It takes a village to raise smart, healthy children and amazing teachers like Melissa Lew are a big part of those villages. Melissa is a fifth-grade teacher at Stanley-Boyd who puts her heart into every aspect of teaching her students. Like many educators at Stanley-Boyd, Melissa is a Stanley-Boyd alumna who is proud to have graduated an Oriole. After graduation, Melissa attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where she received her undergraduate degree. From there she went on to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where she received her master’s degree and started her first teaching job in Cudahy, Wisconsin. As her husband, Dean, also had a job in Cudahy, they thought the Milwaukee area would be a good starting point for their careers. “At the beginning we thought we’d teach there for a year or two, and then move closer to family. We ended up loving it in Southeast Wisconsin and stayed there for fifteen years. When the time was right to start looking for jobs and homes in this part of the state, we landed right here in Stanley.”
Melissa explained that when they decided to move back to this part of the state, they researched the best school districts in the area. “Stanley-Boyd was #1 on our list for the school district we wanted our children to attend. Once we decided we’d live in Stanley, I was pleasantly surprised that there was an elementary teaching job open here too! I applied for the job, and the rest is history.” She adds, “It has been a blessing being closer to family for the past seven years. Although we still love and visit the Milwaukee area, this is home to us now.” Melissa, Dean, who is the elementary principal at Stanley-Boyd, and their four children, Kelly, Aaron, Amanda and Bailey, are proud to be Stanley-Boyd Orioles.
In addition to teaching, Melissa is active in the school and the Stanley-Boyd community, especially with youth sports. As a former Stanley-Boyd volleyball, basketball, and softball player, she went on to coach volleyball, basketball and softball for several teams. In addition to coaching, she helps with the Bookmobile and Camp Read S’more program in the summer and assists with various family events at the school throughout the year.
Being a teacher was always a top priority for Melissa, who has been a teacher for twenty-two years. “I volunteered in various elementary classrooms while in high school and loved working with kids every day,” she said. While in college, Melissa played softball for a couple of years, but had to make the tough decision to focus on her education and less on sports. She added that in the past she had considered a career as a flight attendant. “At one point in high school I tossed around the idea of being a flight attendant because I wanted to see the world. It sounded like a lot of fun, but in the end, I think I made the right decision.”
Melissa clearly found her calling and is a teacher who truly enjoys teaching. “One of the best parts about teaching is that every day offers a fresh start. This is true for both the teachers and the students. Each day offers new opportunities and learning experiences and you really don’t know what you’re going to get!”
She mentions that one of the biggest teaching challenges is having to improvise when unexpected events happen in the classroom. “One of the hardest parts of being a teacher is the constant adjustments that need to be made to accommodate student needs, schedules, unforeseen circumstances, technology malfunctions, etc.” She continues, “But, the fact that no two days are alike, is also one of the best parts of the experience! Working with kids helps me keep things in perspective and reminds me to enjoy every day. They keep their focus on the fun things - the lunch menu, the recess games they play, who they can work with for small groups, and so on.”
Melissa has a soft heart towards her students and her care and compassion can be felt by each one in her classroom. She explains, “A college professor once told my class that we need to take care of each and every student that comes into our classrooms. He wanted us to recognize that kids don’t get to choose their situation. He would often say, “They don’t choose to have trouble with math, they don’t choose to be born too early, they don’t choose to come from a split family, they don’t choose to live in poverty, they don’t choose to have dark hair when their friends prefer blonde hair, they don’t choose to be tall, short, etc, but they’ve been placed in our classes, and it’s our responsibility to care for them and teach them.”
A great teacher is willing to learn from those around them and Melissa knows that every student has something important to share. “My students have taught me that there is still innocence and good in the world. On the other hand, my students have also shown me how harsh our world can be to young people, and how much they need positive adults in their lives,” she said.
Anyone who has had the opportunity to be in Melissa’s classroom knows that she is an exceptional teacher who cares for her students and makes learning fun. “I wish people realized how much teachers care about kids, and how much time and energy we put into each one of the children in our classes. We want to be on a team with the parents to give their children the best education and learning environment possible. Not a day goes by that I’m not making adjustments to lessons, activities, and assessments to better meet the needs of kids in my class. Those young people are on our minds more than you know, and we want them to be successful!”
Melissa is one of the many extraordinary teachers in the Stanley-Boyd School District who has given their all to our community!
