Spring Grove School District is excited to introduce four new teachers who have joined the Spring Grove community this year: Ethan Papenfuss, Dana Langworthy, Brett Gulbranson, Erin Woods, Jeannine Hisel, and Laura Moen, a group united by their dedication to students and their love of learning.
Ethan Papenfuss
Growing up near Spring Grove, Ethan Papenfuss always admired the community’s pride in its school and the strong tradition of music and the arts. Now, as the new kindergarten and second through 12th grade general and instrumental music teacher, Papenfuss is eager to help students develop a love for music and the value of music. He envisions a vibrant pep band at sporting events and a marching band for next year’s Syttende Mai celebration.
Papenfuss is originally from the Houston, Minn. area. He graduated from Houston High School in 2018 and Luther College in 2022, where he earned a degree in Instrumental Music Education. This is his fourth year teaching.
Papenfuss strives to create a classroom where high expectations meet encouragement, helping students become confident and well-rounded musicians not only in the art itself, but also in its transferable skills, such as teamwork, problem-solving, and perseverance. Papenfuss believes that every student has unique strengths.
Outside of school, he enjoys woodworking, hiking, and spending time with his wife, Jessica, who is a farmer, and their puppy Indie.
Laura Moen
Returning to her roots, Laura Moen joins the district as the school’s new K-12 Special Education teacher. A Spring Grove graduate from Blackhammer Township, Moen’s journey has taken her from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. to teaching English in Shanghai, China, for three years.
Inspired by the wonderful and inspiring teachers she had in Spring Grove, Moen is committed to helping students grow, learn, and discover their. She believes in nurturing a lifelong love of learning and feels honored to be part of her students’ journeys.
When not in the classroom, Moen is busy with her three children and enjoys cooking, traveling, fishing, and camping.
Jeannine Hisel
For Jeannine Hisel, the new K-12 school counselor, the path to education was shaped by family and personal experience. She teaches Social Emotional Learning and Career Exploration.
Originally from the Milwaukee area, Hisel was influenced by a teacher father and nurse mother, as well as the support she received from her own guidance counselor during challenging school years. She graduated from East Troy High School in East Troy, Wis., and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Winona State University, and the University of Northern Iowa.
With nearly two decades of experience, including time at Caledonia and Eastern Allamakee School in Iowa, Hisel is drawn to Spring Grove’s strong sense of community, traditions, and family values. She added that it is also fun to learn about the town and family history.
Her teaching philosophy is “All students moving forward – always learning, growing, empowered, and resilient.”
In her free time, she enjoys outside activities with her two dogs, gardening, hiking, snowshoeing, and spending time with family, traveling, and exploring new places, especially the local artisans and restaurants.
Dana Langworthy
Art finds a passionate advocate in Dana Langworthy, who was hired to teach K-12 grade art. Hailing from Detroit Lakes, Minn., Langworthy graduated from Detroit Lakes Senior High School and Winona State University.
Langworthy’s love for art and working with children shines through. With five years of teaching experience at Zumbota-Mazeppa Elementary School, she is excited to join Spring Grove. “I have heard such great things about this school district, and I have recently relocated and do not live very far away.”
Langworthy believes that “Anyone can become great at anything they want to become great at.”
When she’s not teaching, she enjoys running, weightlifting, hiking, painting, drawing, reading and scrapbooking.
Together, these four educators embody the spirit of Spring Grove, dedicated, enthusiastic, and ready to inspire the next generation. The community is excited to support them as they begin their journey in the district.
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