Teacher goes above and beyond to help her students succeed

Jackie Goetsch is April's Top Notch Teacher

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — This month’s Top Notch Teacher comes to us from Emerson Elementary in La Crosse. Second grade teacher Jackie Gostsch is known for her up-beat, positive and can do attitude.

To Ms. Goetsch, the second graders in her class are much more than students.

“Here’s an easy one friends,” Goetsch said.

Being with her friends everyday is something she’s wanted since she was their age.

“I had awesome teachers when I was young, I wanted to be like them when I grew up,” Goetsch said.

“She’s a good teacher,” second grader Porter Ryan said.

“So I feel like I’ve been very blessed that I’ve been able to follow my dream and me passion to teach,” Goetsch said.

Goetsch started in the La Crosse district nearly 25 years ago and has dedicated lots of her time before school, after school and even on the weekends to making sure all of her friends live up to their potential.

“I do a homework club on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s with a small group of friends, just to give them some extra support. Usually math, writing, reading help,” Goetsch said.

With all the extra time spent helping her friends sometimes lesson planning gets pushed to the weekend, but that’s no a big deal.

“It’s all about making memories and the extra time that I put in is really devoted towards that,” Goetsch said.

Goetsch says teaching has always been her joy and passion and she doesn’t expect that to change anytime soon.

“I want my room, and I think it is one of my strengths, to be just the most comfortable and joyful environment for my kids so that they can learn because you can learn so much more and so much easier if you feel safe and happy,” Goetsch said.

Besides the homework club Ms. Goetsch does a program called books for breakfast where kids put on a reading show for their parents and siblings.

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