Early Childhood Director, Teacher 3K/4K, Gr. 6-8 Language Arts

My name is Karla Aden. I am blessed to teach 4K and 5K, and I serve as the early childhood director at St. John-St. James.

I attended grade school in my hometown of Beaver Dam, WI at St. Stephen’s Lutheran School. I graduated from Northwestern Preparatory School (now known as Luther Preparatory School) in Watertown, WI, and I graduated from Dr. Martin Luther College (now known as Martin Luther College) in New Ulm, MN, in 1991.

I have spent three decades working with children and their families. God has blessed me with opportunities to teach all grades of elementary school in private and public settings, early childhood, and special education. I also served in the administration of an early childhood center. God has led me through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri and back to Wisconsin. I have loved each opportunity, and I am humbled and honored to have been trusted with God’s precious lambs by so many families over the years. All of these opportunities have uniquely prepared me for my current position at St. John-St. James. Besides loving the opportunity to teach, I also write childhood development articles and curriculum for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

I am married to Pastor Darin Aden, who also serves at St. John-St. James. His education and ministry precipitated several moves for our family, the most recent one to Reedsville in the summer of 2016. We are blessed with four children, Lydia lives and works in the area.  Maya and Joshua are studying to be teachers in the Lutheran school system at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN.  Anna is a student at Manitowoc Lutheran High School.

Our family enjoys tent-camping and playing games. Darin and I spend spare time reading, cooking and kayaking. The beach with a good book is my happy place.

Matthew 19:14 – “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'”

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