The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) is proud to announce that Middleton High School English Teacher Michelle Kruse is a recipient of a 2025 Rockwell Outstanding Cooperating Teacher Award from UW–Madison’s School of Education.
The award recognizes excellent teachers who pass on their expertise by facilitating and supporting field experiences for UW-Madison student teachers. Honorees are selected for mentoring future teachers through a process of effective guidance, feedback, and opportunities for reflection; demonstrating effective mentoring of student teachers by modeling and transmitting skills, professional attitude, and the love of the profession to the next teaching generation; bringing enthusiasm into the classroom; and putting into practice high-quality teaching techniques, methods, and goals.
“We are thrilled to see Michelle earn this prestigious and well-deserved recognition,” said Middleton High School Principal Bobbie Reinhart. “She generously shares her teaching experience and expertise with student teachers, and her mentorship and guidance are invaluable to our next generation of educators. Michelle’s dedication to her own students plus the time she invests in preparing future educators for their careers is commendable. The Rockwell Outstanding Cooperating Teacher Award plays to Michelle’s strengths.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to help train so many new teachers throughout my career,” Kruse said. “Along with the gifts of working with amazing students and the rock that is my incredible English department, mentoring new teachers into the world of education is an incredible honor that I am passionate about. This award is incredibly special to me because of that, and I thank the Rockwells and UW-Madison for the experience and honor.”
Thomas Owenby, associate dean for teacher education and director of the Mary T. Kellner Teacher Education Center; Danny Miller, teaching faculty in the department of curriculum and instruction, secondary education – English; Kaitlin Lepak, outreach program manager; and Catherine LaCrosse, administrative assistant, honored Kruse during a presentation at Middleton High School on Oct. 20. The honor includes an award funded by Roland and Ruth Rockwell.
A ceremony recognizing all 2025 Rockwell Outstanding Cooperating Teacher Award recipients will be held on Nov. 15 during the American Education Week Celebration: Together We Rise event hosted by UW–Madison’s School of Education.
Photo caption, left to right: Catherine LaCrosse, UW-Madison School of Education administrative assistant; Thomas Owenby, associate dean for teacher education and director of the Mary T. Kellner Teacher Education Center; Bobbie Reinhart, Middleton High School principal; Michelle Kruse; Barry Holloway, Middleton High School associate principal; Kaitlin Lepak, UW-Madison School of Education outreach program manager; and Danny Miller, teaching faculty in the department of curriculum and instruction, secondary education – English.