3rd Grade
Kristen Wilson | Traditional Third Grade Teacher
My Email: kristen.hutchinson@washk12.orgI am so excited to be an incoming third grade teacher at Diamond Valley Elementary. I moved to St. George, Utah to finish my teaching degree in 2016 and never left! I met my husband while in school at Dixie State University and graduated with my Elementary Education Bachelor Degree in May 2020. I had our first son in August 2020 and accepted a teaching position at Bloomington Hills Elementary as their Mild/Moderate Special Education Teacher for 3rd-5th grade in October 2020. I have been in that position since then while working on my M.Ed at SUU in Instruction and Curriculum with an emphasis in Special Education. Within the past couple years, my little family and I made the move to Veyo, Utah and are loving our little plot of land right next to the canyon. Although our fixer upper needs lots of love, you really can not beat those sunset views. I am so excited to continue my career in our local elementary school and grow with my students for years to come! Everyone has the ability to learn and do hard things!!
Michelle Stauffer | Third Grade English Dual Immersion/ALP Teacher
My Email: michelle.stauffer@washk12.orgI love teaching third grade. It is the best! I am a St. George native. I attended Dixie High, Dixie State and then went to BYU for my Bachelor's Degree. My husband and I have three kids who have all gone through, or are currently in, the dual immersion program at Diamond Valley. I love to read and I hope to share my love of reading with my students. Some of my favorites are Harry Potter and anything by Jane Austen. I also love to travel and watch movies with my family.
Tamara Orts PÉREZ | Third Grade Spanish Dual Immersion Teacher
My Email: tamara.ortsperez@washk12.orgMy name is Tamara Orts Pérez and I am from “La millor terreta del món” (“The best place in the world”). Yes, that’s my city, Alicante, motto. There it is where I grew up, went to college and completed my Master’s degree. Alicante is a city in the SE coast of Spain where you can find from beautiful beaches, mountains, forests and cute little towns, to incredible local food. The sun shines along the year giving its people the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and cities no matter which month.
As a newbie to the place, I am very excited to be part of the DVES and Saint George community. The city and surroundings are absolutely incredible with all its colors and shapes and Diamond Valley is just the perfect place to be. After getting to know the Dual Immersion program I fell in love with it and I feel so lucky to be a Diamondback dual immersion teacher.
DVES FACULTY
Our teachers at Diamond Valley Elementary are highly experienced, educated, and dedicated. We have a combined total of over 100 years of teaching. Most of our faculty have taken Gifted and Talented post-graduate classes with many receiving the full endorsement. Many have also received their Master’s Degree, Reading Endorsement, Math Endorsement, or ESL Endorsement. Each faculty member works their hardest to provide a high quality education for every student. The teachers have fun and professional personalities that make Diamond Valley a place that children love to be.
“LEARNING FROM THE PAST, PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE, SUCCEEDING IN THE PRESENT.”