Hi! I’m Mrs. Kautman—social studies teacher by day, cross country and track coach by later-in-the-day, and full-time mom, wife, and multitasking extraordinaire 24/7.

I hold degrees from both UNI and Drake, which makes me equally passionate about history and Bulldogs. I’ve been teaching middle schoolers how to conquer World Geography and U.S. History since 1999—and I’ve survived to tell the tale. That alone deserves some kind of medal, right?

In the classroom, I love making students think, challenge themselves. My classroom is student-led, tech-friendly, and powered by caffeine and Inquiry strategies.

Outside the classroom, I coach high school cross country and track, which means I spend most of my afternoons timing laps, handing out inspirational quotes, and convincing teenagers that hills are their friends.

At home, I’m married to my college sweetheart Andrew, who still hasn’t figured out how to dodge my endless “team bonding” ideas. We have three amazing kids—Jacob, Owen, and Mia.