We find ways to randomly help our members and non-members as well as do things to help put a smile on their faces.”

Hillary Fitzsimmons

Stanley-Boyd educators are a cut above the rest and Hillary Fitzsimmons clearly found her calling. As the elementary Physical Education teacher, Fitzsimmons is a hardworking, dedicated teacher who cares deeply for her students.
Hillary graduated from Prentice High school and began her college career at UW-Marathon County. She went on to complete her college degree in Physical Education and Health Education from UW-Stevens Point. After obtaining her degree, Hillary has lived in Stanley for eight years after moving here with her husband, Jake, a fellow teacher at Stanley-Boyd, whom she met while playing slow pitch softball in college at UW-Marathon County. She shares how they came to live and work in the City of Stanley where they are now raising their five-year-old son, Jace, two-year-old daughter, Brett, and are expecting another little one in March of this year.
“My husband and I were looking at the same time for teaching jobs, and Stanley-Boyd had both PE and elementary positions open. My husband’s family is also from Stanley and my family is close, so it seemed like a great place to start our family,” she says.
Hillary played volleyball, basketball, and softball in high school, so it comes as no surprise that her favorite sport is volleyball, and her favorite team is the Wisconsin Badgers. She is a “Friends” fan, and her favorite movie is “Jaws.” Of all the places Hillary has visited, she says that Greece is one of the most special. She traveled there with her husband and remarks, “It was one of the most beautiful places as well as offered lots of history.” If she could travel anywhere in the world, Hillary says it would be “too hard to pick, I want to see everywhere. I would love to see the 7 wonders of the world, Germany, Hawaii, Antarctica, and New Zealand.”
When asked why she chose a career as a physical education teacher, Hillary responded, “I really enjoy sports and kids so being a PE teacher just seemed like the right fit.” She adds that she would be a social worker if she didn’t pursue a career in education. Hillary’s teachers shaped her future goals and influenced her career in education. She said, “My elementary PE teacher was my favorite teacher, but it was my High School English teacher that took me under his wing and made learning so fun. He’s really the reason why I became a teacher.” She explains the happiness she gets when a student has a breakthrough during one of her classes. “I really enjoy seeing when a skill clicks, and a student is successful.”
As an Elementary Physical Education Teacher, being active is a large part of Hillary’s life. She is constantly on the move and finding ways to keep her students moving as well. Her goal for her students is to teach them the skills necessary to participate in activities and sports they enjoy. “If a student doesn’t know how to do the basic skills, they aren’t going to want to maintain an active lifestyle or participate in sports,” she explains. She feels that it is important to nurture her students to build healthy habits and be active in their everyday lives. “In a world where video games, social media, and technology are extremely prominent, it is extremely important for students to be active every day. But this means they need to be mentally, emotional, socially, and physically active,” she says.
She continues, “There aren’t many students who go pro in sports, so it’s important for me to give students the knowledge and ability to participate in lifelong activities to remain active. Being active at a young age, leads to a more active lifestyle when they are older and the benefits there are undeniable when it comes to health.”

When asked how she encourages her students to participate in a healthy lifestyle, Hillary shares, “I try to give students experiences they may not have experienced yet. I have created challenges and partnered with Action City for fitness challenges.” Hillary feels that children do best when healthy living is a family habit. “When parents demonstrate active lifestyles, whether it be as simple as going on a bike ride or a walk outside, students see that and benefit from the example their parents are setting,” she says.
Being active as a family is a habit that Hillary practices with her family as well. “In the past we have spent a lot of time going on bike rides. I like to check out different bike trails and see where they take us,” she says. She also started a drum fit class a few years ago with a friend that began after she started teaching drum fit to her students. She shares that plans have begun with hopes to start the class up to the public again.
Hillary mentions a current favorite class activity of hers that her students happen to love as well. “I love bowling. So, with my underhand unit, I teach the students not only how to bowl but also how to keep score. We also end the unit with glow bowling day where the students get to wear glow bracelets and I get black lights to light up the pins, along with some disco balls.”
Teachers face many challenges throughout the year, and physical education teachers are no exception. For Hillary, as a first-year teacher, her challenge was finding her “gym” voice. “It takes me a while, but you never really realize how large a gym is and how much you need your voice to carry when you are teaching,” she remarks. As Hillary gets to know her students, she gets small glimpses into their home lives which opens her eyes to the differences of those around her.
“I am constantly learning from all of my students how truly different everyone’s lives are at home and at school,” she remarks.
Not only does Hillary look after and guide the students at the Stanley-Boyd School, but she is committed to giving back to her home community. As a member of the ARK team at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, she is actively involved in the outreach division of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Stanley.
“We find ways to randomly help our members and non-members as well as do things to help put a smile on their faces.” She details, “In the past, we organized a Halloween party for all ages at the Homeplace, and we baked cookies for our homebound members each Christmas.”
The families of the Stanley-Boyd School District can rest easy knowing that Hillary Fitzsimmons is committed to the health and well-being of the students. Her dedication and commitment make her an amazing educator in the Stanley community.