Caledonia Community Schools welcomes Angela Tamke, Grace Mikula, David Lind and Paul Nickelotti to its nationally recognized educational team. After interviewing these four remarkable individuals, it was clear that their personalities and teaching philosophy aligns with the schools’ mission statement: “Inspire in every student a love of learning by igniting curiosity, nurturing potential, seeking knowledge, and embracing the future.”
Angela Tamke
Meet Angela (Angi) Tamke, the new Juvenile Detention Center teacher. This is a new position for the school, where Angi teaches both males and females students that are housed in the Houston County Juvenile Detention Center, where detainees stay a maximum of eight days. So far, the maximum number of students has been four.
Originally from Faribault, Minn., Angi and her husband have made West Salem, Wis., their home since 2012, where they raised their two sons. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in German Language and Literature from St. Cloud State University and later obtained her teaching degree and Master of Education in K-8 education with a focus on communication arts/literature from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn. Additionally, she has a teaching license in emotional behavioral disorders and is also licensed to be a director of special education and people services, with plans to pursue a doctorate degree in the future.
“It’s such a short time to be able to make any progress as far as academics are concerned,” explained Angi. “But my superpower is really building relationships with kids. I can talk with these kids, and I can send them the message that at least one adult in their life thinks that they are worth it, and that this doesn’t have to define them and that they can change their path.”
Outside of school, she enjoys theatre, sewing, cooking, and baking. She and her husband have been volunteering with the La Crosse Oktoberfest Grenadiers for nearly a decade.
Grace Mikula
Grace Mikula is the new K-12 Student and Family Support Specialist. This new role provides guidance and support to students and their families. Grace shared that she heard the position referred to as being a “mom” at school because moms know it all and can do it all.
An “Air Force brat,” Grace grew up all over the world, including Texas, Singapore, and Turkey before settling in Caledonia with her husband and their four children (plus one on the way). She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology from the University of North Dakota and is currently pursuing her Master’s.
This is Grace’s second year at Caledonia; she previously served as a health aid in the nurse’s office and transitioned to this position over the course of the summer. Grace spends her days between elementary and middle/high school where she works primarily with elementary students one-on-one developing their life skills. She also works with students in some small group settings as well.
Her biggest goal is to be an available resource to anyone. Whether that be a really big problem or that be a really small problem, and it be in available resource know that kids have an additional safe place and a safe person at school that they can come to for their problem and be able to help kids know that it’s okay to have problems. Everybody has them.
Grace enjoys being with her family. She said that she also likes to bake and sell her products.
David Lind
David Lind is the new science teacher and agriculture teacher at Caledonia Middle/High School. With 25 years of teaching experience under his belt, David reflects on his journey with pride. Previously at Mabel-Canton High School and Rushford-Peterson, David is thrilled to be at Caledonia, where he enjoys a unique connection: his daughter, whom he taught, now teaches middle school science next door to his classroom. She is like his boss, and he goes to her with questions. Her husband is the elementary physical education (PE) teacher, and with a big smile, David mentions that he even has grandkids at the school.
He is very determined that if a teacher gets burned out, they should quit teaching or change jobs, as the kids can tell if their teachers are enjoying their work. David is very passionate about teaching and believes that every student has it in them to be successful. David grew up in Rushford, graduated from Rushford-Peterson and raised his family in Rushford.
An avid sports enthusiast who enjoys being outdoors and really enjoys gardening, he doesn’t want to be inside. His grandkids are a big part of his life.
His teaching philosophy is, “I really care about the kids, and I think people can see what you really like. I sincerely hope that they are successful in this world, and I would hope to be just a small part of helping that situation in some form.”
Paul Nickelotti
Lastly, meet Paul Nickelotti, the new math teacher at Caledonia High School. A Wisconsin native and lifelong Packers fan, he is thankful to find other Packers fan at the school. In fact, in the hallway where is classroom is located, all the teachers are Packers fan.
Paul grew up in Genoa, Wis., on the family’s dairy farm with his four sisters. After graduating from Viroqua High School, he attended UW-Eau Claire, and student-taught at Rice Lake, Wis., before accepting the position in Caledonia. He shared that he was offered the job on the same day he interviewed for the position.
He teaches sophomores, mostly juniors, and a calculus class for seniors. Paul realized in fifth grade that he was good at math. He has taken a number of math classes that he could not even say how many. He took a four-week mathematics and music class in college, which he said he did not regret taking.
“I try to provide the students with as many points of views in different ways of teaching as I can. I really try to teach the subject and then I let them work together. I don’t have any problem with them talking to each other while doing the homework. I’m trying to get better at implementing different activities and stuff like that.” He added that there are three major way people learn: auditory, visual and tactile.
Welcome to Caledonia Paul, David, Grace and Angela.
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