Specialty Classes

Brenda Arnell- Music Specialist/ Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program

I’m so excited to be part of Heritage Elementary! My husband and I have five children, and we love spending time together as a family, especially on horseback. I also enjoy kayaking, hiking, paddle boarding, reading, and of course… music!

Brené Brown said, “Creativity is the mechanism that allows learning to seep into our being and become practice.” Music has a unique way of carrying learning from our hands to our hearts and minds. It inspires confidence, builds connection, and helps us feel less alone. I love helping children discover the joy that music can bring.

My Favorites:

Trina Jackson- SEM Specialist

Hello! My name is Trina Jackson! I am originally from Davis County and moved to Cache Valley with my husband 26 years ago to attend college.  We fell in love with the valley and decided it was the perfect place for us to raise our family.  I have three children and one son-in-law:  Josie (Cougar), Carter, and Avri, and I will be a first-time grandma in September!  I earned a Bachelor's Degree in English with an emphasis in Literary Studies from Utah State University, and I started out at Heritage as a Reading Aid in 2011.  In 2018 I became an SEM Specialist and started teaching SEM at Millville Elementary, Mountainside Elementary, and Canyon Elementary.  In 2020, I was invited to come back to Heritage and was so excited to be back at this awesome school!  I love my job, and I love my students! 

My Favorites:

Color: Green
Season: Spring
Flower: Ranunculus
Treat/Snack: Chocolate-covered Cinnamon Bears, Kit Kats
Drink: Dr. Pepper
Restaurant: Firehouse Pizza
Ice Cream: chocolate peanut butter
Animal: Golden Retreiver
Movie: 50 First Dates
Book: To Kill a Mockingbird
Hobbies: Travel, reading, photography

Linda Keller- P.E. Specialist

Hi my name is Linda Keller. I am so excited to be a part of the Heritage Elementary Team! I come from Davis County where I taught PE at the elementary level for 21 years. I remarried a few years ago and moved to Cache Valley. I have 4 grown children, three boys and a girl, and I’m a grandma to two beautiful grand daughters! I have a background in fitness, sports, and dance. I'm passionate about exposing children to a variety of activities that will instill in them a love for staying active and healthy as they grow into amazing people!

Please remember to wear good gym shoes and appropriate clothing on PE day. Please no: boots, sandals, or flip-flops. You want to move comfortable in P.E class to have the best experience.

My Favorites:

Color: Yellow or Aqua
Flower: Anemone or ranunculus
Treat/Snack: Reeses, Twix
Drink: Diet Dr. Pepper w/ fresh Lime
Restaurant: Olive Garden
Ice Cream: Chocolate & Peanut butter
Hobbies: Yoga, pickleball, skiing, volleyball, softball, yard work, guitar, & hot tubing
Book: The Giver

Shalayne Merrill-Bragg- Computer Specialist/STEM Lab

My name is Shalayne Merrill-Bragg, and I love teaching computers at Heritage Elementary! I am married and have 3 amazing kids: my daughter is a 6th grade teacher in Eagle Mountain, I have a son at Utah State University, and a son at Ridgeline High School. I went to school at both Utah Valley University and Utah State University, studying Liberal Arts and Speech Communications. In my spare time, I love to do digital design work, work in my flower gardens, and ride my bike. In the summer, I like to do lots of organized bike rides like Little Red, Goldilocks, and the Cache Valley Century. I love to travel with my family and we are huge Disneyland fans. My husband and I even got married on Disneyland’s birthday and then my daughter decided she needed the same birthday too! I have been teaching at Heritage for 10 years and I love teaching technology. I hope to engage our students by learning to code and learn keyboarding skills in fun new ways. 

My Favorites:

Nichelle Schmidt- Art Specialist

Hello friends!! My name is Nichelle Schmidt, and I am so excited to be teaching art at Heritage! My husband and I have 3 kids, all of whom are here at Heritage! Our favorite thing is simply spending time together, whether that's having a backyard movie night, going to Bear Lake, or reading together.

I've been making art as long as I can remember. I love creating, and can't wait to see what all of you amazing artists will show me! Your art will be amazing, not because it is perfect, not because you don't make mistakes, but because you dare to try!! Art gives us creative problem-solving skills, helps us to see things in different ways, and is the best way to share our hearts and minds with the world. 

I can't wait to see you in class! 

My Favorites:

Color: Yellow
Flower: Tulips
Treat/Snack: Homemade macarons and anything with chocolate and carmel!
Drink: Dr. Pepper or specialty lemonades
Restaurant: Takara Sushi
Book: Pride and Prejudice
Hobbies: Reading, crocheting, baking, crafting, being outdoors with my family (especially at Bear Lake!), and spending quality time with the people I love!

Nichole Singleton- Media Specialist/Librarian

My Favorites:

Color: Yellow
Flower: Peony
Treat/Snack: Chocolate
Drink: Coke Zero
Animal: My puppy Jax
Book: Where the Sidewalk Ends
Hobbies: Reading, Aggie sports, & boating