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Staff Bios
Toni Fuller Merfeld, M.S.Ed.
Director |
 Toni
is the Executive Director and Owner of Metro West Kids Learning Center
and President of the Metro West Kids Foundation. She has been in the
field of education for 30 years and has extensive experience working
with students with learning and behavior challenges both in the
classroom and as a consultant in the public and private sectors. She
has been trained in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
and in structuring classrooms for students with Autism using the TEACHH
model developed by the University of North Carolina. Her experience in
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) teaching strategies provide students
with the individualization of instruction necessary to create a
meaningful learning experience for students and parents alike. In
addition to her work at Metro West Kids Learning Center, she is
the Executive Board Secretary for the International Council for
Exceptional Children's Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities
(DADD), President-elect, Iowa Council for Exceptional Children; and the
children's mental health consultant for the Iowa Department of
Education. She is a member of CEC's Division on Behavior Disorders, The
Association of Positive Behavior Supports, National Autism Society and
the Iowa Autism society and CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention
Deficit Disorder). |
Tracy Ahrenholtz
Preschool Instructor |
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 Tracy
Ahrenholtz comes to Metro West from a small farming community in
southwest Iowa. She has taught Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special
Education the past 12 years. She has training and knowledge in
meeting the needs of all young children. She uses a variety of
strategies to find what is most effective with individual children.
She was awarded her Masters in Education with Field Specialization in
Early Childhood Special Education through the University of Northern
Iowa in May, 2007. Tracy has knowledge, experience, and training
in ABA, Discrete Trial, Social Training, Picture Exchange
Communication (PECS), Social Stories, Positive Behavioral Supports,
and Behavior Modification. She continues to seek training, courses,
research, and workshops to further her knowledge in meeting the needs
of all her students and providing the best curriculum for them.
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Marci Barker
Instructor |
 Marci
has a Master of Arts in Education from Morningside College and a
Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood with a minor in Early Childhood
Special Education from the University of Northern Iowa. Marci
has worked as an early childhood special education teacher for Des
Moines Public Schools for the past 6 years. She works in a
integrated preschool classroom that currently serves a variety of
different special needs. She has had training in effective
programming for students with Autism, PECS and has had several years
of experience
in working with students with ASD.
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Candice Borts
Instructor |
 Candice
holds both a bachelors and masters degree in early childhood special education
from the University of Northern Iowa.
She
currently works for Des Moines Public Schools as an Early Childhood
Special Education teacher, teaching in a self-contained classroom with
students who have a variety of special needs, but the majority of whom
have autism. She teaches summer school and does respite and SCL
care. Candice has been trained in TEACCH and the Picture Exchange
Communication System and is on the Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Team
at her school. |
Susan Bruce
Instructor |
 Susan
Bruce has a Master of Arts degree in Special Education for Emotionally
and Behaviorally Disordered students and a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Speech Communications. She
has 34 years of experience in education in a variety of educational
settings. Susan moved to
Des Moines in 2008, coming from Charlotte, North Carolina where she
was a District Coach for Positive Behavioral Interventions and
Supports. In her spare
time, Susan enjoys gardening, reading and training her dog for agility
courses. Susan is a mother of four and has one grandson. |
Deb Hearn
Instructor |
 Deb
holds a bachelor of science degree in education with graduate work in
reading and special education. Her experience includes working in an
elementary classroom and substitute teaching at all levels. These
experiences have prepared her to individualize instruction for each of her
students in a way that best meets their needs. As a personal coach,
Deb believes all student performance can be enhanced by individualized
instruction in a one-on-one setting. |
Alishea Henze
Speech Pathlogist |
 Alishea holds a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology
from the University of Northern Iowa. In addition to facilitating social
skills groups at Metro West Kids Learning Center, she serves as a Speech
Pathologist for Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS). During her time at
DMPS, she has served children and families with autism from Early Access
(ages birth to 3-years) to middle school. She has served as an Early
Access play group facilitator for children with autism. Her experience
working with preschool-age children with autism includes co-teaching an
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) summer school class for
children with ASD, as well as providing individual and group
speech-language services for children in an ECSE Autism classroom.
Alishea has also provided individual, small group, and classroom
collaborative speech and language services for a K-5 autism program and
middle school structured teaching classrooms. She has training and
experience with Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), such
as the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and voice output
devices. At MetroWest Kids Learning Center, Alishea provides
assessment and instruction of social language related to social skills
and play skills for preschool- and elementary-age students. |
Michelle Johnson
Instructor |
 Michelle
holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education from
Iowa State University. Michelle currently works one-on-one with
children on the autism spectrum through the use of Applied Behavior
Analysis (ABA). Michelle does respite and SCL work and implements
goals in areas of communication skills (including the use of PECS),
social skills, self-care skills, fine and gross motor skills, etc.
Michelle also does reading and math tutoring and substitute teaching.
Michelle grew up in West Des Moines and currently lives in Ames.
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Paul Thompson
Instructor
 Paul has taught all
subjects with Kindergarten through 12th grade Homebound Students at
DMPS for the last 17 years. He has completed 31 years teaching to
include Coon Rapids, Perry and Des Moines. For 16 of those years, he
taught Coms181, “Intro to Computers” for DMACC in the evenings.
Paul earned a Masters Degree in Professional Studies in Education from
ISU in 1984 with endorsements in Learning Disabilities, Mental
Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders and more recently a Reading
Specialist K-12 Endorsement. Paul brings to Metro West his
skills in academics. He enjoys teaching math and language arts
and specializes in teaching Reading. He individualizes
instruction while meeting students at their instructional level on a
daily basis, 8 hours a day. He withdraws from few challenges and
has helped students at Metro West Kids Learning to boost their skills
preparing for the ACT and SAT. |
Clarcie Thornburg
Speech Pathologist |
 Clarcie
brings over 30 years of experience working with students and families
throughout Iowa as a Speech Language Pathologist in the schools. Her
undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the University of Iowa.
Clarcie’s experience consists of working with preschool through high
school students and includes a wide variety of speech and language
disabilities. Every student has offered new challenges, rewards and
opportunities for greater learning. “I am excited to work in the
Metro West setting where professionals and families work together to
meet the needs of each child and adolescent”. |
Sue VanEssen, M.A. C.C.C.
Speech Pathologist |
 Sue has served the greater Polk County Schools for the
last 32 years as a Speech Language Pathologist through Heartland AEA
#11. Her experience has included working with a diverse student
population. Sue graduated with her undergraduate and graduate degrees
from Truman State University. She brings experience to Metro West
Learning Center in the areas of early childhood, assistive technology,
spectrum disorders, language/learning disabilities, and parent
education. “Working in the schools has provided me experiences with a
wide age range. I look forward to working with Toni and her team at
Metro West in a caring educational setting.” |
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"By the time we found
Metro West Kids Learning Center, school had become a miserable place for
my bright, but learning disabled, son. Toni and the staff at MWLC have given him the one-on-one attention necessary
to build his confidence, and specific learning strategies he is
putting to use every day in the classroom!
-Tracy H.
MWLC Parent
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