No day is the same, every day is something different. So, I think that watching them make the connections with each other but also the academic stuff is going to be awesome. Being a first-year teacher knowing that not everything is going to go as planned and being ok with that.”

Ms. Courtney Frankewicz, 2nd Grade Stanley-Boyd Teacher

Stanley-Boyd School is home to some of the best teachers in the area, including teachers who are enthusiastic and adaptable, dedicated to lifelong learning, and that care for the hearts and well-being of their students. Ms. Courtney Frankewicz, a second-grade teacher at Stanley-Boyd, fits right in. While Ms. Frankewicz may be new to the school, she is definitely not new to the area. Growing up a Thorp Cardinal, Frankewicz graduated from Thorp High School in 2019, before continuing on to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at UW-Platteville which she completed in May of 2023. She later returned home to Thorp where she currently resides, but she is very excited to be a Stanley-Boyd Oriole and part of the Stanley-Boyd School community who has welcomed her with open arms. “Everyone is super helpful across all grade levels,” she remarks.  

Coming from a large, close-knit family, Ms. Frankewicz has always had a good relationship with her parents and three siblings who still live near each other. Her dad, Jason, owner of Joe’s Refrigeration in Withee and her mom, Shelly, owner of Northern Shears and Tanning in Thorp, were both happy to hear that Courtney would be working close to home.   

“I could never move away. Stanley is about as far as I could go because we do everything together,” Frankewicz said and mentioned that she chose to teach at Stanley-Boyd to get out of her comfort zone.  

“I felt like I needed a change but not too big of a change. I’m still close to home.  I never plan on moving. I love the small community and I felt like Stanley still gave me that. But yet I didn’t know anybody here, so it was fresh for me.” 

Great teachers are an inspiration to their students and Frankewicz mentioned a teacher who made a lasting impact on her life is Thorp teacher, Lisa Liesecki, who mentored her when she was a student teacher. “She was amazing during my student teaching. To this day she still answers any questions that I have.”   

When asked what she wishes that parents would know, Frankewicz answered, “We see their children maybe more than they see their children in the school year, so understanding that when we reach out with a concern or a problem, we’re not trying to be difficult but bringing it to their awareness and making it known to them.” In her classroom, Frankewicz tries to find the positive moments in the day with her students and share that with their parents so when there is an issue to bring up it’s easier to discuss. “Communication with a teacher always seems so negative, you only contact them when it’s bad. One of my goals this year is to do the positive with the negative,” she said adding that she has already received good feedback on it from parents.  

In high school, Frankewicz played volleyball, but took a step back to focus on student government where she presided as Student Body President for three years. “I’m probably one of the only people that can say that I planned every single one of my high school homecomings and every single one of my college homecomings,” she commented adding she was the activity coordinator in college as well.  

That creativity with party planning would later lead her into turning one of her passions into a business. In April of this year, Frankewicz began Pop Ups by Courtney, a sign making company based in Thorp, Wisconsin. Frankewicz creates signs for any occasion including, birthdays, graduations, baby showers, baby announcements, anniversaries, back to school, and other fun events. Fashioning the signs is harder than it looks as each piece is individually designed, put on a stake and installed on site. Prices are based on design and location. For prices or more information on the sign making business, you can contact Frankewicz on Facebook at Pop Ups by Courtney.  

Between teaching and her sign making business, Frankewicz may not have a lot of free time but when she does get a chance to relax, she enjoys watching Below Deck or sports.  

“I like watching football,” Frankewicz remarked admitting she is a loyal Packer fan and how exciting it was attending a game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. “I feel like you don’t understand Lambeau until you are there.” She added that she is going to attend a game in Green Bay later this season. “I’ve always wanted to go to a winter game so I’m finally doing it.” 

A little-known fact about Ms. Frankewicz is that she loves to travel and has visited many countries with her family, including Germany, Europe, Mexico, Punta Cana, and Canada. For warm weather, her favorite destination is Punta Cana but for learning is Europe and Amsterdam. The one place she hopes to visit someday is Figi!  

Frankewicz shares what brings her joy in her classroom. “I have really enjoyed making connections with my students. I have been able to connect with students in things that they like to do or playing with them at recess. And they think that that’s cool and I think that that helps build that connection with them stronger throughout the year. She looks forward to seeing her students at community events. “I think a lot of them don’t realize we have a life outside of school,” she commented on seeing a student get excited to see her at a recent football game and another student who was surprised that she would participate in a race. 

This year Frankewicz is excited to grow as a teacher right alongside her students. “No day is the same, every day is something different. So, I think that watching them make the connections with each other but also the academic stuff is going to be awesome. Being a first-year teacher knowing that not everything is going to go as planned and being ok with that.”