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Green Bay Area Public School District

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Three people stand smiling in a classroom, positioned in front of a colorful wall displaying educational materials and a calendar.
Nicolet Staff Awarded by WCASS

Three Green Bay Area Public School District staff members were surprised with an award from the Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS) on May 20, 2026.

WCASS gives out awards annually. This year, three educators from Nicolet Elementary Community School were selected for the award in the following categories: General Education Teacher, Special Education Teacher, and Special Education Paraprofessional.  

At Nicolet Elementary Community School, Megan Fletcher, Andrea VandenAvond, and Maria Maldonado work together as a team to serve students each day with compassion, joy and foster a love for learning. Staff from the same school and team are not usually recognized all together, but their nominations spoke volumes of who they are and how they work as a team to best serve students.

Notes from the Nominator

Megan is an outstanding first grade teacher who welcomes every student with openness, patience, and genuine love for their learning. She is always willing to support students with a wide range of needs, and she creates a classroom where every child feels included, capable, and cared for.

What makes Andrea exceptional is her ability to understand student needs and turn that understanding into practical, effective support. She builds strong relationships with students who often struggle to trust adults, and she helps them find success academically, socially, and emotionally. Her calm, steady presence during challenging moments sets the tone for others and keeps students at the center.

Maria is an essential part of our special education team, and her impact is felt every single day. She brings a calm, steady presence to every situation, no matter how unpredictable or challenging it may be. Students trust her because she meets them with patience, kindness, and a genuine desire to understand what they need in the moment. As a bilingual paraprofessional, Maria plays a critical role in helping students feel seen, heard, and supported.

Each year, WCASS honors educators and support staff who have demonstrated exemplary service to students, parents, staff and their school community. Congratulations to Megan, Andrea and Maria.

Click on the photos below to see larger images.

Children sit on a colorful rug in a classroom, with shelves of books and supplies visible in the background.
Three women stand in front of a colorful classroom calendar and bulletin board.
In the foreground, two women smile while looking to the side, one holding a yellow folder, and in the background, a blackboard is covered with colorful notes and images of mouths.
Three women with surprised expressions stand in front of a classroom wall with a calendar and a chalkboard in the background.
A smiling woman in a denim jacket holds a yellow folder in the foreground, while an older woman in glasses looks on, with a classroom blackboard filled with educational materials in the background.
Adults stand and observe a group of young students sitting on the floor in a colorful classroom filled with educational materials.
In the foreground, a woman in a floral shirt receives a small gift from another woman, while in the background, two other women clap and a classroom environment is visible.
An older woman in a black blazer gives a thumbs-up in the foreground, while two women in casual attire stand behind her in a classroom setting with a chalkboard in the background.
Three women stand in front of a classroom blackboard while a group of young students sit on the floor in the foreground.
In the foreground, a young boy in a red hoodie smiles while two children hug, and in the background, adults look on with smiles in a classroom decorated with colorful posters and a calendar.
A group of students and teachers pose for a photo in a classroom with colorful decorations and student work displayed on the walls.
A teacher hugs a group of children in a classroom decorated with a calendar and colorful posters.
Five women stand holding certificates in front of a classroom bulletin board, with a young girl in the foreground.
Three women stand in a classroom holding small cakes, with a calendar and a chalkboard visible in the background.
Children in a classroom are looking up with smiles and engaged expressions, with shelves of books and colorful storage bins visible in the background.
In the foreground, two women are shaking hands as one presents a small gift, while in the background, other women smile and observe in a classroom setting.
Three women in a classroom embrace a group of young children, with educational posters and a calendar visible in the background.
A teacher embraces a student in the foreground, while a calendar and colorful decorations adorn the classroom wall in the background.
In the foreground, children are being hugged by adults, while the background shows a classroom with colorful decorations and a calendar.
A woman in a denim jacket hugs another woman wearing glasses and a cardigan, with a classroom decorated with children's artwork in the background.
Two women embrace in the foreground, with a classroom wall adorned with colorful charts and numbers in the background.
Two women embrace in the foreground, with a classroom background featuring colorful decorations and papers.