Matt Springhetti

I have been teaching for eight years at a Title 1 school in Wisconsin. I spent nearly two decades in the private sector and then decided to return to college to become a teacher. I have utilized everything I learned in the private sector to enhance my teaching abilities in the public sector.

I run a very high-structured classroom and give my students ample opportunity to showcase both their behavioral choices as well as their academic growth. I strive to teach my students that both success in school and life in general are about the choices they make. My classroom is no-nonsense, quiet, and very effective. In my classroom we live by the motto of: Nothing given. Everything earned.

I have been the recipient of our district's Excellence of Education Award multiple times. I also have the honor of being frequently requested by both students and families. My classroom shows great growth in the areas of behavior and academics. Through hard work and a plethora of practice, my classes frequently show some of the highest-if not the highest-growth in the entire district via our i-ready data. Last year's class posted a median score of 235% growth in reading and 222% median growth in math.

I worked in the private sector (and still do to some extent) for many years and then felt a need to teach elementary kids. We have a shortage of male teachers and too many of our kids grow up without the presence of a positive male figure. I decided to go back to school and earn my Bachelor's Degree in hopes of being a "surrogate" father figure for many of the students I interact with. I teach fifth grade and truly enjoy what I do for a living.

I am a devout Christian and I have been very blessed in my life. I have a wife of over 15 years and two children who bring us a lot of joy.