MADISON TOWNSHIP — There are five new, but familiar, faces in the Madison teachers lounges’ this fall.
The district hired several new teachers this year, including a crop of recent alumni.
Sloan Kiser, Julia Litt, MaShala Schmid, Trinity Tucker and Lila Wolfe all graduated from Madison Comprehensive High School between 2018 and 2021.
Now, they’re shaping the next generation of Madison students.
“These are, first and foremost, quality individuals and good people. They are really excited to be here and work with our students and learn from some of the same teachers they had when they were studentsn” Supt. Rob Peterson said. “They also want to be involved with our students outside of the classroom through coaching, band and other activities.
“I think it says a lot about our district and the great experience they had here as students, and now they want to provide those great experiences and opportunities to their students.”
Three of the new teachers — Litt, Tucker and Wolfe — are at Madison Middle School.
Principal Jordan Nelson said what stands out to him about the new hires is their enthusiasm.
“They have been working throughout the summer, asking questions, reaching out for help, and doing everything they can to be ready for our students,” he said. “You can tell they aren’t just excited to start teaching — they are genuinely thrilled to be back in the district they call home.”
Nelson said he thinks the teachers’ experience at Madison will help them connect with their students.
“They remember what it was like to sit in those seats, walk the hallways, participate in activities and grow up in this community,” he said.
“Middle school kids want to know that the adults working with them understand them, and all three can genuinely say, ‘I’ve been where you are.’ “
‘Working with kids doesn’t really feel like a job’
Sloan Kiser said it was a bit surreal stepping into the halls of Madison Intermediate School once again.
“Lots of the teachers I am working alongside were also teaching when I was in school. Some of them I even had in school,” said Kiser, who teaches fourth grade at the former Eastview Elementary.
“I am excited to be back in the community that I grew up in and went to school in. Madison has always been home for me and I am really happy to be back and make a difference.”
Kiser graduated from Madison Comprehensive High School in 2020 and earned her degree in early childhood education from Kent State University.
She spent one year as a first grade teacher in Akron before returning home.
“I’ve always felt like I connected with kids and working with them doesn’t really feel like a job,” she said.
Kiser played volleyball and softball as a Madison student, earning a spot on the high school’s Wall of Fame. She headed to the University of Akron afterward to play softball, but transferred to Kent State after an injury her freshman year.
She said her time in Ram athletics shaped the person and teacher she became.
“Athletics taught me how to be coachable and take advice and feedback. That’s something I have carried with me into education,” she said.
“Athletics also taught me about perseverance and hard work. Putting in the time and effort makes a big difference.”
‘Being a leader is more than a title’
MaShala (Poland) Schmid said she felt well-prepared to enter nursing school after completing the health technologies program at Madison.
“I wanted to teach in this particular field because I remember how much the program set me up for college,” said Schmid, who graduated from Madison in 2018.
Schmid earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Ashland University and became a registered nurse shortly afterward. She got a job at OhioHealth’s Mansfield hospital in the cardiac and neurology units, where she taught nursing students and mentored new employees.
Returning to Madison allowed her to combine her two passions.
“I decided to come back to teach at Madison because I really enjoy teaching. My backup plan if becoming a nurse didn’t work was to become an American History teacher,” she said.
Schmid said she’s relying on several of her former teachers for advice as she takes on her first year teaching high school students.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot and have asked a bunch of questions,” she said. “It has definitely been weird having my old teachers as colleagues. It’s also been a big benefit because on my first day I already knew a bunch of them. They have all welcomed me back with open arms.”
She called career tech teacher Stacey Wampler, English teacher Jennifer Branstetter and social studies teacher Kim Boehm some of her greatest influences.
“They made learning fun and always made it known that they care about you as their student,” she said. “They made the classroom a safe space and I hope to follow in their footsteps and create the same environment for my students.”
Schmid is also entering her third year as a coach for the majorette and Ramette program.
“One of my favorite things has been coming back and coaching the team I was once a part of,” she said.
“Being a majorette taught me so many life lessons. It truly taught me what teamwork and discipline is. I learned what leadership means on the team. Being a leader is more than a title, it’s how you carry yourself and how you’re willing to help your teammates no matter the task.”
‘I feel I am exactly where I’m meant to be’
Julia Litt is as a middle school intervention specialist while working towards her master’s degree in special education.
Intervention specialists work with teachers, parents and administrators to create individualized education plans and provide direct support to students with special needs.
“This is my first year teaching, however I have been substituting in the district for the past four years,” Litt said.
Litt graduated in 2020 and earned her bachelor’s degree in primary education through Western Governors University.
“I am so excited to be in the position to pour into my community and my students. I feel I am exactly where I am meant to be,” she said. “I knew I wanted to work with kids and being in the school environment, especially at Madison, just felt right.”
Litt played soccer and softball as a high schooler.
“Being involved in sports gave me an outlet, life lessons, and a community that gave endless support,” she said.
She said sports taught her how to persevere, a skill she hopes to impress on her students.
“My former soccer coach, Zac Huff, has played a significant part in my life. There was never a time he wasn’t pushing me to be a better athlete and person,” she said. “Still to this day, he is providing opportunities and support for me. I know that no matter what roads I take in life, he will always be a mentor I can turn to.”
Principal Sean Conway said Litt is also making an impact on students as a coach in the softball and soccer programs.
“It is great to see a former Madison student-athlete come back and invest her time and experience in the next generation of Rams,” he said.
Madison music program set the stage for Wolfe’s career
Lila Wolfe is Madison’s new middle and high school music and band teacher.
She said her grandmother played a pivotal role in determining her future career path.
“She started all of her grandchildren on piano lessons when we were young,” she said. “I fell in love with music at an early age, and I was incredibly fortunate to have grandparents who were so supportive of me and my love for music.”
Wolfe found several other musical mentors throughout her time at Madison, from Jerusha Walker at Eastview to band directors Craig Weston and Bill Fowles and choral director Craig Green.
“My elementary music and beginning band experiences helped keep me involved in music outside of my home and were a big part of why I continued pursuing music,” she said.
“Mrs. Walker helped me come out of my shell and played an important role in my musical growth as a child, while Mr. Weston introduced me to playing in a band setting and helped build the foundation for everything that came after.”
“(Fowles) saw me through my good days and my tough times. He pushed me to become a better musician as well as a better person. We still keep in touch, and he was one of the first people I told when I accepted the position at Madison,” she said.
“Between musical rehearsals and class, I knew (Green) was someone I could talk to and feel comfortable around. During my first three years of teaching, I was able to reach out to him, bounce ideas off of him, and talk through things when teaching got difficult,” she added.
As a high schooler, Wolfe was involved in concert band, jazz band, symphonic band, women’s choir, concert choir, jazz choir and several school musicals — not to mention student council, tennis and academic challenge.
“Those experiences played a huge role in shaping who I am today,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll hear myself teaching and realize just how much I sound like Mr. Green or Mr. Fowles.”
Wolfe graduated from Madison in 2019 and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in music education from Ashland University. She’s pursuing a master’s degree at Kent State University.
She spent the first three years of her education career leading the choral department of a school in Fostoria.
“I have felt incredibly welcomed since coming back, and it has been really special to be back in a place that I know so well, but in a completely different role,” she said.
‘I want my students to know that I believe in them’
Trinity Tucker said she plans to pay it forward for the teachers at Madison who inspired her, like her high school English teacher Mary Myers.
“She once told me she could see me becoming a teacher someday and I never forgot that,” Tucker said. “I wanted to become an educator because I had teachers who believed in me and helped me see my own potential.
“I wanted to be that person for my students.”
Tucker graduated from Madison in 2021 and returned this year to teach middle school English Language Arts.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in education with concentrations in English Language Arts and social studies from Ohio State.
Tucker spent four years on Madison’s varsity soccer team, earned All-Ohio honors and helped the team bring home the state championship her senior year. She also ran track, was a member of the school’s student council and elected class president.
She said those experiences taught her teamwork, leadership, commitment and perseverance.
“Having my own classroom and getting to give back to the community that shaped me is something I don’t take for granted. I love building relationships with students, helping them grow in confidence, and creating a classroom where they feel supported and successful,” she said.
“I want my students to know that I believe in them, have high expectations for them, and will always be in their corner.”
