Posted 9:07 a.m. Sunday, March 13, 2022
UWL alum Sadie Brown is top adapted PE teacher in the Midwest
A UW-La Crosse alum is the top adapted physical education teacher in the Midwest.
Sadie Brown, ’09, who works in the Sun Prairie Area School District, is being recognized by the National Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America).
“It was very humbling and unexpected,” Brown says of the award. “I give full credit to the other four amazing adapted PE teachers I work with in my district. I am who I am because of those four dedicated educators who push me to be a better teacher every day.”
Those who knew Brown during her time at UWL are hardly surprised by her success.
Garth Tymeson, professor emeritus, remembers how Brown stood out in his courses as well as in clinicals with children with disabilities.
“Even then, she was a leader among her peers and demonstrated confidence and skill when teaching students with disabilities,” Tymeson notes. “You could tell she was having fun even with kids who had challenging behaviors and high intensity needs. Sadie also established very meaningful communication and relationships with parents of kids with disabilities, which is a critical skill for adapted PE teachers. She was developing excellent teacher skills and behaviors as a college student.”
Brown has continued to build on this solid foundation — first, as a PE and health teacher in the Watertown Unified School District, then, in her adapted PE position in Sun Prairie, which she’s held for the past seven years.
“Seeing Sadie continually growing as an educator has been a joy,” says Kristi Mally, who taught several of Brown’s courses at UWL. “She models the key attributes of what it means to be a teacher: lifelong learner, reflective and student-centered. She is a leader who inspires others to keep working to do what is best for their students. Sadie is genuinely kind, caring and fun, and she clearly deserves this award.”
The admiration is mutual. Brown says her professors and experiences at UWL inspired her career choice and allowed her to hit the ground running.
“UWL was amazing in preparing me to be an educator,” she explains. “I feel so lucky to have been able to attend an amazing university of high-quality professors. I was given so many opportunities to experience working with students in the real setting very early on.”
In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, Brown has taken on leadership and advocacy opportunities in her profession. She is an active leader in the Wisconsin Health and Physical Education Association — an affiliate of SHAPE — and has been involved with convention planning, organizing professional development webinars, and connecting with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction on behalf of teachers across the state.
However, Brown says her favorite moments are when she knows she is making a difference in her students’ lives.
“I love when my students with disabilities don't feel different from their peers — when they get to play right with their peers and feel just like everyone else,” she says. “I also love seeing kids grow in their skills and confidence over time. I love watching them learn to advocate for themselves as well. That is very rewarding.”