Cedar Rapids Prep

🚧 Weekly Building Update 🚧

This week, we're making more progress on our new front entrance as crews pour the concrete for the main walkway and entry area!

It's exciting to see another important milestone completed as the entrance continues to take shape!

Meet Ms. Manternach! 🌟

With 30 years of experience in education, Ms. Manternach joins the Cedar Rapids Prep family after teaching 1st, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Her passion for learning and helping students grow has been at the heart of her career, and she's excited to begin this new chapter with our school community.

What excites Ms. Manternach most about Cedar Rapids Prep is the incredible student engagement and the dedication of our staff and families. She feels truly grateful to join such a supportive and collaborative community.

Beyond academics, Ms. Manternach hopes students learn that being a learner means embracing challenges. Success isn't just about the final result. It's about the effort, practice, and even the mistakes along the way that help us grow. She wants every student to know that learning is a journey, and it's okay to keep trying.

Outside of school, Ms. Manternach enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, trying new restaurants, watching and playing sports, and curling up with a good book.

Welcome to Bison Nation, Ms. Manternach! 🦬

What makes Cedar Rapids Prep different? It starts in the classroom.

Our teachers are more than instructors, they're mentors, coaches, and believers in every student's potential. We don't just teach to test. We teach students how to think, how to lead, and how to show up for others. 📚

That's the CRP difference.

Meet Ms. Westergaard! 🌟

Ms. Westergaard is joining the Cedar Rapids Prep family, bringing 20 years of experience in education and a passion for helping students grow both academically and personally.

As she begins this new chapter at Cedar Rapids Prep, she's excited for a fresh journey in education. She looks forward to meeting new teammates, students, and families, and is inspired by the positive energy and momentum she already feels throughout the school community.

Beyond academics, Ms. Westergaard hopes to help students trust their own thinking and understand that mistakes are an important part of learning and growth. She wants every student to know they are capable of doing hard things and to leave her classroom with the confidence to tackle any challenge that comes their way. Most of all, she hopes to help shape kind, compassionate humans who believe in themselves.

Outside of school, you'll most likely find Ms. Westergaard cheering on her kids at the ball field or in the gym. She also enjoys relaxing by the pool with her Kindle, making a Target run, and squeezing in a round of golf. She also loves trying new restaurants, binge-watching a good drama series, and most importantly, chocolate is the way to her heart!

Welcome to Bison Nation, Ms. Westergaard! 🦬

🚧Weekly Building Update 🚧

Our new school is getting more character every day! 🎨

From freshly painted classrooms to colorful kitchen tile, each new detail is making our space feel more like home. It's exciting to imagine all the learning, laughter, and memories these spaces will soon hold.

🌟 Meet Mr. Dugdale! 🌟

Mr. Dugdale is joining the Cedar Rapids Prep family as a World Languages teacher! With 30 years of teaching experience, primarily at the college level, he brings a lifelong passion for languages, cultures, and helping students discover the world beyond the classroom.

Originally from Colombia and a first-generation college student, Mr. Dugdale studied languages at Oxford University before coming to the United States for graduate school. He began his teaching career at Harrow School in London and has since studied or taught on every continent except Antarctica. He also speaks eight languages!

Mr. Dugdale is excited to share his love of languages and cultures with Cedar Rapids Prep students. He hopes to inspire students to discover their passions, become independent scholars, and build the skills and confidence they need for college and beyond.

When he's not in the classroom, Mr. Dugdale enjoys playing tennis, cycling, watching soccer, traveling, and spending time with his wife and their two children.

Welcome to Bison Nation, Mr. Dugdale! 🦬

🎭 Where creativity takes center stage and confidence comes to life!

At Cedar Rapids Prep, our Drama Department gives students the opportunity to grow as performers, storytellers, and leaders. Through acting, stage production, and live performances, students build confidence, communication skills, creativity, collaboration, and self-expression. Whether they're under the spotlight or behind the scenes, every production helps prepare students for success both on stage and beyond.

Meet Ms. Linnell! 🌟

Ms. Linnell is joining the Cedar Rapids Prep family as a High School Social Studies Teacher! As a first-year teacher, she recently graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelor's degree in Social Science Teaching and a minor in World History. During her student teaching at Wilton Jr./Sr. High School, she taught Global Studies, American History, World History, and Economics.

She is excited to be part of the Cedar Rapids Prep team and can't wait to grow alongside the school's founding high school class. She looks forward to helping build a strong school community and creating meaningful learning experiences for her students.

Beyond academics, Ms. Linnell hopes her students learn to be confident in themselves and their work. She wants every student to feel comfortable challenging themselves, taking risks, and growing both in the classroom and in all aspects of their lives.

Outside of school, Ms. Linnell loves all kinds of crafts! Lately, she's been especially into bedazzling which includes a thrifted globe she's decorating for her future classroom! She also enjoys curling up on the couch with a good book and her two cats.

Welcome to Bison Nation, Ms. Linnell! 🦬