I believe teachers can make a large impact on students not only learning but their development of turning into great people and citizens. My ultimate goal is to help students build confidence in who they are as humans and know that they are supported and loved.”

Andrea Mahr

A truly great teacher shows compassion, empathy, enthusiasm, and a willingness to continue learning. These are all qualities that encompass Andrea Mahr, fifth grade teacher at Stanley-Boyd. Entering her 13th year of teaching, Andrea has the knowledge and the experience to set her fifth-grade students up for a successful academic career. Andrea graduated from Elk Mound High School and from there she attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She then went on to earn her master’s degree in Administrative Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction from Silver Lake University in 2010.
Andrea is married to her husband, Jeremy and they have three children, James (11), Avery (9), and Joey (5). Andrea, who has lived in the Stanley-Boyd area since 2010, explains her choice to continue her teaching career at the Stanley-Boyd Area School District and credits her coworkers to helping her decide. “Married to a farmer I didn’t have a large radius of schools to choose from to have a manageable commute, but Stanley-Boyd was an easy choice! There is a reputation of hard-working teachers and students that are striving for excellence.”
Andrea is an active member of the community, contributing and volunteering with the Stanley Community Association and co-leading the Edson-Hilltop 4-H Club which helps the youth in the club “develop skills in service learning and education.” Andrea started the Camp Read S’more Bookmobile, the much loved and successful summer reading program, which will be going into its 10th year this summer! She also began The Kindness Squad at Stanley-Boyd School with her sister-in-law and fellow teacher, Mindy Mahr. “Mindy originated the idea and invited me along for the ride. Of course, I would say yes to something like that and getting to do it with my sister-in-law is icing on the cake!”
Andrea has a love for sports having been a three-sport athlete in high school participating in volleyball, basketball, and softball. As the current Stanley-Boyd Girls Varsity Softball Coach, it comes as no surprise that her biggest love was for softball. “I love bringing a love of the sport to others. Igniting a competitive spirit within each team and pushing girls beyond what they think is attainable,” she states. In addition, she helps with the youth softball and baseball programs. In her free time, Andrea also enjoys watching college softball and cheering on the Wisconsin Badgers and Packers.
Parents and students in the Stanley-Boyd District reap the rewards of having such an incredible teacher whose enthusiasm for learning influences each of her students. Andrea is continuously trying to improve herself to be the best teacher she can be for her students. “My main passion is teaching; I love continuing to push myself to learn more. In my free time I am typically reading professional books.” Andrea mentions that she has been a Modern Classrooms Project mentor for the last two and a half years. “I love to collaborate with educators from all over and I am lucky enough to be a Modern Classrooms Project mentor where I get to mentor and advise teachers from all over the world in the Modern Classroom Projects model, which focuses on self-paced mastery learning with a blended instruction approach.” She adds that “the student-centered model rethinks the traditional model of instruction and puts both students and teachers in the best position to succeed.”
Andrea shares her love of learning with her students explaining that one tradition she continues is to read her favorite book, Refugee by Alan Gratz, with her students each year.
Great teachers run in her family and Andrea is following right along in their footsteps. As a young girl, she loved to hear the stories of her Grandma Norma teaching in a one room classroom. Her Grandma was an inspiration and Andrea grew up wanting to become a teacher and follow in her footsteps. “I believe teachers can make a large impact on students not only learning but their development of turning into great people and citizens. My ultimate goal is to help students build confidence in who they are as humans and know that they are supported and loved.” Andrea has always wanted a career in education but she says that if she wasn’t a teacher, she would consider a career as a nurse.
She mentions that her time in 4-H as a child gave her the skills to prepare herself for the job that she loves now and provided a lot of opportunities for youth leadership working with kids. Andrea is an exceptional teacher with the biggest heart for her students. When asked what her favorite part of teaching is, she replies, “Hands down the kids! The students are my favorite part. They make each day new and exciting, even though the routine is the same. It is fun to watch them grow and mature. I especially love seeing past students and hearing of their successes.” Andrea shares that she looks forward to the new students that each new school year brings. “Every school year I am always excited to get to know my new students and their families. I have been teaching long enough that it is fun to get siblings of past students as well. Each group of students brings their own unique personality, and it is fun to uncover what that is and run with it!” she remarks.
Andrea knows that the success of a student hinges on families and teachers working together. “I think it is good for parents to know that this is a team effort. We care for each kid that walks through our door and we like to have positive relationships with families.” Andrea encourages and supports her students, treating them as if they were her own children. “We want every student to love school and when we make decisions we think of things with a motherly eye. If we wouldn’t do it for our own children, then we wouldn’t do it for our students either.” While being a teacher has many rewards, Andrea is no stranger to difficult challenges, and she has learned to be flexible and adapt. “I think the hardest challenge is when you work really hard and sometimes don’t get the outcome you wished for. It is always refreshing to have a supportive team around you to help you brainstorm and go back to the drawing board in those situations. I am very thankful for the collaborative culture at Stanley-Boyd and my amazing colleagues to help me think of new ideas and solutions when I need them.”
Teachers not only influence their students, but students leave a lasting impression on their teachers. Andrea’s students have shown her that acceptance and empathy are so very important. She says, “There are a lot of students who have impacted me, most not even knowing that they are doing so and even me not realizing it at the time. I have had terminally ill students in my class who have shown so much more resilience and strength than I ever could have at their age or even now. I have had students that have experienced a lot of trauma but yet come to school with maximum effort and positivity. I have had students who are so mature and kind that you wonder how someone could be that perfect and nice. Through it all I think I just have learned to never assume and always accept people for who they are at that moment.”
Andrea shares that her students have taught her that “Life is better with a smile. Be silly and weird, even if others are watching.”