Special Education
Meet the Team
Danni Buttermore
Special Education Director
Danni Buttermore
Danni Buttermore holds a MAT in Special Education and an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction. She believes in the power of special education and the irreplaceable potential of each student. She is grateful to work with the amazing IEA SpEd team! Danni is the mother of three adorable, angelic, humorous, strong, kind, and joyful children. They love the beach, reading at night, watching movies, and eating cookies and s'mores. Mission Statement = Challenges create Courage Compassion Critical Thinking "Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength." - Christopher Reeves
dbuttermore@igniteutah.org
dbuttermore@igniteutah.org
Tana Angle
Administrative Assistant
Tana Angle
Taña is incredibly excited to be working at Ignite and especially in the Special Education Department. She is passionate about helping students and being an advocate for them. Her knowledge and understanding come from her own life experience of being in the trenches with her own special needs children. She knows that hard work, consistency and patience brings about great rewards. She loves learning about ways to encourage and inspire those whose path may look hard and challenging. Working with the students brings her joy because they are so full of love and hope. She and her husband, Rick, have been married for twenty glorious years and have amazingly strong, courageous and resilient children. Together they have two sons and two daughters. She is grateful for the knowledge she has acquired from being their mom and their biggest cheerleader. As a family they enjoy playing all types of games and having quiet evenings at home. Taña is a native of Utah and enjoys the various seasons but definitely prefers the warmth of the sun. She looks forward to another great year working with the amazing staff and students at Ignite Entrepreneurship Academy!
tangle@igniteutah.org
tangle@igniteutah.org
Alyson Diepeveen
ParaProfessional
Alyson Diepeveen
Alyson loves being outside and hiking but loves teaching students even more. She loves advocating for students of all learning abilities. Currently she is attending WGU to complete licenses in General Education and Special Education. She found out that she has specific learning disabilities in 2021. Since then she has used her understanding of her challenges to help students understand themselves and how their disabilities are a special ability that can be a great strength, especially when they have the right tools.
Aly has worked with students in special education for 5 years. She is grateful for Ignite and all the amazing opportunities the school provides for both students and teachers.
adiepeveen@igniteutah.org
adiepeveen@igniteutah.org
Hunter Angle
ParaProfessional
Hunter Angle
Hunter has loved working at Ignite as a Paraprofessional for the last two years and is excited for the upcoming year and the opportunity to continue supporting students. He loves working with students and seeing them overcome the challenges they face. Hunter is also currently pursuing a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, playing guitar, and spending time with his wife.
hangle@igniteutah.org
hangle@igniteutah.org
Matthew Rhoden
ParaProfessional
Matthew Rhoden
Matt was born and raised in the great state of Kentucky. He moved to Utah in 2019. He enjoys watching and participating in sports... (Go Wildcats/Bengals). Matt also enjoys movies.
This is Matt's fourth year working in education and his second year working at Ignite. Matt is transitioning from being a co-teacher in the classroom to working in special education. Matt is currently part of the BYU pathways program and is seeking to become a physical education teacher.
mrhoden@igniteutah.org
mrhoden@igniteutah.org
Jayde Waite
ParaProfessional
Jayde Waite
Jayde loves being a part of Ignite’s team and being in the Special Education department. She loves being with the students and helping them to find success. Learning alongside them is very rewarding to her. Jayde enjoys being with her family, going to the lake, playing board games and reading. She is excited for another great year at Ignite!
jwaite@igniteutah.org
Tracy Hales
ParaProfessional
Tracy Hales
Tracy Hales is an amazing addition to Ignite's special education team! She has the ability to connect with students and relate to them in a way that builds trust and engages them in learning. Perhaps this is because she has spent several years in a variety of areas of the educational field and uses these teaching opportunities to make real world connections for students and to help them build confidence and motivation for learning both in the classroom and in life as well. thales@igniteutah.org
Jessica Belnap
ParaProfessional
Jessica Belnap
Jessica is thrilled to be a part of the Ignite team another year. Jessica is passionate about learning, helping students learn and driving them find their creative outlet. She enjoyed her time as a peer tutor all through high school and working in a Montessori preschool for 4 over years. Jessica is fun, patient, determined and has a desire and drive to help anyone in need. She has been married to her sweetheart for a year now and they enjoy anything outside and in the sun. She is grateful for the chance to embrace another year at Ignite!
jbelnap@igniteutah.org