Melissa Hurley
Hello! I am Melissa Hurley, and I am so excited to be teaching 5th grade here at Mountain View Elementary! I earned my Teaching Certificate from Chapman University in Southern California, and have been teaching since 1997 (with a 7-year break in the middle to be home with my babies). My family and I moved here from California in 2021 and we love it here! I have been married to my husband for 26 years, and we have two daughters who attend Kennesaw Mountain High School. I absolutely love teaching, and more importantly, seeing my students learn! I am looking forward to an exciting, successful year with your kiddos. Thank you for entrusting them into my care. Please know they will be loved and cared for each and every day that they are in my classroom!
"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."
~Aristotle
"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."
~Aristotle
Dr. Karen Kraeger
Karen Kraeger has been teaching in Cobb County Schools since 2003. After earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Buffalo, she started her education career in Jacksonville, Florida teaching first grade. Dr. Kraeger and her husband, Hans, moved back to New York to start a family. While her children were young, she worked as a preschool teacher, long-term substitute and elementary gifted specialist in Upstate New York. Dr. Kraeger and her family moved to Marietta in 1999. She taught first grade at Keheley Elementary and fourth grade at Eastvalley before teaching gifted classes for nine years at Mt. Bethel and Chalker Elementaries. Dr. Kraeger also taught fifth grade at Chalker before joining the Mountain View team. During her years at Eastvalley and Mount Bethel, Dr. Kraeger earned National Board Certification, Gifted Endorsement and specialist and doctorate degrees from Kennesaw State University.
Dr. Kraeger is passionate about finding and developing talents in her students, as well as leveraging her knowledge of gifted education to infuse challenge, creativity, and problem-solving into every subject she teaches. When she’s not at school, you might find Dr. Kraeger enjoying a good book, trail running, gardening or cooking favorite meals. She enjoys spending time at the beach with her family and traveling to new places.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” — Albert Einstein
Dr. Kraeger is passionate about finding and developing talents in her students, as well as leveraging her knowledge of gifted education to infuse challenge, creativity, and problem-solving into every subject she teaches. When she’s not at school, you might find Dr. Kraeger enjoying a good book, trail running, gardening or cooking favorite meals. She enjoys spending time at the beach with her family and traveling to new places.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” — Albert Einstein
Anthony Saputo
Hello MVES family! I am Anthony Saputo and I'm very excited about this upcoming school year for our 5th graders! I hold a BA and MA in Early Childhood Education from Piedmont College (now Piedmont University!). I started the first couple of years of my teaching career at a K-12 Special Education school in downtown Atlanta called The Howard School before transitioning to Cobb County School District where I went on to teach 5th grade Math, Science, and Social Studies for five school years at Hayes Elementary in Kennesaw before coming to Mountain View Elementary in 2019, still teaching 5th grade to this day! The spirit and community of MVES makes me excited to come to work each day! I live in Acworth with my wonderful wife Mary Beth, my two sweet boys Joaquin (3.5 years old) and Gianni (1 year old), and our Chiweenie dog named Rory. I am looking forward to teaching and learning with this wonderful group of students this year! We will overcome whatever challenges arise!
“The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask which he finds it hard to answer.” ― Alice Wellington Rollins
“The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask which he finds it hard to answer.” ― Alice Wellington Rollins
Misty Self
I am very excited to spend this year with your precious one! I am proud to be a part of Mountain View and its community. I have been teaching since 2007. I love EVERYTHING about this age group. I am a proud graduate of Cobb County Schools. I earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Kennesaw State University and a Specialist degree from Liberty University. I also have my reading endorsement, gifted endorsement, was a member of CCSD’s Teacher Leader Academy, and I am the fifth-grade team lead.
My most favorite things in the entire world are being a momma to my sweet baby girl, Ruby-Mae, and a wife. I spend all of my free time playing and relaxing with our little family. We enjoy traveling, laughing, being on the water, & anything else that brings us together to make more memories as a family. I am very passionate about ALL kids and teaching them each day. I understand that every single student is someone else’s whole world. This year, I will love, nurture, guide, and protect your sweet baby.
"A person's a person, no matter how small."-Dr. Seuss
My most favorite things in the entire world are being a momma to my sweet baby girl, Ruby-Mae, and a wife. I spend all of my free time playing and relaxing with our little family. We enjoy traveling, laughing, being on the water, & anything else that brings us together to make more memories as a family. I am very passionate about ALL kids and teaching them each day. I understand that every single student is someone else’s whole world. This year, I will love, nurture, guide, and protect your sweet baby.
"A person's a person, no matter how small."-Dr. Seuss
Pame Timbs
Hi! My name is Pamela Timbs. I was blessed to join the Mountain View family in 2021. My husband and I have been married since 1988 and have two grown children: a daughter and a son. They have given us five wonderful grandchildren, whom we love spending as much time with as possible. Three of our Grands attend Cobb County schools, as well.
I have a B.S. in Early and Elementary Education from Kennesaw State University and began my teaching career with Cobb in 2009. I also hold a Reading Endorsement and a Gifted Endorsement. I have taught first grade, fourth grade, all grades through EIP, and fourth-grade AC. Before becoming a public school teacher, I taught preschool at a private Christian school for eight years. Outside the classroom, I love learning (currently pursuing my graduate degree from UWG), traveling, gardening, being outdoors, sporting events, and time with my fabulous Grands!
Thank you for entrusting your children to me. I am so excited to get to know them and see how much they learn and grow this year. Your sweet babies will be loved on, cheered on, and cared for daily! I look forward to getting to know all of you, too, and partnering with you for a wonderful school year!
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle
I have a B.S. in Early and Elementary Education from Kennesaw State University and began my teaching career with Cobb in 2009. I also hold a Reading Endorsement and a Gifted Endorsement. I have taught first grade, fourth grade, all grades through EIP, and fourth-grade AC. Before becoming a public school teacher, I taught preschool at a private Christian school for eight years. Outside the classroom, I love learning (currently pursuing my graduate degree from UWG), traveling, gardening, being outdoors, sporting events, and time with my fabulous Grands!
Thank you for entrusting your children to me. I am so excited to get to know them and see how much they learn and grow this year. Your sweet babies will be loved on, cheered on, and cared for daily! I look forward to getting to know all of you, too, and partnering with you for a wonderful school year!
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle
Dezarae Waits
I am so very excited to be spending another exciting year as a member of the Mountain View family. I have called Mountain View home since 2015. I am a proud 5th grade teacher and the coach of our MVE Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl team. I graduated from Kennesaw State University, earned my Gifted Endorsement through Cobb County, and my master’s degree with an additional STEM endorsement through the University of West Georgia. I am newly married and am enjoying every minute of this exciting time of life! I was born & raised in Cartersville, Georgia and proudly spend my Saturdays during football season cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs!! I am blessed to be the only girl in my family with two brothers, which probably fostered my dream of becoming a teacher from the very beginning. When I am not at work, you can find me making memories with my friends & family or doing anything outdoors. I don’t have children of my own yet, but lots of my free time is spent planting flowers and trying to keep them alive. My classroom is my home away from home, and I strive to nurture a classroom community where my students feel the same. I look forward to spending the year building memories, laughing with, and growing with your children.
Quote: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle
Quote: “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle
Emmaree Womble
Hello! My name is Emmaree Womble and I am excited to be teaching 5th grade at Mountain View Elementary. This is my first-year teaching, and I am very excited to start my career here at Mountain View. I am a native of Cairo, Georgia and recently relocated to Marietta this year. I attended the University of Georgia and obtained my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In my free time, I love to read and spend time with my family and friends.
“You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss
“You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss