By Sara Baldwin Schatz
The Zionsville Community Schools Board of Trustees named Amy Ertel of Zionsville Middle School as the 2017-18 Teacher of the Year for the district at its May 14 meeting.
Ertel has been a language arts teacher at ZMS for 12 years and has a total of 17 years experience teaching.
“I am grateful for the young humans I get to spend my days with and their parents who entrust me with that educational journey,” Ertel stated in an email. “I am beyond grateful for my own family, who are my greatest cheerleaders. I feel blessed to work in a building like ZMS where I am surrounded by top notch people.”
Hailing from Batesville, Ind., Ertel earned a bachelor of arts in elementary education from Marian University. She received a graduate degree from Butler University in school counseling. Recently, Ertel has earned a certification in Pilates and is working to inspire middle school girls by blending her counseling degree with exercise. Ertel resides in Carmel with her husband and two children.
“Amy Ertel is extraordinary. She is a creative, committed, mission-oriented human,” ZCS Supt. Scott Robison said. “One of the things we know about teachers is that when there is a strong relationship, kids tend to learn more. Kids learn more from teachers they like. Amy is a really good exemplar of that.”
Ertel will compete at the state level for the title of Indiana Teacher of the Year, representing ZCS.
“After the surprise of winning, I feel honored to represent our school district and 17 years worth of students and their families,” Ertel said. “I am determined to make them proud.”
