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Hello! Welcome to Ballard West Elementary!

My name is Kara Dietrich and I am the Instructional Coach at Ballard West.

Education and Experience

I graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa, with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a K-6 reading endorsement in 2001. I graduated from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with a Masters degree in Elementary Education in 2004. I also graduated with a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Drake University in 2019; so I hope you can see I love learning and I love being in the classroom! I started teaching in Johnson, Iowa, in 2002 and I taught 5th grade for six years. I was excited to move to 1st grade at Ballard West in 2008. I am so happy that I made the change to teach in the town where we live! In 2020 I became the instructional coach for our K-2 elementary.

A Little About Me...

My husband, Wes, and I have lived in either Slater or Huxley since we were married in 2004. We have three boys: Coye, Carter, and Chase. We also have two bulldogs, Motz and Ella. As a family, we love to play card games, watch the ISU Cyclones, bake cookies, and read LOTS of books together! In my free time (which is rare), I love to play golf, go for walks, listen to music, and travel.

I look forward to partnering with our teachers to help students grow as learners and discover their unique talents. Together, we can achieve the Ballard vision and empower all learners.

Mrs. Dietrich