Welcome to my website. My Name is Kristin J.S. Nelson. I was born and raised in Cottonwood, Wells and Glenwood, Minnesota. I graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Music degree from Augsburg College, Minneapolis. Later, I received level 3 certification in the Kodály Music Method from St. Thomas University.

My first two years contract teaching was in Montgomery, MN. In the Fall of 1993, I began teaching in Minneapolis at Olson Elementary and Wenonah Elementary. The next two years I taught at Lincoln Elementary and Wenonah Elementary. In the Fall of 1996, I taught Music Education and restarted the Band program part-time at Wenonah Elementary. In the Fall of 2006 Wenonah and Keewaydin joined to become Lake Nokomis Community School. I continued to teach Music Education part-time at the Wenonah Campus (K-3). In the Fall of 2008, I continued teaching at the Wenonah Campus and became the Band teacher at Keewaydin Campus (4-8) getting to see many of the students I came to know at Wenonah Campus. After 19 years teaching at Wenonah, program changes had me looking for another school.  In the Fall of 2012, I restarted Music Education at Anne Sullivan Communication Center full-time.  The first year I taught K-3 Autism and High-5 - 4th grade.  From 2013-2017, I taught High-5 - 8th gr. Music Education.  In the Fall of 2017, I began working at Hmong International Academy (HIA) still teaching High-5 - 8th grade Music Education.

In 1988 I married my high school sweetheart Steve. We have two children at home: Arianna, born 1998 and Alijah, born 2002. We also have a birth-daughter Janna that we see and communicate with often.  She is teaching Spanish to 7th and 8th graders in Cottage Grove, MN.

I really enjoy teaching Music Education. It is the one language that speaks to everyone. It is thrilling to see children reading rhythms, pitch syllables, and pitches on a staff for the first time and beyond. It is the first steps to being able to read the language of music on their own.

I also enjoy nature, reading, spending time with family, singing, being a part of my church, taking pictures and relaxing. My favorite color is royal blue. My favorite meal is chicken kiev with wild rice and green beans. My favorite snacks are Caramel & Snickers Concrete Mixer, caramel and milk chocolate. My favorite animal is the lynx. I don't have a favorite song. There are too many that I like.

If you would like to contact me, you are welcome to call the school 612-668-2250. If I am not available, please leave a message in my school mailbox as I do not check voicemail since I rarely get any messages. It is better to send me a message via e-mail to kristin.nelson@mpls.k12.mn.us.