Golden Apple 2025: Shawna Fischer

GREEN BAY – Holy Family Catholic School’s Shawna Fischer grew up in Sheboygan Falls.

“After high school, I attended the UW-Green Bay, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in education. I graduated in the winter of 2018 and was a substitute teacher in the Plymouth School District. Following graduation, I moved back home to Sheboygan Falls. In the summer of 2019 I was hired at Christ Child Academy in Sheboygan and spent three years there teaching second grade. I loved every minute of second grade, I have very fond memories of those years, as well as the students and staff who touched my life and shaped who I am as an educator,” Fischer said.

“I met my husband, Eric, while I was living in Sheboygan. He was a friend from college. We chose to settle in Green Bay as a middle ground between our hometowns — he’s from Gillett, and I’m from Sheboygan Falls. In 2022, I was lucky enough to have been hired at Holy Family. I truly enjoy each and every student I have the pleasure of teaching. Their unique personalities and experiences make every year rewarding and fulfilling.”

Fischer said that teaching has been her passion for as long as she can recall.
“As a child, I would beg my older sisters to play school with me — under the strict condition that I got to be the teacher. This did not often go well.

“I would spend my school days observing my teachers’ strategies, then rush home to replicate those same techniques with my stuffed animals, complete with a carefully arranged seating chart on my bedroom floor. That early enthusiasm grew into a career dedicated to fostering that same love of learning in my students.”

She finds that every educator brings their own personality, passions and teaching style, creating an environment that is truly one of a kind.

“My classroom is a direct reflection of who I am and the space I strive to create a second home where students feel safe, valued and encouraged. It is a place filled with heart, creativity and connection, where students are empowered to take risks, collaborate, and grow. Mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, teamwork is essential, and every student is recognized and appreciated,” she explained.

“What also makes my classroom unique is the diverse blend of students who walk through its doors each year. Each learner has different needs, strengths and ways of understanding the world, and my classroom evolves to meet them where they are. It is a dynamic, inclusive space that adapts to the students within it, ensuring that every individual feels supported and inspired to succeed.”

Leading up to the 2025 Golden Apple Awards on Wednesday, April 2 at the Oneida Casino Hotel, we will be highlighting the recipients in each edition of the Press Times.