Students, families, and Lovejoy community – my name is Brandi Otto, principal of Lovejoy Elementary School. I was raised in the Des Moines metro area, attended Des Moines Public Schools, and graduated from East High School. My love of teaching began at an early age but my career in education started at Studebaker Elementary School in 1996 as a Special Education Associate and would later inspire me to pursue an Elementary Education degree from Grand View University. Upon graduation, I served as a Special Education and 5th grade teacher at Morris Elementary before moving to Garton Elementary as the TLC Instructional Coach, 21st CCLC site director, and Released Dean. My passion for teaching led to a further interest in administration and I earned a master’s degree in Teacher Effectiveness and a specialist degree from Drake University. My degrees from Drake and professional experiences allowed me to serve as the Associate Principal at Moulton Elementary School and currently principal of Lovejoy Elementary where I’m excited to continue my love of teaching and passion for leading staff and students.
My husband, Dave, and I share four children who keep us busy ranging in age from middle school to high school and beyond. In our free time, we enjoy traveling, kayaking, fishing, and spending time with family and friends. During fall weekends, you can find me watching football – Go Hawkeyes and Chicago Bears!
As we embark on this year’s journey, I am committed to securing safe and productive learning environments for all students while building strong relationships with families and our community to create a positive culture for continued excellence and academic success.
