Meadow Brook Elementary

Our second grade teachers made the most of their summer by traveling, visiting with friends and family and soaking up the sun!

Our new computer teacher is DaNielle Brough (pronounced "Bruff")! Mrs. Brough grew up in Orem and has lived in Utah County her entire life. She has been married to her husband for 17 years (next week) and they have two boys, ages 9 and 5, as well as a dog named Maple. She loves camping, hiking, and doing anything Lego-related with her family. She also enjoys reading in the backyard while sipping a Dr. Pepper. Mrs. Brough says "I have always loved to spend time in the school/classroom with the students as a parent and am so excited to spend my time with and get to know every student in the school. I believe in making every child feel safe, recognized and celebrated for who they are. l can't wait to see what we can accomplish together." It's going to be a great year with Mrs. Brough!!

Our preschool teachers have had some big life changes this summer! We love seeing our teachers grow!

Meet Janaina Sousa! She will be joining our team as an ESL technician! She was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and moved to the United States after getting married. She and her husband have been married for 30 years and have four children, all of whom are now adults. They are excited to become grandparents in March!

Mrs. Sousa has a deep love for individuals and families. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies from Brigham Young University–Idaho and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social work at Utah State University. As a non-native English speaker, she understands how challenging it can be to communicate in a second language.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking new recipes, listening to ’90s music, organizing and decorating, and indulging in good pasta and chocolate desserts. A quote that Mrs. Sousa loves says "Education is more than the information we accumulate in our heads. It's the habits we develop as we keep revising our drafts and the skills we build to keep learning." -Adam Grant

Let's check in with our first grade teachers about their summers!

Meet Abigail Davis! She is so excited to join Meadow Brook as a Speech-Language Pathologist this year. Her goal is to support students in becoming confident, successful communicators and to work closely with families and teachers as they reach each milestone together. Whether the focus is on speech sounds, language, or social skills, she wants every student to know that their voice matters and is valued.

Outside of speech therapy, Abigail enjoys reading, riding her bike, and hiking in the beautiful mountains. Originally from South Alabama, she still finds the views here breathtaking every day.

Mican McClellan is one of our newest members on our second grade team this year! Ms. McClellan is originally from Texas, she moved to Utah to attend BYU, where she studied Elementary Education and Spanish. She loves spending time with her family, being creative, and traveling. She says "My goal this year is to make my classroom a place where students feel loved, capable, safe, and challenged to reach their potential." Welcome to the Mustang Team Ms. McClellan!

Our third grade teachers were living their best lives this summer! ☀️

Get to know Ammon Russell, one of our new special education teachers! He grew up playing sports and staying active, which taught him the value of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. He has always loved fishing—it’s one of his favorite ways to relax and connect with nature. He’s also a huge fan of superheroes, drawn to their courage, resilience, and drive to help others. That same passion fuels his desire to support and uplift those around him. Mr. Russell says "In my classroom, I strive to create a space that is safe, welcoming, and focused on both learning and personal growth. I want every student to know that all feelings are valid, and together, we can build the tools to navigate them and reach our goals." We are so excited he's a part of our Mustang team!

Our fifth grade teachers had a busy and FUN summer with their friends and family!

We are equally excited and amazed that the 2025–2026 school year is just around the corner! We have so many incredible hopes and plans for this year. Please refer to the second picture for two VERY important dates and times. See you soon, Mustangs! 💚💙

We have another fantastic new staff member for you to meet! This is one of our new special education teachers, Alma Powell! She and her husband love going on adventures with their son. She enjoys anything outdoors, including sunflowers, sunsets, going to the beach, paddle boarding, camping, and hiking. Mrs. Powell says "I hope my classroom can be a place that students love to be—a space where they feel safe, excited, and successful. I am so excited to be a Mustang this year!"

Let's find out what our kindergarten teachers have been up to this summer!

We are thrilled to announce a new member to our Meadow Brook team! This year, Alli Albrecht will be teaching 4th grade and is so excited to begin! She just got married in June, which has been such a fun new chapter. Originally from Virginia, Mrs. Albrecht enjoys running, playing pickleball, and spending time with her family. She says " In my classroom, I plan to build a strong sense of community where we feel like a family. I want every student to feel safe, respected, and valued—a place where they can share ideas, support one another, and grow together through learning. I can't wait for this school year! "

Tabitha's Way Local Food Pantry in Spanish Fork is hosting its 14th Annual Gear Up for School Event where they will be handing out 1,200 free backpacks full of school supplies to families in need as well as free resources and a free lunch to all children who attend the event.

This event will be held on July 26, 2025, at Riverview Elementary School at 628 S West Park Dr, Spanish Fork, from 9 - 11 am.

If your family is in need of assistance this upcoming school year, please take advantage of this generous event!

Nebo is partnering with the Utah Food Bank again this year to provide free summer meals in four of Nebo School District communities. Fresh and free summer meals will be offered every Monday through Friday. Nebo se está asociando con el Banco de Alimentos de Utah nuevamente este año para proporcionar comidas de verano gratuitas en cuatro de las comunidades del Distrito Escolar de Nebo. Se ofrecerán comidas de verano frescas y gratuitas de lunes a viernes.

To celebrate all the incredible reading our students have done this year, we hosted a joyful Reading Carnival—a fun-filled event recognizing hard work, imagination, and a love for books! The entire school transformed into a festive carnival space, complete with cotton candy, games, activities, and prizes. This special day was all about recognizing the dedication and enthusiasm our students have shown toward reading all year long. We are so proud of their achievements and growth—and this carnival was the perfect way to say “Well done!” A huge thank you to Miss Christensen, our Technicians, teachers, and parent volunteers that made the event a great success. Keep reading, keep imagining, and keep shining!

In second grade, we’re ending the year by learning about people who have fought for important causes. From Susan B. Anthony fighting for women’s right to vote, to César Chávez standing up for the rights of migrant workers, to Martin Luther King Jr. and his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement—these individuals have made a lasting impact. Our students have been practicing writing poems to honor these inspiring people and their accomplishments. Here is the poem our class wrote together about Martin Luther King Jr.

Today we celebrated an amazing year of growth, laughter, and learning! Some of our preschool explorers are off to new adventures in kindergarten, while others will be back to shine even brighter next year. ⭐️