Directors

Wendy Morton has been teaching band in the College Community School District since 2005, teaching 5th and 6th Grade Band and lessons. Wendy’s Prairie Creek Sixth Grade Band performed at the IBA Conference in 2011 and 2019. She also designed and hosts the annual Young Musicians’ Honor Band for first and second-year players. Wendy has been a guest conductor at several honor bands and has adjudicated several local solo/ensemble and large group festivals. She serves as the Elementary Affairs Committee Chair for Iowa Bandmasters Association and the representative for Northeast IBA, and has presented several clinics at past IBA conferences. Wendy received the Phillip Sehmann Excellence in Teaching Award in 2012. She previously taught in the Marion Independent School District and in Central City Schools, and earned degrees from University of Iowa and Coe College.

Mrs. Morton's husband, Greg, is a professional musician and music educator as well, and teaches woodwind lessons in the Cedar Rapids area. Their son played the French Horn at ISU and was the drum major at Kennedy High School, and their daughter was active in band, choir, and show choir in high school.

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Toni LeFebvre (pronounced Luh-Fever) joined the Prairie Creek staff in the Fall of 2022 as the 6th Grade Band Director. Originally from Bettendorf, IA, she received her B.M. in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2014 and M.A. in Music Education from the University of Iowa in 2019. She has previously taught Band at LaSalle Catholic Middle School in Cedar Rapids, Aldo Leopold Intermediate School in Burlington, and Okoboji High School. 

Mrs. LeFebvre is a trumpet player and active musician, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the state of Iowa. In 2017, she established the Iowa Women's Jazz Orchestra, an 18-piece big band of women musicians from across the state, dedicated to showcasing and encouraging the participation of women and girls in jazz. She also serves as a co-chair of the Iowa Jazz Championships.

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Tricia Beightler (pronounced Beat-ler) joined the Prairie Creek staff in the fall of 2017 and loves teaching lessons to our 5th and 6th grade band students. Mrs. Beightler earned a Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone performance and music education from the University of Iowa in 1994.  She served as 5th-12th grade band director in Graettinger, Iowa from 1994-96, 6th-12th grade band director in Springville, Iowa from 1996-98, 5th - 6th grade band director and high school marching band assistant director in 1999-2000 and 7-8th grade band director and high school assistant marching band director from 2000-2004, in Reynoldsburg, Ohio (a suburb of Columbus).  In these positions she directed the concert, jazz, marching, and pep bands, and taught individual lessons. The Beightlers started their family in the summer of 2004, and from then until 2017, Tricia worked as a stay-at-home mom and taught private music lessons from their home.

While in Ohio, Tricia enjoyed playing in the Worthington Civic band, which performed locally, around the U.S. and abroad each summer to destinations such as Disney World, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and Ireland. She has also enjoyed serving as an advisor for the Iowa Ambassadors of Music’s European Tour. *Stay in band, kids! It can really take you places!*

Tricia’s husband, Rick, works for Collins Aerospace and is an Ohio State Buckeye alum and fan, which makes for an interesting game day in the Beightler household when the Buckeyes play the Hawkeyes! They have three sons that keep them busy:  Camden, Chase, and Carrick. Music, sports, church activities, cub scouts, travel, and rooting for the Hawkeyes (okay, AND the Buckeyes!) keep them on the go throughout the year.