Staff

Hello everyone!  My name is Dani Bellows and I teach 4th grade.  I have been teaching in Rainier for over 25 years in grades 1-6.  The majority of my years have been at 4th grade. 

I graduated from Saint Martins' College with my Bachelor's degree in elementary education, and Antioch University with my Master's degree.  

I live in Yelm with my husband on a small farm.  We have chickens, cows, donkeys, goats, and a horse, which provide us with an abundance of laughter .  We purchased the 10 acres,  so that our 6 grand kids would be able to love the animals and outdoors. 

Kindergarten Teacher

Bachelor of Arts - Saint Martin's University

Master of Arts in Teaching - Grand Canyon University

Teaching Certificate Endorsements - Elementary Education (K-8) and Special Education (K-12). 

Website - https://mrscharaba.weebly.com/

Hello, my name is Kaitlyn Clary, and I teach kindergarten at Rainier Elementary. I went to school at Central Washington University and graduated in 2021. I have been a teacher for 3 years and I am excited to start the school year with our amazing community of educators and learners!

I am thrilled to begin another year at Rainier Elementary! My school adventure actually started at Rainier Elementary as a kindergarten student and continued to graduation from Rainier High School. I attended college at CWU. I enjoyed my first 10 years of teaching as an elementary art specialist.

With a happy heart I started teaching in Rainier in 2021 as a K-5 Social Emotional Learning specialist. My goal is to support my students skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, and problem solving. It has been a dream come true to teach where I fell in love with learning.

The future is bright!   

This will be my 13th year teaching. I have taught fifth grade for the past three years. I love it! I graduated with my teaching degree from Western Washington University and then I completed my Masters degree through American College of Education. I love teaching and building positive relationships with my students and their families. 

  A little bit about my life outside of school. I live with my husband and our two children. I love to cook, camp, and read. Snuggling up with a good book and a cup of coffee is one of my favorite things to do!

Hello! I have been so lucky to teach with the Rainier School District since 2019. I love this community and am grateful to work among such amazing educators.

I am so happy to be teaching first grade at Rainier Elementary! I have been teaching for over 20 years and love the curiosity and excitement that children exhibit. It is a joy and honor to support them in their learning and individual growth!

I am the K-5 STEM teacher at Rainier Elementary School. In STEM class, students engage in hands-on experiences to explore the concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math. The activities help students foster ingenuity, cultivate creativity, build  perseverance, encourage teamwork, and strengthen problem solving skills.

Hello Cougar Families!

It is such a privilege to be your K-5 Music Specialist. Before joining the amazing RES team, I taught middle school choir and drama, directed community youth choirs and operated a private piano and voice studio. I truly enjoy bringing the community together for performances and creating lasting memories for our students and families. In my classroom, students explore the elements of music through singing, dancing and playing instruments. We are expressive, active and noisy! Thank you for supporting the arts and encouraging  your student's participation in music class. 

Mrs. Amy Holcombe, Music Educator

Hi! I have been the Physical Education teacher at Rainier Elementary since 2022. I am so excited to be apart of this community. Go Cougs!

Hi families! I am Miss Lofgren and I teach 3rd grade here in Rainier. I feel so blessed to be apart of this community and have the opportunity to teach your child!

Greetings everyone! I am absolutely thrilled to be a 5th grade teacher in our small town. I love the energy Rainier brings and the connections I get to make with our community! There is truly no other place that I would rather be. 

As a teacher, my primary goal is to provide safety and support to all students. I love pushing students to embrace the best versions of themselves. I am known for bringing positive energy, high expectations and new ways of thinking. Students should expected to grow not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. My favorite part of being a teacher is building relationships with my students and the community at large. 

Outside the classroom, I am a mom, wife and adventure seeker. I have 2 littles that will join us at RES in a few years and a husband who was born and raised here. We love to explore! Some of my favorite things are country concerts, hiking, skiing, hunting and going to new places. I truly love living life to the fullest! 

Welcome! My name is Shanna Martin and I teach Kindergarten at Rainier Elementary School. 

Hello! I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing community. I have been a teacher at Rainier Elementary School since 2017. I am looking forward to this school year and continuing to be a part of this thoughtful community.

I believe my role as a teacher is to make a difference in the lives of my students. I am going into my 3rd year of teaching 5th grade here at RES, and I couldn’t be more excited! Our classroom will be a space for students to grow and develop academically, socially, and emotionally.

I am married to my wonderful husband, Jesse, and we have an AussieDoodle named Theo! I enjoy snowboarding, rock climbing, camping, reading, and cooking. I come from a large family, and strive to create a classroom environment that reflects what I grew up immersed in. My hope is that each student that enters my classroom knows they are cared for, and a part of something important!

Welcome to the NEW school year, I am so excited you will be apart of our classroom family!  My hope is to bring fun to the classroom with the POWER of YET mindset. My HOPE is to encompass all styles of learning and celebrating our differences with encouraging us to learn from each other. Please reach out at anytime if you have any questions or concerns by email.

We will have a fabulous year!

Hello!

My name is Peyton Poler and I am so happy to be teaching 2nd grade! I started at Rainier in 2023 and am so honored to be surrounded by such amazing students, teachers, and community. Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns. I am looking forward to a great year!

My name is Taylor Scherer and I am so thrilled to be a part of the Rainier Staff. This will be my 5th year at Rainier Elementary. I earned my teaching degree at Washington State University (Go Cougs!) and earned my masters degree in instruction and curriculum. I enjoy all things outdoors and am looking forward to a great year!

Hello! I started with the Rainier School District in 2023. I am so grateful to work among such great educators in this wonderful community. 

Hello!

I feel so fortunate to be a part of this wonderful community! I have experience in 2nd-6th grades, but have been blessed to teach 2nd grade at Rainier Elementary since 2017. I look forward to learning so many awesome things with my students this year!

Brandy Sheaffer

Hello, my name is Michelle Ward I teach 2nd grade here at Rainier Elementary. I have been in the Rainier School District since 2020 and I feel so honored to be a part of this community. 

Hello! My name is Rachel Wilson, and I am a 3rd grade teacher at RES. I grew up in Washington and then moved to Virginia to pursue my Bachelors degree. My degree is a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education with a focus in social science, and my Masters degree is in Curriculum and Instruction. I taught in Virginia for two years, and have been teaching at RES since returning to Washington. I have greatly enjoyed returning home and getting to be a part of the community here in Rainier. I look forward to the upcoming school year, and getting to know each of you better!