District Directory

Hi, my name is Mike Finck and I began teaching 5th grade at Lettie Brown in 1994.  I have a beautiful wife, Trisha and two awesome children Austin and Alli.  I enjoy the outdoors and spending time with my family.  You can often find us at a sporting event for one of the kids.  Teaching is the greatest profession.  I never get tired of the look on a 5th grader's face when they have learned something new and I get to see the "Now I get it expression" for the first time.

Hi, I am Katy Gingerich! I began teaching 5th grade at Lettie Brown in 2012 upon graduating from Illinois State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Middle Level Education. In 2015, I received a Master's of Science in Teaching and Learning with a specialization in educational technology. I grew up on a farm in rural Tremont with three older brothers. Now, my husband and I live in Morton and have two children, Elyse and Reid.I enjoy running and spending time with my family.

Mission for the Class:
My goal is to educate each student to achieve personal excellence. I want to instill my passion for learning into my students in a supportive, encouraging environment with infectious enthusiasm.

Crystal Lohnes came to Morton 709 to bring the food services home. After decades of paying food service providers, she came on board to intentionally build a meal program that students and staff can look forward to in the middle of the school day. She is building menus as she builds a food services team. She would love to hear what your students look forward to the most.

I’ve served Morton District 709 in a variety of roles since 2017, first serving as the district’s elementary MTSS coordinator for five years and recently as an ELA teacher at both Lincoln School and Morton Junior High School (from 2023-2026). I also coach the M.J.H.S. cross country team. Prior to working in Morton, I spent fifteen years at Central Junior High in East Peoria as a classroom teacher, literacy coordinator, and coach.

A Peoria native, I completed my undergraduate degree at Illinois Wesleyan University and obtained my master’s degree at Illinois State University. I’ve lived in Morton since 2003, and my two children (Will and Amelia) attend Morton High School.

I am excited to be moving to the role of elementary instructional coach this fall, supporting teachers and student learning. I am proud to serve our district and am looking forward to collaborating with staff members. In my spare time, you will find me supporting MHS golf, baseball, and dance, and spending time with my family.

Mrs. Steiner is the school social worker at Lettie Brown Elementary School. She graduated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor’s of science degree in special education. Prior to graduating with a Master’s in social work from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana in May 2017, Mrs. Steiner was a special education teacher and has taught in the Rock Island/Milan 41 District, Sherrard Unit 200 District, and River bend District. Mrs. Steiner is excited to be a part of the Morton 709 district and community. She is married to her husband, Andrew, and they have one daughter, Charlotte. In her free time, Mrs. Steiner loves spending time with her family, playing sports, drinking coffee, and reading a good book.

I feel very honored to have the opportunity to work in such a wonderful district.  I look forward to working with all of the students, parents, and staff in the Morton community.

I have been honored to serve as the principal and to work with the students, staff, and parents of the Lettie Brown community since July 2012.  After graduating from Illinois State University, I began my career in education as a social sciences teacher at Prairie Central High School in Fairbury, Illinois.  After teaching high school for three years, I returned to school to achieve my masters degree in the field of social work at the University of Illinois.  I was employed as a school social worker with Morton CUSD 709 for thirteen years before being appointed the principal of Lettie Brown.  I completed my administrative certificate from Bradley University in May 2006.  I truly consider it an honor and blessing to serve as the leader of Lettie Brown, and my family and I are thankful to be members of a community that places a high value on education. 

Mission for the School:   Mrs. Waterfield's mission for Lettie Brown is to make safety a top priority, to continually promote a positive school culture, to encourage collaboration and commitment among all stakeholders, and to help each student reach his/her maximum potential.  Truly, each student is a blessing, and he/she makes a special and unique imprint on the halls of Lettie Brown!