Hall, Dixen named WEA Teachers of the Year

Sarah Dixen tries to help her students better understand the world around them. Lizz Hall tries to help the world better understand her students. 

They are talented, loving, creative and pour every ounce of themselves into their students, fostering a connection that doesn’t stop when the bell rings or the school year ends. 

On Thursday, in separate surprise ceremonies in front of the school communities they make better day in and day out, Dixen and Hall were named the 2024 Winona Education Association Teachers of the Year. 

Hall is a Winona Middle School teacher who works with students defined as English Learners — meaning English is not their primary language. 

“I’m grateful to my students for the lessons I’ve learned from them,” Hall said in her nomination questionnaire. “Not only for teaching me about their languages, homelands and their unique experiences balancing two cultures, but also for teaching me the power of resilience.”

Hall has spent 22 years as a teacher at the middle school and has also served for five years as the Title III Coordinator in the district, helping to improve systems to better serve students and families in the EL program. 

“She is a fierce advocate for the students and families she serves,” WMS science teacher Amblyn Reisetter said. “Her classroom is a safe space for students who are often vulnerable.”

MS social studies teacher Rose Carr said that Hall is creative in thinking of modifications.

“Without her, I would not be able to serve English Learners half as well,” Carr said. 

Hall has served on several school committees and is active in the WEA. She has led numerous trainings focused on supporting English Learners. In 2014, she received the Diversity Advocacy Award from Project FINE, a non-profit serving immigrant and refugee families in Winona County. 

“For immigrant parents, one of the greatest motivations for coming to our community is to give their children a chance at a good education and a better life,” Hall said. “Providing support for their children in this pursuit is sometimes challenging but always deeply rewarding for me. I love the strong connections I have formed with my students and their families and doing all I can to help them. They are wonderful human beings, and I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of their lives.”

Dixen teaches history and government classes at Winona Senior High School. In her nomination questionnaire, Dixen said: “I love creating a safe space for students to grow and figure out their place in the world, while seeing examples of ordinary people making huge differences in the world and their communities through the study of history and current issues.”

She has been a teacher at WSHS since 2012. Dixen previously designed curriculum for the Master of Education program at UW-La Crosse, where she also served as a teacher. She has also taught at St. Charles, Mankato West and Blue Earth. 

“Sarah embodies the skills of an outstanding teacher, but she never boasts or brags,” colleague Steve Gilbertson said. “She makes her colleagues better, she encourages growth as a PLC (Professional Learning Communities) leader, and she makes time for multiple committees, all in the hope of bettering this building for her colleagues and students.”

Dixen has never stopped learning, either. In 2023, she was selected as a Genocide Education Project Teacher Fellow and spent 10 days in Armenia. This past summer, she took part in a Summer Teaching Institute at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. 

“I believe that helping students understand the world around them and be able to see the broader picture from history sets them up to understand how to be a critical thinker and contributing member of society,” Dixen said. “I love teaching history and government to students that are on the verge of adulthood. I feel fortunate to truly believe that although there are many other jobs in the world as important as teaching, nothing is more important.”

She also serves as the advisor for National Honor Society, coach of the Knowledge Bowl team and has served as a chaperone for the trip to Misato, Japan. 

“The teachers I work with are passionate about the work they do, the subjects they teach, and most importantly, the students of Winona,” Dixen said. “We are so fortunate to work in a district that has the benefits of being large enough to provide many different opportunities for a wide range of students while also being small enough that the teachers and students in each of our schools have a strong sense of community. We take our mission of educating every student and providing a safe and welcoming environment for every student seriously.”

Hall agreed, saying that she has learned so much from the mentorship and friendship of her colleagues as well as her students. She hopes that others in the community can learn from them as well. 

“I am constantly amazed to see my students and their families, who have faced incredible hardships, withstand those challenges and move forward to build a joyful life, working hard and supporting each other and being grateful for their new community,” Hall said. “I have three challenges for Winona community members: Support the teachers in your life, find ways to connect with and support immigrant and refugee families in Winona, and celebrate the resilience in yourself and others.”