Pastor & Staff

I was born in 1987 in Olathe, KS and moved around a bunch as a kid. My dad became a pastor and we ended up in Beatrice, NE where I worked at Good Samaritan Society for 10 years as a housekeeper, laundry aid and CNA/Med Aid.  I met my husband in 2008 and we got married in 2009.  In 2016 we had our daughter Aubrie and I was blessed to be a stay at home mom until Aubrie started Kindergarten at St. Paul's in 2022.  Since then, I have been enjoying serving as the school secretary at St. Paul's! 

My first year of teaching, I taught  Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten at St. Paul Lutheran in Arlington, NE.

I have been a teacher here at St. Paul's since 1993. For the first 29 years here I was the first grade teacher. At the beginning of the 2022 school year, I moved to the position of fifth grade teacher. In 2025 I became the Lead Teacher at St. Paul's, and in the fall of 2026 I will be the teacher of our combined 4th & 5th grade classroom.

I am married to Dale Hagemeier. We have two adult children. I enjoy reading, doing puzzles of all kinds, kayaking, and most of all spending time with family.

Prior to joining the staff at St. Paul’s, I taught for seven years at Messiah in Longmont, Colorado and for three years at Zion in Tobias, Nebraska.

I have been teaching second grade at St. Paul’s since 2013. Beginning in the fall of 2026 I will be the teacher of our combined 2nd & 3rd grade classroom.

I love to spend time with my family and friends. In my free time, I enjoy watching Nebraska football / volleyball, cheering on the Denver Broncos, going to truck / tractor pulls, and cheering on my nieces / nephews at their various activities. I enjoy adding figurines to my many collections, which include Precious Moments, Calico Kittens, and Willow Tree Angels. I also like to read, listen to music, and go for walks.

My first year teaching was at St. Paul Lutheran School in Haven, Kansas, teaching grades 2, 3, and 4.

I began teaching fourth grade here at St. Paul’s in Beatrice in 2005. I taught fourth grade for 9 years before moving to Kindergarten. In 2025 I also taught music classes for grades K-5. Beginning in the fall of 2026 I will be the teacher of our combined K & 1st grade classroom.

I live on the same farm north of Odell that I grew up on. My husband  Dietrich works for the Gage County Roads Department and we have 3 daughters, Sophia, Adrianna, and Sadie. I enjoy spending time with my family, which includes attending their various sporting and 4-H events.. When I have time my personal hobbies include walking my boxer dog Bella, painting, reading, and digital scrapbooking.

My name is Melody Philippi-Aden and I am married to Rod Aden.  We have three children, Jackson, Carter, and Olivia.  I have been teaching at St. Paul Lutheran School since 1994.  I taught 3rd grade for 14 years before making the switch to Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten.

I was born here in Beatrice, NE. I also attended St. Paul’s Lutheran School from preschool-5th grade. I graduated from Southern Valley Jr./Sr. High in 2017. I then moved back to Beatrice and began working at St. Paul's Lutheran Childcare Center as a teachers aid. I graduated from SCC in Lincoln in 2021 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education. I accepted the position of lead teacher in April of 2022.