Tracy Bauer
Position: English Teacher/ Musical Director
School: Mishicot High School
School District: The School District of Mishicot
City, State: Mishicot, WI
Support Tracy
Leave a comment
Tracy Bauer was nominated by a colleague who wishes to remain anonymous.
Ms. Bauer goes above and beyond in every aspect of her life to make a beneficial difference in the lives of her students and the greater community. She is an English educator at the School District of Mishicot who inspires students to read, write, and think more deeply. She never allows students to settle, and even when things are not perfect, she encourages them to try their best.
Beyond the classroom, Ms. Bauer has revitalized the music theater program at Mishicot, which now involves 70% of the student population. The theater program has helped students develop their work ethic, patience and performance skills. Students also attend workshops throughout the state which allow them to travel with their music and experience new places. Ms. Bauer has brought the community together by rallying make-up artists, seamstresses, and pit band members to provide the supplies necessary to creating a high-quality theater performance.
Ms. Bauer is a leader in cutting-edge educational strategies as well as theatrical performance skills. She is a coach and mentor to other colleagues who need help staying on track with technology, emotional health, and literacy. She has been recognized by numerous groups for her professional accomplishments, including the Manitowoc County Chamber, P.A.C, WI Data Summit and WIXX.
Ms. Bauer maintains high moral and ethical standards and pushes everyone around her to be the best they can be. She is always bettering herself and her community by using her past experiences to help. She develops meaningful relationships with students and staff, to help create a positive atmosphere of change. Ms. Bauer is embarking on a capital campaign to build a new auditorium for the rural school, which is lacking in facilities and business partnerships. This multi-million dollar project will stretch her in new ways, and will impact the district for years to come.
"Tracy's past excellence and desire for future success make her a LifeChanger of the Year in Mishicot and beyond," the nominator said.
It's a joy to find soneome who can think like that
Tracy is a passionate teacher and exuberant leader. The level of dedication she invests in her students is unmatched!
Tracy is an amazing teacher, mentor and friend. She truly inspired me in my high school years. Tracy had the most impact on my life in my senior year. I lost my mom the summer of 2011 before my senior year, which made going to school a struggle. I had many emotional breakdowns and hard times in general, but I always knew there was someone I could talk to. Tracy is an amazing person. She would lend her ear for anyone, give advice when needed, and care for all her students. She helped to shape me into the person I am today. She was one of the few people who helped me conquer my own life struggles and for those reasons, Tracy deserves this award and much recognition.
I had the privilege of knowing Tracy many years before she became Ms. Bauer. Tracy was a peer and friend throughout our K-12 school experience at Southern Door. We were able to maintain this friendship throughout college and our own careers in education.
While a student at Southern Door, Tracy had the opportunity early on to become involved in performing arts in a state of the art school auditorium. As a student, Tracy made her first appearance on stage with our kindergarten Christmas concert. Although this was a humble beginning for Tracy, many more opportunities would be in front of her. Her first big experience in performing arts took place during fifth grade. For the past 48 years, the Southern Door fifth graders put on a musical for the other students at Southern Door, neighboring schools, and the community. During Tracy's fifth grade year, she had the opportunity to continue the Southern Door Fifth grade musical tradition as she starred in "Celebrate Disney." Not only did Tracy have the opportunity to star on the school's stage, she also had the opportunity to perform on LIVE TV during the Cerebral Palsy Telethon to benefit the CP Center in Green Bay.
Shortly after the fifth grade musical was completed, Tracy had the opportunity to diversify her performing arts background by joining the school band as a percussionist. Not only did this experience keep her heavily involved in the arts, it also provided Tracy with her first true networking opportunity to discuss the arts with teachers and like minded peers. This continued throughout her middle and high school career as a leader in the school band and a mentor to younger students.
While in high school Tracy was once again able to take a prominent role on stage through the Southern Door High School Musicals. This once again gave her a great opportunity to practice and perfect here own personal skills on stage. Although these were great experiences, what really gave Tracy a head start on her future career in education came in her role volunteering as a stage hand at Southern Door. In addition to hosting Southern Door performances, the district frequently hosted out of the area professional shows. To make this possible, well respected students were chosen to help produce these shows in the areas of set-up, lights, sounds, and more. With Tracy having this opportunity, she found herself around professional performers, and this no doubt benefited her down the road.
With her experience as a student at Southern Door, an actor in the school musicals, a musician in the band, and her experience as a stage hand Tracy was put on a path for future success as an educator. It is no surprise for me to see the success Tracy's is having today. Early on I knew she would go above and beyond in every aspect of her life to make a beneficial difference in the lives of her family, friends, her students and the community. I'm proud that a fellow graduate of Southern Door High School is inspiring students to read, write, and think more deeply, while making such a difference in the community.
Tracy Bauer is a Life Changer #LCOY
Tracy does and excellent job with her fall musical and promotes students to conduct job shadows with local companies.
I don't actually know Tracy Bauer personally, but being a former teacher of 29 years, I do know that being an English teacher is a hard enough job. Most students do not love Language Arts. So she is excelling right there making English fun and meaningful for her students. Then to also direct musicals and get the enthusiasm of the student body so that the group almost grows 100 fold, this teacher is someone fantastic! Teaching English requires a lot of time in preparation and especially in grading long writing assignments. Putting on a musical at the same time is astounding! That also takes hours and hours of work. She is changing the lives of her students in many ways. Helping them to master their English standards and then introducing them into the joy of theater and music will change lives. I am a children's author. I had fantastic English teachers who helped me learn to write. I had wonderful music teachers who taught me to read music and excel with my voice. It all made me a well rounded person. This teacher deserves to be awarded The Lifechanger of the Year Award.
As an author of a faith based novel bringing awareness to human trafficking in America I applaud those who stands up to help the voiceless and weak. We need respectable LifeChangers. Good job!! Good luck. Stay strong and brave. Bless you.
I had Ms. Bauer for several English classes throughout high school and her impact on my life far outstretched the standard curriculum of those classes. She acted as a mentor and role model to many of my classmates and me; while at the same time, teaching English and Reading in a fun and inspiring way. She was always up beat and excited about what she was teaching and this excitement was projected onto everyone in her class. She is an excellent candidate for this award as I know she has had an incredibly positive impact on me and I believe countless others share that same feeling. Thank you!!
Mrs. Bauer is a hard working person, she does a great job in the musicals. Bauer dedicates most
of her time to her students theater activities.
Congratulations Mrs. Bauer for getting nominated for the 'life changer' award. Mrs.Bauer is one of the best teachers since she isn't always so serious, and she teaches in a fun way. A way that people will remember. Congrats Mrs. Bauer.
Congratulations on being nominated, You deserve to be nominated this award because of all your hard work on all the musicals and in your classroom. Every year that Mrs. Bauer directs the musicals they always turn out great and amazing!
Congratulations with the nomination. You deserve this so much because of all the hard work you put in musical and the classroom.
Congrats on getting nominated the award you deserve! You have always helped me in the acting programs and have always told me that I have potential to be an actor, well done!
Congratulations on the award nomination. You are awesome!
Congratulations on being nominated for this award. You have always supported me, and been helpful to me through musical and my English class.
Congrats on your nomination. Thanks for helping everyone and being an amazing director.
Congratulations on this nomination Mrs. Bauer!!!!!!!
Congrats on yo big day!!!!!! congrats on being nominated to life changer.
Congrats! its awesome that you got nominated I think it fits perfectly!
As a former student of Tracy's, I couldn't be more overjoyed to see the progress she's made improving the lives of her students and the community she works in. She first arrived at Mishicot High School in my freshman year and I learned during my four years working with her that she had a strong passion for bringing the best out of others, turning negative situations into positive ones, and bringing everyone together to create the best community and school environment that we could. I never felt that she would be satisfied with us giving less than our best in class, but she was amazing in how she understood that everyone's best was different, from student to student and from day to day. Through personal and second hand experience, I've found her to be willing and eager to work with students to find their best learning path. Anything to get them to that finish line with the tools and knowledge that it takes to get there. She doesn't just push kids through the 'system', letting them barely pass through their education until they can go off into the work force. Tracy encourages students to work hard, do their best, and create realistic and ambitious goals for their future. I know that without her encouragement and enthusiasm, I would have had a much harder time finding my passions and pursuing them legitimately as I do now.
Mrs. Bauer did a wonderful job with the fall musical, "Fiddler on the Roof", at Mishicot High School. The number of students participating in this difficult play was amazing.
Ms. Tracy Bauer is a respected teacher throughout the school district and community. She sees the potential every student has in her class and finds a way to bring that potential out in her students. She doesn't see her students as labels: class clown, sports star, average, etc. Instead, she looks deeper and truly sees her students for who they are. She has helped me tremendously throughout my high school career over four years ago. Her passion for teaching and for her students influenced me to pursue a career in teaching. Even though I have never been in theater, I have witnessed the growth in the theater program since Ms. Bauer has been in charge. She has put on spectacular shows with outdated equipment. For all these reasons and many more, Ms. Bauer is the LifeChanger of the Year.
Where do I start.. Mrs. Bauer has been my teacher and advisement teacher all throughout my high school. She has made me become not only better at the English world but a better person in general! She was always there to help me and for that I thank her! She is the most busiest, most caring person I know! She has never failed to put a smile on kids faces. She makes sure everyone is happy, wether if it’s her awesome, witty personality in the classroom or if she takes the time to talk to you. Mrs. Bauer’s amazing talent has made the musical program grow. All though I have never participated in them, I have seen them and they are outstanding! It takes talent to be an English teacher, musical director, wife and Mom! That just shows how much she loves what she does! If anyone deserves this award, it would be Mrs. Bauer!
As a colleague, I can personally attest to the dedication and commitment Tracy Bauer puts into her work. She is a formidable advocate for the arts within our school. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has raised our students' awareness about the world of theater. She promotes her program tirelessly and has worked to develop a network of contacts beyond our small town. In addition, she often uses theater as a way to motivate and engage students in her English classroom. In the classroom, she upholds students to the same high level of learning and accountability that she expects on stage. Both students and staff are extremely fortunate to have Ms. Bauer as a teacher and director in our school.
Mrs. Bauer is a talented English Teacher and Musical director. As one of my English teachers in high school, she always pushed us students to be our best. Even though English was not one of my favorite classes, she found a way to make English interactive and interesting. She was always a friendly face and genuinely cared about how we were doing. Although I was not a part of the musical department, I was able to witness the tremendous growth. I watched our programs participation grow along with the support for the entire musical department.
Mrs. Bauer is truly an amazing teacher. I was her student for four years and there was never a dull moment with her. She finds a way to make everything she teaches interesting and worth learning, even Shakespeare. Usually, students dread the classes that involve even the mention of Shakespeare, but Mrs. Bauer makes learning unfamiliar texts easy and interesting. She teaches Romeo and Juliet the way it was meant to be taught, through performance. She has her students step out of their comfort zones, put on some costumes, and perform scenes for the rest of the class. Shakespeare is much easier to understand when you can pick up on visual clues and the inflections in the actors’ voices. Plus, students have fun while they’re learning, and Shakespeare days become something to look forward to.
Even if one wasn’t a student of Mrs. Bauer’s she wouldn’t hesitate to help anyone who asked her. Be it help with a reading assignment for another class, writing a letter of recommendation, or having someone to talk to when stressed out, Mrs. Bauer will be there. This attests to the dedication and passion she has toward every aspect of her job. Mrs. Bauer truly cares about each and every student, and will do anything she can to help them succeed.
Mrs. Bauer also directs the musical, which I have stage managed for three years. In those three years, Mrs. Bauer has taught me everything I needed to know about set design, prop building, efficient storage on a tiny stage, and most importantly, how to work with and lead a large group of people. She has inspired me and made me love theatre more than I ever thought I could. Mrs. Bauer has also improved the entire theatre department by at least a hundred times. Before Mrs. Bauer started directing, we didn’t have many large set pieces, and most students didn’t care about the musical. When Mrs. Bauer joined us, she brought her passion and fired everyone up. Everyone in the musical became more involved and more determined to put on a good show. Other students that were not involved in the musical became interested in theatre, causing many of the shows to be packed with people watching. Because of the high turnouts, we had to add more seats to our audience. And we have Mrs. Bauer to thank for all of the improvements she’s helped us make and for sharing her love of theatre with us.
I was fortunate to have had Tracy when she was a student in my English classes at Southern Door High School. She was a hard working student who consistently achieved excellence because of her dedication. She also participated in the musicals when I was the drama director, and her love of drama blossomed. It did not surprise me to read the many tributes for her dedication, genuine love for teaching and her students as well as her desire to bring out the best in her students whether on the stage or the classroom. She is most deserving of recognition for her accomplishments, and I am honored to recommend her for your consideration.
Tracy has turned around our theater program at our school! She is amazing and has produced some amazing proformances at Mishicot High School. And she is an amazing teacher having taught my kids!!!
Tracy is an awesome person! She is a phenomenal teacher and a great director! It is always so much fun to go watch the musical that she invites the elementary students to. The kids always talk about how excited they are to do that someday. She has grown the theater program so much in the past 3 years that I have been here and she has made it the "cool" thing to do. It is so awesome to see students of all walks of life coming together to perform amazing shows all thanks to her!
I can truly say that I would not be where I am today without the influence of Ms. Bauer. As a teacher and theatre artist, she inspired me to pursue my theatrical dreams. Her love of literature motivated me to explore playwriting and script analysis which led to many opportunities in and after college. I am beyond excited that she has been continually imroving the theatre program at Mishicot High School because I know she can inspire other students in the same way she helped me. Mishicot has become a better place thanks to Ms. Bauer, and the students who have the privilege of working with her have become better people. There is no doubt in my mind that she is the LifeChanger of the Year.
Throughout my high school career I had Mrs. Bauer for the majority of my English courses, the most challenging being AP English Literature and Composition. I can honestly say this was the most challenging course I had ever taken, even through my first semester of college. However, I grew more as a writer and as a person than at any other point in those four years. Mrs. Bauer truly challenged me to ask questions, dig deeper, and to think critically; she taught me that the true meaning of a piece of literature goes far beyond words on a page. Her passion for literature and educating students on its importance in this world is evident in her teaching techniques as well as her role as musical director, and this passion is what has motivated myself and classmates to be better writers, readers, and human beings. I cannot thank Mrs. Bauer enough for pushing me beyond what was right in front of me and to read a text intently, to think critically, to answer the tough questions and to ask a few of my own. Anyone can teach the obvious, it takes a gifted teacher to give students the ability to find answers on their own.
As a former student of Tracy’s I can say that I know she would fall nothing short of making huge strides towards her students goals. In the 5 years that I have been graduated I can’t believe the transformation the musical department has made. 70% of the student population is in involved? That’s incredible! Tracy was a very personable teacher to myself and to the other students and worked on connecting with us on a higher level than just a typical student-teacher relationship. I can’t wait to see where her goals take her, her students, and her team.
Mrs. Bauer is a teacher that isn’t like a teacher. If she sees a student or a person who’s struggling with something she will go out of her way and make sure she can do whatever she can to help whether personal related or school related. She has been doing the musical and every show is a work of magic everything done the work she puts in it’s a work of art. She’s an amazing teacher, mother, and musical director!
I have know Tracys as a student in grade school thru high school, and always dedicated. Now I have had the pleasure of working with her through the theater work she does at Mishicot. Tracys diligence and effort for putting her students first shines through with all the extra time and trips I personally know she has made to ensure their success. Tracys would be a wonderful addition to the list of "LifeChangers" .
Mrs. Bauer has gone out of her way as a teacher and as a friend to the students of Mishicot. She would help the students have the best in everything. She always put the students first before herself. She has spent hours on hour, in and out of school to guide and influence students to be the best person they can be. I have never seen a person so dedicated to others then what Mrs. Bauer has done form me and the other students she finds so dear to her.
It is an honor to work with Tracy due to her never-ending energy for English and theater. She works hard to reach all students while remaining realistic about each student's personal strengths and weaknesses. She transforms a bright orange, outdated gym into a place where magic can happen through yearly musical productions and supports students in developing all aspects of their overall education.
Ms. Bauer is one incredible human being! I have had her as a director and teacher; I have millions of amazing things I could say about her. She always is there to greatly encourage you, no matter if you are a student or actor. She has been there every step of the way through my musical career and every year, together we grow further. Ms. Bauer has taught me to be a leader, not only in musical but everywhere else as well. She, herself is an incredible leader. She changed my life by helping me grow out of my shy comfort zone, to living the life of the beautiful stage I love. Without her, I probably would have never gotten the courage to grow as much as I have. Ms. Bauer a strong, intelligent, leader and I couldn't think of anyone else more deserving of this award.
Going through high school, I find that’s its hard to find teachers who maintain passion throughout their work. This is something that Mrs. Bauer brought to work with her everyday and she shared that passion with all of her students. Never before have I had a teacher who was so honest, as well as committed to thinking Shakesphere is fun. For that I am thankful.
I also want to note that this is the only high school Teacher I have had that would state reasons as to why what she was teaching was important and relevant. Mrs. Bauer would contact individuals she knew to share with the class how the writing techniques she taught will be used later on in different career choices. This may not sound like a big deal to everyone, but as a high school student it did allowed me to take her classes seriously, and eventually lead me to pursue a college degree. Most teachers I feel just expect you to care and do as told, so it was really nice to be taught by someone who just wanted to broaden ways of thinking and learn for the sake of future preparation.
In conclusion, I could not think of a more deserving teacher than Mrs. Bauer.
Mrs. Bauer has done an amazing job with the theater program here at Mishicot. Not only are more students involved but it is a great community event for anyone to enjoy. You can tell she works very hard and is extremely passionate with her shows and students.
Ms. Bauer is the kind of person that you can connect with right away. She is always there to listen when someone needs to talk. She was my teacher for 5 years and I only wish I had her sooner. She has a care for her “school children” like no other teacher. She is an amazing beautiful person inside and out, how she manages to teach, take care of her family, have a life, and plan a whole show. Everyday. Is incredible. If anybody deserves this award. It is Tracy Bauer.
Tracy has invited the elementary school over to the plays as well, and the students love to watch and talk about how they want to be in the musical someday. This is a great way to bring the entire school together. Also, Tracy is always willing to help out coworkers, I often ask for her opinion and guidance in ELA, and she is able to help me bridge the gap for the students going into middle school and then high school.
As a previous student of Mrs. Bauer's, I can attest for how great of a teacher she is. She always pushes her students to do the best they can and never let's them settle for anything less than that. Her high expectations helped push me to reach my academic goals and helped me improve my reading and writing skills. Along with working hard in the classroom, Tracy dedicates a lot of her own time to the community. Her involvement in the musical program at Mishicot is tremendous and has brought a lot of interest back into theatre. She has impacted the lives of many students and works hard to make sure everyone has a chance at succeeding, these attributes within themselves are why she deserves this award. I cannot imagine any other candidate more deserving of being named Lifechanger of the Year.
As a new interim superintendent, I was amazed to see the positive energy that Tracy Bauer put into the high school production of "Fiddler on the Roof". This is an extremely difficult production for high school students, but through her drive and effort, it was one of the best theatre nights of my life! I was privy to her rehearsals (sneaking peeks when I could), and her rapport with the students and ability to connect with them was fantastic. Tracy Bauer is a gem who will stop at nothing to serve students and her school community!
I have seen the plays that Tracy directs and they are outstanding. I have to remind myself that the plays are put on by high school students and not professionals. You can see the love and enthusiasm the students have for these performances and that is ignited from great leadership.
Way to go Tracy. The musical was amazing, I can't wait to see and hear what is coming next.
I have known Tracy Bauer for many years since college at UW-Platteville. She is the most dedicated and hard working person that I know. At the same time she is also easily the most compassionate person with a huge heart that stems from her love for the two most important places in her life (Home and School). I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Tracy.
When I was in high school, Ms Bauer was by far the easiest person to talk to. She knew just what to say at the right time. She is very passionate about what she does for Mishicot and she goes above and beyond with anything and everything. I was grateful to be able to spend all 4 years with her and she helped me succeed through them all.
Ms. Bauer is a well respected member of the staff at Mishicot High School. Her enthusiasm for teaching is apparent for the extra effort she puts forth within and outside of the classroom. Her expectations for the students is high and she works hard to motivate them to achieve the highest level of success possible while building positive personal relationships with each student. Ms. Bauer's influence in musical theater program has resulted in outstanding productions which include cast performances, set designs and costumes. This could only have been achieved by the extra effort she puts forth well before the school year starts and is in many respects over and above expectations. The future looks bright for continued success. I cannot think of a better deserving person to receive this award.
I have maybe four teachers that made my high school experience tolerable and one of them was Ms. Bauer. I discovered a love for English, theatre and Pinterest because of her. I know I'm not the only person who feels this way and that's why she deserves really any reward showing how dedicated she is to her service to future adults in our society.
It's an awesome privilege to speak on behalf of Ms. Tracy Bauer for this Life Changer of the Year Award. As students at Southern Door High School, Ms. Bauer and I had teachers and mentors in the music, theater and fine arts program who saw something in us, believed in us, and brought out that excellence in us. Ms. Bauer went on to give that same gift to her students years later when she became a teacher and show director at Mishicot High School. She knew to initially help her students realize their gifts, and then give them what they needed to succeed. Ms. Bauer continues to do all that and more. She recruits great people who excell in their fields to help teach her students and build their program knowing it takes a community to build their community. In recent years she connected her students with the professional troupes that perform at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center via the workshops they offer. Few to none get this type of exposure to on-stage professionals at the high school level. Ms. Bauer has a vision and action plan for her program and real investment in her students. Today, I work as a professional actor/model as well as producer in the Midwest, and upon her invite not only recently co-led an acting workshop with her students at the Mishicot campus per her request, but saw first hand her enthusiasm and development of young acting talent in the Mishicot School system. She is a hard working and passionate teacher, a trail blazer, and life changer. Her tireless behind-the-scenes work to provide opportunity for the students and ability to still be fully present and engaging/inspiring them makes Ms. Tracy Bauer a second-to-none candidate to receive this Life Changer of the Year Award.
Ms. Tracy Bauer,
I do not even know where to begin. When I was in high school, Ms. Bauer was always there to listen. I could talk to her about anything and didn't have to worry about being judge. Ms. Bauer helped me become a better writer and critical thinker becuase of her English classes.
Ms. Bauer as written me numerous letter of recommedations for college which helped me get into UW Platteville, where I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Human Services. Even though, I have graduated from High School almost five years ago, she still checks in with me from time to time and asks how things are going.
Ms. Bauer deserves this because she goes out of her way to help her students and she makes sure they feel important. Ms. Bauer has a lot talent in the education field, musical field, and knows how to support and encourage students.
Mrs. Bauer was my advisor, AP Lit teacher, and musical director through my high school experience. I can without a doubt say she made the biggest impact on my education and involvement.
As my advisor, she helped me through some tough times, both academically and personally. I knew that she was someone I could talk to and trust. She was someone who would genuinely care, and help.
I eventually enrolled in AP Lit, which Mrs. Bauer taught. Before my experience in the class, my writing was mediocre at best. Most teachers would leave students to fend for themselves when put in a tough situation, but she did just the opposite. She took time outside of her already incredibly busy day to personally help me improve my writing, to a point where I felt incredibly prepared for my college writing experiences.
Finally, I spent hours of my week working in stage crew for the school musical. During the three years I helped out, I saw unparalled dedication from Mrs. Bauer. She not only spent her breaks during the school day working on the show, but spent her summer sewing costumes and building set. And as soon as one show was over, she was already planning the next.
Her devotion to her students and their passions isn't seen in many educators, so I firmly believe she deserves this award.
I am just amazed by Tracy's talent, skills, positive energy, dedication, forward-thinking, passion, and overall genuine kindness and concern for her students and community. She is truly a Life Changer!!!
It's difficult to choose where I should begin for all of the good Ms. Bauer has done for Mishicot's students and those involved in the musicals. When I first came in as a volunteer as their light technician for the shows, I was blown away by the enthusiasm and the energy the students had for their upcoming events. Witnessing her directing the students is all around inspiring, as Ms. Bauer goes above and beyond to showcase what true teamwork means within a theatrical group. The students are not only able to work and interact with one another to successfully compliment each others' dialogue but even develop a personal connection with the show itself, becoming the very characters they portray and it's Ms. Bauer's direction and passion that makes these traits for a show truly successful. I can say I've personally witnessed the students look up to her and even adopt the same levels of drive and encouragement to make each show as amazing as possible, from perfecting her costume ideas and stage settings to taking her advice for any detail of a part to make it as authentic as possible. Ms. Bauer's work ethic is an ethic that I will always look up to and respect. She is absolutely deserving of this award and I will always stand by that notion.
Mrs. Bauer his amazing teacher because she is so beautiful and also teaching a great class straight from UW Platteville because she is very intelligent and being so grateful and thoughtful being part of the staff of the district of Mishicot.
Tracy's theatrical brain never takes a rest. Her planning, creating, and developing happens 365 days a year for a show that runs for three nights. Her current show won't even be over, and she will already be planning for the next show. She spends much of her time outside of school working to make the next production even bigger and better. It is her imagination and dedication that really has moved our theater department to the next level.
As someone who has seen this teacher in all aspects of her professional life, I can attest to the fact that Tracy Bauer has overachieved all qualifications to receive this award. She is a perfectionist at heart, and refuses to let herself or her students settle for anything that is less than amazing. I have been her Assistant Director in the Mishicot High School's music theater program for three consecutive years, and I have also seen how much work this woman has put in to making this school the best that it can be. She has built Mishicot's music program from the ground up; it was once something that students were ashamed to be apart of, but in present day, it is something that students are proud and honored to be in. The remodeling of this program has allowed her involve over 70% of the entire student body, whether it be through set building or pit band. In the classroom, she always pushes students to reach as far as they can. Mrs Bauer implements methods inside of her classroom that allow students to think creatively and flourish academically. Building relationships, finding out how individual students learn, and catering the way she presents curriculum to them are some of her favorite ways to engage students in their learning. She genuinely cares about each and every one of her students; she has no problem seeing people for who they really are and uses their skills to help them excel in areas of school and extra-curricular activities. She never accepts any school work that is less than the student's best ability, which has ultimately led me to pursue the same career that she is in. Before she was my teacher/director, I never realized how I could channel my leadership skills and energetic personality in a healthy way. Mrs Bauer has showed me by example how to be a compassionate and loving leader through directing our school's musicals and teaching me the ins and outs of theater. I credit her for teaching me to be the confident, strong young woman I am today. This woman has grown my love of English and Music Theater into something that will impact the rest of my life; I truly cannot imagine another candidate who deserves this award more than her. My hope is that you will see how incredibly amazing Mrs Bauer is, just like I do!
Ms. Bauer has greatly influenced both my daughters she is not afraid to be honest and communicate with parents and colleagues. We are thrilled to have her at mishict
Ms. Bauer takes the Mishicot High School mission statement of “Student, School, Community – working for the success of all” to heart. This is displayed in her many efforts to bring the community into the school’s musical productions each year. To bridge relationships within the community, Ms. Bauer creates unique opportunities for individuals not currently involved in the drama program to get involved. Through it all, Ms. Bauer has created a vibrant and exciting experience for all involved and because of this, the Mishicot theater department was awarded for excellence in community engagement in the Center Stage High School Musical Theater Awards program through the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center (Appleton, WI).
Knowing the stage serves as one of the greatest, non-traditional classrooms, Ms. Bauer sets her course and strives to teach students confidence, teamwork, how to problem solve and overcome obstacles, but most importantly how to become a family. Among these life skills, she also endeavors to teach students important elements of theater. Tracy is continually looking for extracurricular opportunities in which students can learn, transports them to theater productions to allow them to study other performers and encourages her students to never say “no” to a new experience. Her willingness to go above and beyond to support her students has allowed them to grow and mature in a myriad of ways resulting in an ever-growing department.
Through all of these experiences, Ms. Bauer has taught students to care for others, learn from them and ultimately give back. These are the lessons that go beyond textbooks, beyond educational training and can only come from one who instills these values in their daily lives.
I went to school at Mishicot over 20 years ago . The performing arts had little participation . Tracy has invited me to rejoin the group by running sound for them. I cant believe what she has done for this program. This program not only added the amount of students she jas also brought the sound equipment from 2 cheap microphones to over 20 microphones. Now she has out grown the current sound system. Kepp up the great work not only for the school but the community as well
Tracy is the kind of teacher that all students love to have. She comes in each day with an excitement about her subject area that makes the kids want to read and explore literature. It takes a special talent to excite kids about English class! She is able to engage the most reluctant learners with her enthusiasm. Her ability to see the potential in her students has enabled her to grow the theater program in our school as well. This year she and the students took on the challenge of Fiddler on the Roof and it was amazing, especially performing it in a 19060's era gymnasium! She has instilled a love of traditional theater in the students and the announcement of what the next musical will be is highly anticipated by the students. I have worked with Tracy as a colleague and helped with the musicals as well as having her teach two of my own children so have seen first hand the amazing things she is doing for our students and in our community.
I worked with Tracy this year with the production of Fiddler on the Roof. Not only do her students respect her, but they ask her for tips, or advice. She motivates without pushing and is a fantastic roll model.
By all rights I endorse Ms. Bauer for this award. She has really inspired my daughter Jordan to do great things in music. I thank her greatly for that.
Ms. Bauer is a tremendous asset to the Mishicot School system. From what I have witnessed with her directing of the High School and Middle Schools musicals, she goes above and beyond what is necessary to make these shows a success. She makes many of the costumes, works on the sets and puts in endless hours working with the kids. Her hard work and dedication to the schools and to the students is impressive. She gives a lot of herself to the students and they love her for it. My own daughter has been very inspired by Ms. Bauer and her love of the theater has only grown because of Ms. Bauer's influence. It is wonderful to see such dedication in a teacher. In addition to her extra-curricular direction of the schools musicals Ms. Bauer is an English teacher in the High School. She makes herself easily accessible to the students and is a wonderful role model for these young people. I really could go on and on about Ms. Bauer's dedication and love for Mishicot Schools and it's students. Please honor her with the Life Changer of the Year award. I could not think of anyone more deserving of such a reward. Thank you!
I have been a student for mrs. Bauer for four years now. She has always been there for me and has guided me to do my best whatever the circumstances. She always is driven and determined for her best and will always give it her all. Her attitude is always positive and she never backs down from a challenge and that’s why being a student of hers is so fun! She deserves this award and I couldn’t think of a better teacher to give it too!
There are some people in this world that were born to see the potential in something and bring it forth so the world can witness its greatness-the "visionary", if you will. These types of individuals may be doubted, fought, and even flat out turned down time and time again, but they are stong forces to contend with. Why? Because they see beyond the surface. They find a glimmer of hope within any situation and aid others in seeing it as well. Tracy Bauer, hands down, is a visionary.
Mrs. Bauer, took on Mishicot's theatre program without even batting an eye. A ragtag team of whiny teenagers stuck in a stinky gymnasium is what most people witnessed when they thought of our theatre program. Mrs. Bauer saw the potential. She saw the potential for growth, creativity, and most importantly, passion. I should know, I was one of these students. Nobody took pride in the shows we put on at school. All I knew of the magic of theatre was what I saw on television and movie. It wasn't until Mrs. Bauer singlehandedly completely alltered our program that things began to change. I see students who never would have cared about the arts before now demonstrating a real sense of excitement for the program. Mrs. Bauer understands the sense of accomplishment it gives students, and as such, she does everything to get as many student involved. Most importantly, Mrs. Bauer cares about the program and its students whole-heartedly. She doesn't spend hours on end for show and awards. She truly loves to see us students show passion for our musical theatre program. I aspire to be more like her, she is a huge role model in my life.
Tracy Bauer is a good LA teacher. My favorite thing about her is that if a student grasps a content and shows profeciency in it she doesn't waste the students time by making them do more work in that topic
I’ve been a student of Ms. Bauer’s for over three years now, and she has always done everything to give her students a better learning experience. She works her hardest to provide interesting material to students, and deeply cares for about how the kids in her classroom learn. I believe that Ms. Bauer is an excellent candidate for the Lifechanger of the Year Award, and it would be a deserved award for her years of dedication and compassion for her students.
This world needs more caring teachers like Tracy!! Thank you for everything that you do.
Tracy Bauer is amazing and deserves to be Lifechanger of the Year because of her relentless, year-round dedication to her students. In the classroom, she expects nothing but excellence and finds ways to keep her students engaged and motivated. Her lessons are relevant to teens, and her assignments are brilliant – they integrate advanced English concepts and modern technology in a way that almost tricks her students into learning what they need to learn (think you-tube videos and selfie assignments). Tracy Bauer goes above and beyond to ensure her students get what they need to be at their best. Upon seeing the “food” some of them subsist on throughout the day, she has been known to give away her own fruit and even bring extra healthy food from home in case one of her students needs it to maintain the energy they need for focused learning and after school activities. Her dedication as Mishicot High School’s musical director is second to none. She spends countless hours planning and prepping because she wants to create an experience for her students that reinforces goal setting, teamwork, and the fact that they deserve to be applauded and have a sense of significance regardless of what situations they may have going on at home. I've witnessed Tracy's dedication first-hand across all her years at Mishicot High School. Because of her devotion to the musical, she has grown the program’s involvement from 17 to 100+ students on the cast and crew over four years. To give just one example of her dedication, instead of spending one of her summers doing what most well-deserved teachers do with their time off, she spent it hand-making around 70 costumes and props, painting giant backdrops, and building the set for her early November performance. All this, and somehow she manages to be a wonderful wife and an attentive, engaged mother to her six and four year-old boys, right down to coaching t-ball. Her school district and family are exceptionally lucky to have her in their lives!
I saw some of what you have done in the production of Fiddler on the Roof. That is the most challenging play by itself but then to do it on a H S level is awesome. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments and example you have set for those under you.
