Hello! I am Mirela Abild. I am the office manager at Lovejoy. I was born and raised in Bosnia, where I lived until the summer of 2000. Having made the decision to move to the United States, my parents and I settled in Des Moines. Living in the United States has given me the opportunity to grow and develop, both personally and professionally. I am fortunate to have parents who have professed strong cultural and moral ideology that has carried on throughout my life. I am currently pursuing my teaching degree at Drake University with continued support of my family and friends. I am married to my husband Zach, and we have two girls and two boys!
Hi! My name is Jill Paczkowski, but everyone at Lovejoy knows me as “Nurse Jill”. I have been the School Nurse at Lovejoy for 9 years, and will be starting my 10th year this Fall (2020). I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 1983, and have worked in many different settings over the years, including 2 years as a School Nurse in Indiana. My husband is a Minister, and we have 1 daughter who is married and has 2 little boys in Omaha, Nebraska. My favorite activities are quilting, playing with my grandsons, and watching movies with my husband in the evenings. I love being at Lovejoy…our students and staff are like family to me, and I love being available to care for them when they need me. If you ever have questions or concerns about health (physical, mental, or emotional), immunizations, or anything else and you do not know who to contact, please feel free to contact me. I will help you in any way I can, or refer you to the person here at Lovejoy that can help you the most! I look forward to the day I can see you all again, but in the meantime please be safe and stay healthy!!
Hello! My name is Sia Turner and this is my first year here at Lovejoy. I am so excited to get to know each of your students!
As a community school coordinator I connect students and families with our community in the school and throughout our city. In our school, I run the food pantry and laundry facilities. Outside of Lovejoy, I communicate with organizations to help provide resources for our school. I am always good contact point if you are a family in need of community services, or if you are a community organization looking to get involved with the school and can always be reached through email or by calling or texting (515)-650-3616.
I am a Des Moines native and went to East High School (Go Scarlets!) before attending Iowa State University where I graduated with my B.S. in Child, Adult & Family services. I speak English and Spanish and am always here to help answer questions. If I can’t help you myself, I can always refer you to the right person!