teacher of the month recognition dedication teacher appreciation

 

 TEACHER OF THE MONTH

 

Lake Mills Rotary Club is dedicated to celebrating outstanding educators in our public and private schools. Each month, two teachers are recognized for their dedication, innovation, and positive influenceβ€”one from the Lake Mills Area School District and one from St Paul Lutheran Church and School or Lakeside Lutheran High School.  

 

Teacher of the Month is invited to be a guest at Rotary Club Meeting & receives lunch, a Teacher of the Month Certificate, a $200 check, and a "goody bag" from our generous sponsors and the Lake Mills Rotary Club.  

Thank you to our generous sponsors:
(click on the sponsor to visit their page)

BANK OF LAKE MILLS 

Farmers & Merchants

Bank CMG (Formerly Greenwoods State Bank)

Subway-Lake Mills 

Grace Small Engine

Sanft Accounting

Countryside Jewelry

Legendary Lake Mills 

American Family Insurance-Amy Winkelman & Associates Inc

 Culver’s-Lake Mills

 Jensen Plumbing, Heating, & Air, Inc. 

 American Legion Post 67

Jersey Mike's

Nominate a Teacher

 

 

    π‘΄π’“. π‘ͺπ’‰π’“π’Šπ’” 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 

We are thrilled to recognize 𝑴𝒓. π‘ͺπ’‰π’“π’Šπ’” 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕, Music Teacher at Lake Mills Elementary School, as October's π‘Ήπ’π’•π’‚π’“π’š 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉! πŸ’™πŸ’›
𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 has been a teacher at LMES for the past 10 years and was selected based on nominations from #LCatPride students, families, and colleagues. Here is a summary: πŸ‘‡
 
𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝑖𝑠 π‘Žπ‘› π‘’π‘›π‘”π‘Žπ‘”π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘€β„Žπ‘œπ‘ π‘’ π‘π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘šπ‘’π‘ π‘–π‘ π‘–π‘›π‘ π‘π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘  𝑠𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 π‘‘π‘œ 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 π‘—π‘œπ‘¦ 𝑖𝑛 π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘”. 𝐻𝑖𝑠 π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑠 𝑠𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠’ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘“π‘–π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘π‘’ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘  π‘™π‘–π‘“π‘’π‘™π‘œπ‘›π‘” π‘ π‘˜π‘–π‘™π‘™π‘  π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘’π‘›π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘β„Ž π‘π‘œπ‘‘β„Ž π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿ π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘“π‘’π‘ π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘€π‘‘β„Ž. πΎπ‘›π‘œπ‘€π‘› π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘˜π‘–π‘›π‘‘π‘›π‘’π‘ π‘  π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘π‘Žπ‘™π‘š π‘‘π‘’π‘šπ‘’π‘Žπ‘›π‘œπ‘Ÿ, β„Žπ‘’ π‘œπ‘“π‘‘π‘’π‘› 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘šπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘›π‘–π‘›π‘”π‘  β„Žπ‘’π‘™π‘π‘–π‘›π‘” 𝑠𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘ π‘π‘’π‘π‘–π‘Žπ‘™ 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘¦ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘’π‘”β„Ž π‘šπ‘’π‘ π‘–π‘.
π΅π‘’π‘¦π‘œπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘π‘™π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘œπ‘š, 𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘π‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘  π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘ π‘β„Žπ‘œπ‘œπ‘™β€™π‘  π‘π‘œπ‘ π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘£π‘’ π‘π‘’π‘™π‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’β€”π‘œπ‘“π‘‘π‘’π‘› 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛 π‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘šπ‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘” β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘”π‘’π‘–π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿ 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘™π‘™π‘  π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ 𝑠𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑 π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘¦ 𝑖𝑛 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘ π‘β„Žπ‘œπ‘œπ‘™ π‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘” β„Žπ‘’ π‘€π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘‘π‘’, β€œπ‘Šπ‘’β€™π‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘ƒπ‘Žπ‘€π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’.” 𝐻𝑖𝑠 π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘£π‘–π‘‘π‘¦, π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘›, π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘’π‘›π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘ π‘–π‘Žπ‘ π‘š π‘šπ‘Žπ‘˜π‘’ β„Žπ‘–π‘š π‘Ž π‘£π‘Žπ‘™π‘’π‘’π‘‘ π‘’π‘‘π‘’π‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Ž π‘‘π‘’π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘£π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘–π‘π‘–π‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘œπ‘”π‘›π‘–π‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›.
 
Thank you, 𝑴𝒓. 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕, for all you do to support and inspire our learners. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! πŸ₯³πŸ₯³
 
(story & image credit to Lake Mills Area School District Facebook Page)

      Mrs. Lois McKenney

 

Lake Mills Rotary Club has awarded the Teacher of the Month to Mrs. Lois McKenney!

Mrs. McKenney has been teaching and influencing the students at St. Paul since 2006. She began her St. Paul teaching career as a kindergarten teacher, and then later moved into the extended learning role where she has served ever since. In her spare time she plays organ for church and directs the children and adult handbell choirs. 
From various parents:
"Mrs. McKenney serves all of the students at St. Paul as she thinks outside of the box while collaborating with classroom teachers to identify and support students that need accommodations to access learning and grow to their full potential.  Mrs. McKenney is a patient and skilled instructor. She develops great relationships with her students and holds them to high standards while doing whatever she can to give them what they need to be successful. Mrs. McKenney goes above and beyond to learn and implement new strategies as she gets to know families. Her communication with caregivers is outstanding. She is a joy to work with and is truly a team player. St. Paul is blessed to have such a skilled and caring teacher in Mrs. McKenney!"

"It is hard to fully express the impact Lois has had, not only on our daughter’s life but our entire family."
"It was Lois who first helped us recognize our daughter’s dyslexia. From the moment we met her, she embraced our daughter’s challenges while highlighting her strengths. For the first time, my husband and I felt we could take a breath, knowing we were finally on the right path. The compassion, dedication, and skill Lois brings to her role as an educator is unlike anything I have ever experienced."
"She has not only equipped our daughter with the tools she needs to succeed academically, but she has also nurtured her self-confidence."
From former students:
"She helps many people with reading, math and spelling or anything else they need help with. She helps students with math from grades 5-8 and reading  for 2nd and 4th. She allows students to have accommodations with tests for example taking tests with notes. She also encourages people and makes math just a little bit more fun even if you would rather be doing anything else. In the end she is just a very kind teacher and will help anyone in educational crisis. Mrs. McKenney not only is there to teach us different subjects, but she is also there to listen to us and help us through our problems." 
Congratulations, Mrs. McKenney!

(story and image credits to Lakeside Lutheran)

2025 Teacher of the Month Recipients

September:  Mrs. Beth Wartzenluft, LMMS 7th Grade
                       Mr. Bill Tomlin, LLHS English
October:  π‘΄π’“. π‘ͺπ’‰π’“π’Šπ’” 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕, Music Teacher at Lake Mills Elementary School
                Mrs. Lois McKenney, Special Education at St. Paul Lutheran School
 
 
 
 
 

Past Recipients 2024-2025 -Teachers of the Month

September: Mrs. Kelli Hegstrom, LMES Special Education Teacher

                        Mrs. Jodie Schoomer, LLHS English & STEM 

October: Mrs. Kristina Manke, LMMS 5th Grade Teacher

November: Mrs. Beth Denzin, LMHS Math Teacher

                      Mr. Justin Vanderhoof, LLHS Social Studies 

December: Mrs. Linda Heimstreet, LMHS Music Teacher 

January: Ms. Holly Norgren, LMES Kindergarten Teacher

                 Mr. Dennis Leckwee, LLHS Theology

February: Mr. Jeffrey Hegstrom, LMMS 6th Grade Math Teacher

March: Mr. Jeffrey Lehr, LMHS Technology Education Teacher 

              Mrs. Lori Tetzlaff, LLHS

April: Mrs. Kayla Pulvermacher, LMMS Special Education Teacher

May: Ms. Maggie Scott, LMES 3rd Grade Teacher

          Mr Matt Doering, LLHS