English Language Arts

EMAIL ME

Hi, I’m Mrs. Sackett, one of your 8th grade ELA teachers. I grew up in LaCrosse with my parents and four brothers. For college, I went to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh where I studied secondary education, English, and French, and I also played basketball. I recently finished my Master’s degree from Viterbo University. My teaching career started at LaCrosse Central where I taught for five years, and this is my 11th year in West Salem. I live in West Salem where I raised my four daughters. My twins, Tierra and Tianna, are 23. Tierra is a dental assistant while Tianna is finishing her education. Taylor is 20 and is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Reece is a junior at WSHS. Some things I enjoy in my free time are hiking, kayaking, exercising, reading, and napping :). I’m looking forward to working with this year’s group of 8th graders.

English Language Arts

EMAIL ME

Hi! I'm Mrs. Meyer, I am one of your 8th grade ELA teachers. This is my first year teaching in West Salem! I grew up in Viroqua, WI with my parents and brother. I went to Winona State University to study Communication Arts and Literature teaching. After teaching in Houston, MN for several years I decided to also obtain my Masters in Reading from Minnesota State University: Mankato. I live in Onalaska with my husband, Alex, and our cat, Bitsy. I enjoy reading, playing and coaching volleyball, hiking and watching Netflix. I am so excited to be a Panther and look forward to working with this years 8th graders!!

Social Studies

EMAIL ME

The 2021-’22 school year marks my 30th year in education, 25 of them in 8th Grade Social Studies in West Salem. I have an undergraduate degree in Broadfield Social Studies (grades 5-12) from UW-Platteville and a ME-PD from the UW-La Crosse. Outside of school, I love to travel and have been to most states east of the Mississippi, a scattering of those west of the river, China, the Netherlands, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Rwanda. I’m also the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies, a professional organization for social studies teachers in the state, and a very active member of the National Council for the Social Studies. I look forward to exploring U.S. history with your 8th graders this year!

Math

EMAIL ME

Hi, I’m Mrs. Snook, one of your 8th-grade math teachers. I grew up in southern California, but I have lived in La Crosse for 18 years. I have two children who go to school in West Salem. My daughter Mia is in 1st grade and my son, Andres is in Kindergarten. I have been a teacher in Cresco, Iowa, and Caledonia, Minnesota (6-12 art and technology), but most recently in Winona for 8 years where I was a technology specialist and math teacher. I am excited to share my love for art, technology, and math with my students! I have Bachelor’s degrees in art education and middle school math as well as a master’s degree in technology education. In my free time, I like to camp, draw, play guitar (I am a true beginner, but love working on it), and roller skate. I am very excited to meet and work with this year’s 8th graders and am looking forward to making it a great year!

Math

EMAIL ME

Hi! I'm Mrs. Coe, and I will be one of your 8th grade math teachers. I was born and raised in Iowa in a very small community. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and taught high school math in Iowa for two years before coming to Wisconsin. I then taught 7th and 8th grade math in Westby for four years, and this will be my fourth year in West Salem. I am also one of the 8th grade volleyball coaches. My husband and I live in West Salem with our two daughters Lyla and Brynlee. I really enjoy spending time with my large family, boating, playing card games, and working in my yard. I am excited to see what the school year will bring!

Science

EMAIL ME

Hello! My name is Ms. Smith-Waller and I teach 8th grade science. I grew up in Trempealeau, right along the Mississippi River. I got my teaching degree from Winona State University, then completed my Master's Degree. I live in Trempealeau with my spouse, Tim, and our two kids. When I'm not at school, I love to read, go on walks, and play music. My favorite branch of science is Earth and Space Sciences, which is convenient because it is exactly what I will be teaching you this year! I am looking forward to digging into the Earth and its systems with all of you. It is going to be an adventure for all of us, but I am so glad to be in it with each and every one of you!

Special Education

EMAIL ME

Hi everyone! I am Mrs. Shrake and this is my 4th year at West Salem Middle School. I am so excited to be working with the 8th grade team again this year as a paraprofessional. I support students in all classes, but math is my favorite. Here's a little bit about me: I grew up in Bangor, WI. I graduated from UW-L in 2017 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in At-Risk Child Youth Care. I live in Onalaska with my husband and our dog, Oakley. I enjoy drinking coffee, spending time with my family and going for walks. Just remember, no matter what this year brings us, we're all in this together!

Paraprofessional

EMAIL ME

Hi! I am Mrs. Skrede and I work as a paraprofessional at the middle school. I have worked at the middle school for the past 3 years and I really enjoy it! My husband and I have lived in West Salem for the past 15 years and we have 3 wonderful daughters who attend West Salem schools as well. We have a very cute Labradoodle named Bruno bear and he is very friendly and loves people and kids. My family and I had a fun summer, we did some camping, bike rides, and we love to walk and just be outdoors. I am excited and I look forward to a GREAT school year!