Specialist Teachers

Daren Tesch

PE and Health

Mr. Daren Tesch has been teaching in the Catholic school system for almost two decades. On any day you may find him teaching health to the middle school students in the classroom, teaching Physical Education to the preschoolers, or supervising the gym during our home sporting events. He believes in teaching life long health skills to keep our students healthy long after they leave Notre Dame Academy.

Jesse Robertson

Technology

Jesse Robertson graduated from Moorhead State University with a BS in Elementary Education in 1995. He started his teaching career in Houston, Texas; teaching 5th and 6th grade students. He then moved back to Minnesota and taught at The Tesseract School, Nativity of Mary Catholic School, and Howard Lake – Waverly – Winsted Public Schools. Mr. Robertson is in his first year at Notre Dame Academy. He lives in Minnetrista, MN, with his wife of 25 years, two daughters, a dog, and a cat.

Maggie Turner

Spanish

Mrs. Maggie Turner started at St. John’s in 2007 and has been with NDA since the beginning. She loves seeing the kids practice speaking in another language and being excited to learn about different cultures. Mrs. Turner enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Lori Wukmir

Music and Theatre

Mrs. Lori Wukmir has spent the last fourteen years with the NDA community, teaching music and drama! A native of Colorado, she first made a living in the Twin Cities as an actress before receiving her teaching license from the University of Minnesota. She loves getting to know ALL the kids at NDA, but looks forward most to putting them all on stage!

Adam Bestler

Band and Staging

Mr. Bestler came to be the Director of Bands at the Hopkins/Minnetonka Catholic Schools in 2000 after several years of working at Hopkins High School. In addition to directing the Notre Dame Academy Bands, he is a performing multi-instrumentalist in the Twin Cities metro area and conducts two adult professional bands. He also teaches the Jazz Studies program at Chaska High School and is the owner operator of a local small business. If you’d like to reach his class website, click here.

Brittnee Olson

Art

Mrs. Brittnee Olson graduated from the University of Minnesota with her Masters in Art Education. Working with students is a passion of hers. Over the past ten years she worked with students in a variety of ways including nannying, teaching in early childhood education and elementary education. She values teacher and student relationships and seeks to create a safe environment for her students to learn and grow in the art classroom. Mrs. Olson's goal as an Art Teacher at NDA is to help empower students to create artwork that is meaningful to them. Mrs. Olson enjoys hiking, running, art, baking and spending time with her husband, Sam, son, Elijah, and their dog, Rosa.

Prudence O’Connor

Learning Specialist

Ms. Prudence O’Connor is a dedicated, well-educated teaching professional. She comes from a family of educators and has experience with a variety of children in a wide range of settings. Ms. O’Connor embodies the principles of a lifelong learner.

Kris Nelson

Learning Assistant

Mrs. Nelson is the Learning Assistant for grades K-4. After working in the business world, teaching and training adults, she left to raise her two boys, both of whom attended NDA (PK through 8th grade). She understands first hand that everyone learns differently and feels blessed to be able to support the students in any way possible, helping them to feel confident and successful.

Katie Schneeman

Literacy Coach