A little about ourselves
Jennifer Rathe - Director
Jen and her husband have grown to love the North Scott Community over the last 18 years and have three children, one in elementary, one in Junior High, and one in High School. The family also includes two cuddly pups. All three of her kids graduated from Share and Care and had a wonderful experience.
Jen loves being part of the Share and Care family and joining in on the singing and dancing of silly songs that preschooler’s love. She is excited get to know all the families that will grace our preschool doors this year. Jen and her family attend Park View Lutheran Church, where enjoys helping with Vacation Bible School. Some of her hobbies include reading, writing, crafting, and watching her kids partake in their various school and other extracurricular activities which include dance, baseball, cross country, band, 4-H and horseback riding lessons.
Some of Jen’s favorite things: sky blue or teal, fun family games, NS Lancers, the Dallas Cowboys, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and shopping or eating at local businesses/coffee shops/restaurants.
Jen and her husband have grown to love the North Scott Community over the last 18 years and have three children, one in elementary, one in Junior High, and one in High School. The family also includes two cuddly pups. All three of her kids graduated from Share and Care and had a wonderful experience.
Jen loves being part of the Share and Care family and joining in on the singing and dancing of silly songs that preschooler’s love. She is excited get to know all the families that will grace our preschool doors this year. Jen and her family attend Park View Lutheran Church, where enjoys helping with Vacation Bible School. Some of her hobbies include reading, writing, crafting, and watching her kids partake in their various school and other extracurricular activities which include dance, baseball, cross country, band, 4-H and horseback riding lessons.
Some of Jen’s favorite things: sky blue or teal, fun family games, NS Lancers, the Dallas Cowboys, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and shopping or eating at local businesses/coffee shops/restaurants.
Rhonda Upmeyer - Lead Teacher
Rhonda began as Lead Teacher at Share and Care Preschool in 2014. Previous to that position, she was first a preschool mom when her boys attended here and then our Teacher's Aide since 2008. She has also been a substitute Teacher's Aide for the North Scott Schools and a classroom volunteer for Kindergarten through 6th grade at Alan Shepard Elementary. Her love for children, warm hugs and smiles make her well known by parents and children in the community. Rhonda and her husband, Carl, live in Eldridge and have two adult sons. Their youngest, Alex, is in graduate school at Virginia Tech studying aerospace engineering, lives in Orlando, FL, and will be getting married this November. Nick, the eldest, is working and living here locally with his wife and loves racing, showing, and working on cars. Rhonda enjoys racing autocross in her Mustang, being a cat mom, tending plants, watercolor painting, and selling her handcrafted jewelry and resin products with her daughter-in-law. She and Carl enjoy traveling on weekend trips, attending car shows, playing with their "grandpups", and visiting with family from Texas.
Some of Rhonda's favorite things include anything purple, dark chocolate, salty snacks, coffee shops and shopping at Wallace's, Hobby Lobby, Bath and Body Works, and Amazon.
Rhonda began as Lead Teacher at Share and Care Preschool in 2014. Previous to that position, she was first a preschool mom when her boys attended here and then our Teacher's Aide since 2008. She has also been a substitute Teacher's Aide for the North Scott Schools and a classroom volunteer for Kindergarten through 6th grade at Alan Shepard Elementary. Her love for children, warm hugs and smiles make her well known by parents and children in the community. Rhonda and her husband, Carl, live in Eldridge and have two adult sons. Their youngest, Alex, is in graduate school at Virginia Tech studying aerospace engineering, lives in Orlando, FL, and will be getting married this November. Nick, the eldest, is working and living here locally with his wife and loves racing, showing, and working on cars. Rhonda enjoys racing autocross in her Mustang, being a cat mom, tending plants, watercolor painting, and selling her handcrafted jewelry and resin products with her daughter-in-law. She and Carl enjoy traveling on weekend trips, attending car shows, playing with their "grandpups", and visiting with family from Texas.
Some of Rhonda's favorite things include anything purple, dark chocolate, salty snacks, coffee shops and shopping at Wallace's, Hobby Lobby, Bath and Body Works, and Amazon.
Shauna Strom - Teacher's Aide
Shauna has four children that all attended Share and Care Christian Preschool. During her youngest son's last year she started helping as a substitute and then didn't want to leave. Shauna loves having a job that allows her to teach young children in the mornings, while also being available to her own family later in the day and during school breaks. This will be Shauna's 9th year being involved at Share and Care (not including all the years her own kids were educated and loved by the program!)
Shauna lives in Eldridge with her husband, Steve, and their kids; Caleb (20), Cadence (19), Camdyn (15) and Canon (14). Their older son and daughter attend The University of Iowa with interests in pre-law and physical therapy . Our family loves music, dance, theatre and sports. We have two dogs named Eeyore & Kuzco. In her spare time, Shauna enjoys traveling, mowing, cooking and tending to her vegetable gardens.
Some of Shauna's favorite things: blue/green/purple colors; Hawkeyes, Cubs, Lancer sports; Cabos, Chili's and Hungry Hobo... and she is an AVID Disney World fan!
Shauna has four children that all attended Share and Care Christian Preschool. During her youngest son's last year she started helping as a substitute and then didn't want to leave. Shauna loves having a job that allows her to teach young children in the mornings, while also being available to her own family later in the day and during school breaks. This will be Shauna's 9th year being involved at Share and Care (not including all the years her own kids were educated and loved by the program!)
Shauna lives in Eldridge with her husband, Steve, and their kids; Caleb (20), Cadence (19), Camdyn (15) and Canon (14). Their older son and daughter attend The University of Iowa with interests in pre-law and physical therapy . Our family loves music, dance, theatre and sports. We have two dogs named Eeyore & Kuzco. In her spare time, Shauna enjoys traveling, mowing, cooking and tending to her vegetable gardens.
Some of Shauna's favorite things: blue/green/purple colors; Hawkeyes, Cubs, Lancer sports; Cabos, Chili's and Hungry Hobo... and she is an AVID Disney World fan!
Molly Woomer - Teacher's Aide
Molly grew up in Ohio and graduated from The Ohio State University. She and her husband Ben relocated to Eldridge in 2006. They have two children who both loved their experience at Share and Care. Atle is 16 years old. He will be in 10th grade at Morning Star Academy. Ben and Molly adopted him from South Africa when he was 2 years old. Julia is 10 years old. She will be starting 5th grade at Ed White Elementary. She has a vivid imagination and loves animals. As a family, they enjoy traveling, often visiting relatives in Ohio and North Carolina. If they aren’t playing board games in their living room you can likely find them walking their little dog around Eldridge. Molly has a passion for working with young children and is looking forward to another school year.
Some of Molly's favorite things include the color fuchsia, puzzles, anything dog related, popcorn, chocolate with caramel, shopping on Amazon, and ice cream from Whitey's.
Angela Elmshaeuser (Mrs. E)- Teacher's Aide
Angela grew up in the North Scott Community and currently lives in Park View with her husband, Joshua, and their three children. Her two boys attended Share & Care and now go to school at Neil Armstrong. Her daughter will be starting at Share & Care this year.
Angela graduated from Wartburg College and the University of Iowa. She worked in physical
therapy for a few years before devoting her time to raising her children. This is Angela’s first
year as a teacher’s aide. She was a volunteer substitute for the program last year and has served on the preschool board multiple years. She attended Share & Care many years ago herself. She is very excited to join the preschool staff this year and loves helping kids learn new things through
play.
She is a member of Park View Lutheran Church where she co-teaches high school Sunday school and helps with Vacation Bible School. She enjoys watching her kids in their various activities, sports, traveling, and playing board games.
Some of Angelas favorite things include the colors blue and yellow, sunflowers, Whitey’s, coffee shops, Disney, and board/card games.
Angela grew up in the North Scott Community and currently lives in Park View with her husband, Joshua, and their three children. Her two boys attended Share & Care and now go to school at Neil Armstrong. Her daughter will be starting at Share & Care this year.
Angela graduated from Wartburg College and the University of Iowa. She worked in physical
therapy for a few years before devoting her time to raising her children. This is Angela’s first
year as a teacher’s aide. She was a volunteer substitute for the program last year and has served on the preschool board multiple years. She attended Share & Care many years ago herself. She is very excited to join the preschool staff this year and loves helping kids learn new things through
play.
She is a member of Park View Lutheran Church where she co-teaches high school Sunday school and helps with Vacation Bible School. She enjoys watching her kids in their various activities, sports, traveling, and playing board games.
Some of Angelas favorite things include the colors blue and yellow, sunflowers, Whitey’s, coffee shops, Disney, and board/card games.