Madison Reporter

Lauren Cliff, a 2021 graduate of Middleton High School, will begin her teaching career this fall at Kromrey Middle School. Cliff recently graduated from Edgewood University with a degree in elementary education.

“I’ve always known I wanted to be a teacher,” Cliff said. “Growing up, my grandma was a teacher, so the classroom was always a big part of my life. Ever since kindergarten, I’ve had a feeling that I’d end up back in a classroom but this time as the teacher.”

Cliff is one of 80 new teachers and staff welcomed by the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) during its New Education Induction event held at Kromrey Middle School.

She attended Elm Lawn Elementary School as a child and credits her third-grade teacher Rachael Friedland for inspiring her interest in education.

“After having her as a teacher, she became my sister’s and my nanny, and each August we would help her set up her classroom,” Cliff said. “It was always the highlight of my summer and really got me excited about the idea of becoming a teacher myself!”

Cliff expressed that she chose to return to MCPASD because of the positive experiences she had growing up in the district.

“As a student, I always felt supported by my teachers, and that really stuck with me,” Cliff said. “Now I want to give that same support back to students in this community.”

This year, she will teach fifth grade at Kromrey Middle School—the same school she once attended as a student.

“I’m excited to teach middle school because of the energy students bring,” she said. “At Kromrey, fifth grade has its own little island – a unique mix of elementary and middle school that makes it a special and exciting time.”

Cliff also noted her enthusiasm for meeting her students: “They’re the ‘why’ behind everything I do as a teacher!”

A short video showing Cliff setting up her classroom is available online along with an Amazon wishlist for those who wish to support her work.