5th grade teachers

Mr. Barry Peterson

Mrs. Connie Rasmussen

Connie Rasmussen grew up in Scottville and graduated from Western Michigan University with a BS in elementary education and from the University of North Texas with a degree in special education.  She lived and traveled in Spain and Europe for 3 years while her husband Bob served his military time in the Air Force.  She currently lives in Scottville where she raised her three sons, all of whom have college degrees.  She has taught at Kennedy for the past 22 years.  She loves reading, playing cards, traveling and cooking.  Her colleagues say she is a conscientious leader, keeping everyone on track while looking for the best way to teach curriculum.

  Mrs. Connie Josvai

Connie Josvai was born and raised on a 100-acre commercial fruit farm near Buchanan, Michigan.  Always full of energy, she immersed herself in numerous activities throughout her high school career, which included:  Spanish Club, Newspaper, marching and symphonic band, Volleyball, Softball and Basketball.  She strived for excellence both on and off the court and in the classroom.

     After high school, she earned an Academic/Athletic Scholarship to Southwestern Michigan College, where she played softball and volleyball.  She was then accepted to WMU where she continued her studies in Elementary education.

     Over the past 11 years, Connie has taught 5th grade, P.E. and Health.  She has also coached 5th/6th grade girls basketball, JV volleyball and Varsity volleyball.  Some of her accomplishments include winning the Michigan School of the Year Award in Science of Energy for the past 8 years.  She has also received a Curriculum Initiators Award, and outstanding Educator of the Year Award through MAPS.  She is currently working on her Master's Degree at CMU.

     In the fall of 1997, Connie met a wonderful man named Kirk Josvai, a detective sergeant from Lake County Indiana.  They were married in 2000 and reside in Ludington.  They have an extended family that includes three nieces and six nephews.  Between Kirk's job at Adam's Company in Grand Rapids and Connie's teaching, they continue to have strong family values and a strong work ethic.  Together they strive for excellence and set goals for the future.

  Mrs. Lynn Pierson

Mr. Don Demeuse

Don Demeuse is a Manistee native and a graduate from CMU.  He has been teaching for almost 25 years, including stops at Morenci, South Haven and Manistee.  He has been at Kennedy for the last 17 years and is also Assistant Varsity football coach at Manistee high School.

4th Grade teachers

Brad Solberg

Mr. Solberg is a native and graduate of Manistee High School.  His teaching degree was earned through Central Michigan University.  He has been teaching in the MAPS system for the past 19 years.

He and his wife have two children, a son at Hope College and an daughter at MHS.  He enjoys sports, reading, being an active member of his church and cannot imagine doing anything else with his life than working with and influencing the most precious human beings of all -- kids.

Dee Kula

Ms. dee Kula, fourth grade teacher started teaching 32 years ago when she graduated from Northern Illinois university.  The last 20 years she's taught at Kennedy in 4th, 5th and 6th grades.  She loves to quilt, read and be with family, especially her first grandchild, Kadence Tylar, who was born in February 2006.  She loves teaching and feels honored to have an impact on her students' future.

Julia Chambers

Julia Chambers received her teaching certificate from Grand Valley State University.  She has been with M.A.P.S. since 1990.  She has taught art, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade in our district and loves working with kids.

     She has 2 grown children, Heidi and Zachariah, both in construction fields.  Her hobbies are reading, hiking, camping, gardening and traveling.  In the past year, she bought a place on a pristine lake and enjoys daily walks around it.  She claims to be really good at ping png and badminton.  Julia is very active in A.F.F.E.W. an educational environmental group she co-founded in Ludington.

Linda Diesing

   Linda Diesing has lived in Manistee all her life.  She started her school days in the same one room school that her father attended as a child.  She graduated from Manistee High School and went on to attend college first at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek and then on to Central Michigan university. 

     She has been married to her husband Leonard for 30 years and have two children who both graduated from Manistee high.  Her daughter, Amanda is a graduate of EMU where she received a teaching Certificate.  Her son Carl, is a student at the University of Northwestern in Lima, OH.  He hopes to become certified in high performance engines.  She also has a dog, Marley.

     Linda keeps active with church activities, as well as serving on the Manistee County Library Board.  She is also active with service organizations and raising money so her class can visit Lansing

Marilyn Simmons

Mrs. Simmons began her teaching career in Onekama where she taught 5th grade.  The following year she was hired by MAPS and has taught 7th/8th grade science, 1st grade and 4th grade.  Her teaching experiences have allowed her to spend time at the Middle School, Jefferson, Madison and Kennedy.  She has enjoyed all of her teaching assignments, but does have a special place in her heart for 4th graders.  She enjoys spending time with her husband, her two married children and her three grandsons.

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