A Shocking, Family-Filled Celebration
The celebration kicked off under the guise of a standard staff appreciation event. Emmerich was initially thrilled to cheer on her classroom instructional para, Holly Hansen, who was announced as a finalist. But the plot quickly thickened when Mill Creek's principal, Joe Sellenheim, took the stage to announce that Mill Creek had a winner of the award.
"The screen lit up with my picture and it said winner and then Principal Sellenheim said my name and I'm like wait… that's me." Emmerich recalled.
The surprise reached a whole new level when her family and friends walked down to join the celebration.
"It was honestly unbelievably awesome," she said.
High Bars and "No Handholding": The Emmerich Philosophy
Emmerich, who has been with Mill Creek Academy since it opened its doors, has found her true calling in the third grade. While some might view the transition from second to third grade as a daunting jump, especially with the introduction of forward testing, Emmerich embraces it wholeheartedly.
She is a firm believer in setting an incredibly high benchmark for her students and pushing them to discover their own potential.
"I expect you to tie your shoes," Emmerich explained. "I'm not the teacher to hold your hand, but I'm the teacher that is going to help you up and give you the tools that you need to get yourself up off the floor.”
For Emmerich, education isn't about doing the work for the students; it's about installing ownership, independence, and a drive that will serve them long after they leave her classroom.
"I want them to start thinking about their future now, and give them the tools to get there. I want them to know they can do anything they set their mind to." she said.
The Secret Sauce: Collaboration and Community
When asked about the "secret sauce" driving student success in her classroom, Emmerich emphasizes collaboration, turn-and-talk exercises, and her specialized third-grade book club. Through these activities, her students learn how to navigate real-world dynamics, including healthy debate.
"I tell my students, ‘You’re not going to agree all the time, but you need to hear each other's opinions and listen," she noted, expressing immense pride in the growth her students have made since September.
This balance of rigorous academics fits well with NHA's Moral Focus™ curriculum. Recently, Emmerich's class was focusing on integrity and dependability, learning what it means to be a trustworthy neighbor and a productive member of a community.
Encouraging the Next Generation to "Get Messy"
Reflecting on her career, Emmerich is incredibly quick to share the spotlight with the community of educators who helped shape her. Before coming to Mill Creek, she spent six years as a paraprofessional at a local school, where she closely observed veteran teachers and absorbed their best practices.
When asked what wisdom she would pass down to the new generation of teachers stepping into a classroom for the first time, her answer was simple: don't fear failure.
"First year teachers, you won’t be perfect. Hopefully you safely fail sometimes so then you can grow from that. I feel like you learn more from the failures." Emmerich advised. "Don’t worry about getting it right all the time. Get focused on getting yourself back up and see what you can do better next time."
Her ultimate advice to newcomers?
"Learn, get messy, remember what it was like to be a kid. At the end of the day, if you put the work in. It'll be fine".
Congratulations Crystal Emmerich on this phenomenal achievement! Your dedication to molding good humans and pushing for excellence embodies the very best of the NHA community.
About Mill Creek Academy
Mill Creek Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, serving students in all-day 4K through seventh grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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