Two Milwaukee area teachers are among five Teachers of the Year statewide, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Locally, those teachers are Jonathan Etter, an English teacher at Wauwatosa East High School in the Wauwatosa School District, and Allison Urban, an eighth-grade special education teacher at Pilgrim Park Middle School in the Elmbrook School District.
Both Etter and Urban were recognized at surprise ceremonies at their respective schools; Etter was honored May 4, and Urban was honored May 11.
Wauwatosa East English Teacher Jonathan Etter honored
“It’s an amazing honor, one that I never would have imagined that I would ever get,” Etter said in a phone interview. “It’s a shock; it’s a treat. Honestly, I would say I don’t know that I’m really deserving of it, but I feel that this award is more, I think, a tribute to the two wonderful school districts that I worked in over the course of my career.”
Etter spent 10 years teaching at Sheboygan North High School before his 19 years at Wauwatosa East High School.
“I take this, really, as a tribute to two school districts that have really done so much to support all students, to foster an environment of professional excellence, and a tribute to the many, many wonderful, important, and skilled educators that I have and continue to work with,” he said.
Etter has expanded access to advanced academic opportunities and dual enrollment programming. He helped create a partnership between the Wauwatosa School District and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay called the College Credit in High School program.
He is an adjunct professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and teaches college credit composition and literature courses as part of that program.
Etter is also “an award-winning published author and a team manager for Destination Imagination, where he mentors students through collaborative, creative problem-solving challenges,” according to a news release from the DPI.
“Mr. Etter is deeply committed to equity in education and works to ensure Wauwatosa East is a welcoming and inclusive environment where every student is set up for success. His impact extends beyond the school, where he is a leader in the Wauwatosa community and a relentless advocate for public education,” state Superintendent Jill Underly said in the release.
Pilgrim Park Middle School special education teacher Allison Urban honored
Urban was recognized for her work to create accessible and engaging instruction empowering students to succeed and build confidence, according to a news release from the DPI.
“A respected leader in her school, she regularly co-teaches and works with colleagues to ensure they learn skills to successfully support all students,” the DPI said.
Urban developed a student-led community service initiative that challenges students to identify a local need and design and implement a project to address it. The experience proved transformative for students while also making a difference in the community, the DPI said.
“Ms. Urban is deeply committed to creating an inclusive environment where all students can thrive and have a sense of belonging. Not only does she make an impact on students, but she is a dedicated mentor to her colleagues. Students, teachers, and staff are lucky to have a leader like her at Pilgrim Park Middle School,” said Underly in the DPI’s release.
Other Wisconsin Teachers of the Year honored
Elsewhere in the state, the DPI honored three others as Teachers of the Year:
Each year, Wisconsin selects five teachers of the year. Those five will go through an interview process and one of them will be selected to represent the state at the Council of Chief State School Officers National Teacher of the Year program, according to the DPI.
Each teacher also receives a $3,000 award from Herb Kohl Philanthropies as part of their recognition.
Contact Alec Johnson at 262-875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Two Milwaukee area teachers receive state Teacher of Year honors
Reporting by Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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