaching kindergarten! I love seeing the growth the students make from the beginning of the year until the end of the year. I love seeing the lightbulb moments that happen throughout the year. I also love how the kids are excited to come to school ready to learn. I love being able to learn in many different ways such as play, music, and exploring!

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Ms. Slater

Hello! My name is Jenna Slater and I teach Kindergarten here at Prairie Elementary School! I graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a certification in STEM in 2017.

After graduation, I taught 1st grade in St. Peter, MN for three years. I also went back to school to earn my master’s degree in Elementary Education. I graduated with my master’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2018. What I enjoy most about teaching is building strong relationships with my students and seeing them come into my classroom each morning with a bright smile on their face!

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. My son, Colt, is my biggest blessing in life. I also have a puppy, Nash. We all love to spend time together outdoors on our family farm, at the lake in the summer, or exploring new places!

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Mrs. Standafer

Hello, my name is Ana Standafer. I graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language. I was a paraprofessional at Prairie Elementary prior to receiving my teaching license.

I am originally from Malaysia, a small Southeast Asian country. One of the reasons I love our school district is the multicultural aspect which reminds me of Malaysia. My favorite thing about kindergarten is the endless enthusiasm. Every day is a great day!

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Mrs. Wendland

Hello! My name is Ashlyn Wendland. I grew up in Highland, California. In 2017, I graduated from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Previously before teaching Kindergarten, I taught preschool for a year. I love having the opportunity to watch students grow and learn to the best of their ability! An interesting fact about me is I played college softball at SDSU as a starting pitcher.

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