Eight individuals and one team of staff members have been recognized as the Neenah Joint School District’s Employees of the Year for the 2023-24 school year.
The group represents one individual from each of the District’s employment categories. They were selected from the nearly 800 total employees of the Neenah Joint School District and were nominated by colleagues, parents and students.
Four teachers were selected, including Jessica Martine from the elementary level, Betsy Jacobson-Holtz from the middle school level, Jen Hager from the high school level and Jeff LaPlant from the special services area.
Coolidge educational assistant Kelsey Keller was selected as the Educational Assistant of the Year and District technician Andy Dubey was chosen from the Administrative Assistant/Technician/Exempt employee category. High school groundskeeper TJ Severson was selected as the Operations/Maintenance Employee of the Year and Activities Director Mike Elkin won the Administrator of the Year.
The Team of the Year honor was awarded to the staff members at Tullar Elementary.
Martine is in her 23rd year in the District and has taught in various roles at seven different schools. She is currently the physical education teacher at Spring Road Elementary. Martine has also taught kindergarten, second grade, adaptive physical education and 4K among her roles. She previously taught three years in both De Pere and Clintonville before coming to Neenah. Martine has an elementary education degree and a master’s degree in adaptive education from St. Norbert College.
Jacobson-Holtz is starting her 12th year in the District as an orchestra teacher at Neenah Middle School. She has been playing violin since age three and helps some of the District’s youngest learners in the Suzuki program. Jacobson-Holtz has helped grow the middle school orchestra program to the point where an additional instructor was needed. She also taught in the La Crosse School District from 1992-2009 and in Pennsylvania for four years. Jacobson-Holtz holds a music degree from Luther College and master’s degree from UW-La Crosse.
Hager is beginning her ninth year as an English teacher at the high school. Hager organizes the school’s Champion program and is also actively involved in “Reach for the Stars” that pairs students with disabilities with those without in various events and activities. She is a pioneer in the uses of different technologies in her classroom. Hager holds a degree in English from UW-Madison.
LaPlant is in his 10th year as a special education teacher at the middle school. As the middle school special education department chair, he took on additional duties this past year in creating shifts in programming to incorporate fifth through eighth grade students. He previously taught eight years in the Stevens Point Area School District and four years in the Sevastopol School District. LaPlant earned an elementary education degree and a master’s degree in general education from UW-Stevens Point.
Keller is in her sixth year as an educational assistant at Coolidge Elementary School, working with special education students. Keller faced additional challenges this past year with two full-time staff members out on maternity leave and took on extra responsibilities. She previously worked as a caregiver with Agape of Appleton. Keller has an education degree from UW-Oshkosh.
Dubey began building some of Neenah High School’s internet and infrastructure as a high school student from 1994-98 and has been employed as the District’s technician since 1999. He has been integral in the completion of a fiber loop across the District and building the infrastructure at the new high school. Dubey owns a computer technology degree from Fox Valley Technical College.
Severson is in his fourth year as the District’s groundskeeper and has been a key part of rebuilding the high school athletic fields that suffered from drainage issues. Severson has taken on additional roles in the District as an assistant football and track and field coach, while also helping to lead the summer strength and conditioning program. He previously worked and coached in the Fond du Lac School District and owns a degree in business from Mid-State Technical College.
Elkin is in his 30th year in the District and sixth as the high school Activities Director after spending 24 years as a technical education teacher. Elkin guided the activities program through the transition to new facilities this past year and also maintained events and activities throughout the COVID pandemic years. Elkin was the varsity boys hockey coach for 15 years and coached football at various levels for 15 years. He was the technical education department chair for 19 years. Elkin earned a technical education degree from UW-Stout.
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