Celebrating Our HHS CTE Teachers
Photo submitted by Fields, showing Hamilton DECA students.
Aanya Ranasaria
With the month of February ending, it’s important to talk about Career and Technical Education Month, or CTE Month. CTE encompasses courses and programs focusing on skills and knowledge for specific jobs or fields. Every February, the CTE community celebrates CTE Month to highlight its role in preparing learners for college and career success. Hamilton High School has 13 CTE teachers: two family and consumer science teachers, five business education teachers, and six applied engineering teachers. CTE classes at HHS enable students to explore post-secondary options. The school also has three main Career and Technical Student Organizations: DECA, HOSA, and SkillsUSA, all of which offer valuable workforce experience. High school is one of the best times to engage in CTE classes, as they can help you identify and narrow down future career paths across various tracks in business/marketing, family and consumer science, and applied engineering and tech.
Family & Consumer Science
Ms. Lablanc
Ms. LaBlanc has been teaching health science classes like Medical Terminology, Culture of Healthcare, and Introduction to Health Professions at Hamilton High School for eight years. With 26 total years in education, health science is her favorite subject to teach. She has degrees in Family and Consumer Educational Services and a Masters in Education. Ms. LaBlanc was drawn to career and technical education by influences from a college roommate and high school teacher. She loves exposing students to the vast opportunities in healthcare, where there is great flexibility and no four-year degree required for many jobs. As the HOSA advisor, she has helped grow the program from 20 to over 80 active middle/high school members, with Hamilton students even serving at the state officer level. When not busy baking, cooking, and caring for her four cats, Ms. LaBlanc advises students to look into career laddering to start in healthcare jobs and get further education paid for by employers.
Mrs. Farrell
Mrs. Farrell has spent 18 years in early childhood education, with the last eight of those teaching CTE courses like Child Development, Early Childhood Education Foundations, Early Childhood Careers, and Co-op at Hamilton High School. Though becoming a CTE teacher wasn't her original plan, Mrs. Farrell loves that these courses educate students to provide quality care for children in future roles from teacher to nurse to parent. Her favorite class is Early Childhood Careers because working with young children brings back fond memories and lets students practice teaching. When not spending time with her husband and two daughters hiking, camping, kayaking, or caring for their pets, Mrs. Farrell likes to travel to places like Costa Rica to practice her limited Spanish. She wants more Hamilton students to know that CTE courses like early childhood education provide great pathways to careers or general life skills.
Business Education
Mrs. Fields
Mrs. Fields has been teaching Marketing, Personal Finance, Retail Management Internship, and Social Media Marketing internship courses at Hamilton High School for nine out of her 12 total years in education. With bachelor's and master's degrees in business and career technical education from UW-Whitewater and UW-Stout, Ms. Fields loves that CTE classes help build real-world employability skills and expose students to a wide variety of potential careers. Though she struggles to pick a favorite between the innovative creativity of marketing and the essential financial literacy of personal finance, seeing students unlock their potential through campaign development and gain money management skills for life brings her immense joy and reward. Outside of spending most of her free time driving her two young sons to their constant sports practices and games, Ms. Fields serves as the advisor for Hamilton's remarkably accomplished DECA chapter. Under her leadership, the chapter has sent multiple students to DECA's International Career Development Conference, even earning a 1st and 2nd place finish out of over 20,000 competitors. She wants students to know that CTE courses offer an abundance of transcripted college credits with WCTC and are the perfect time to explore interests that could shape future careers. Her best career advice is to not excessively stress over what paths peers are taking and instead have confidence in charting your own direction in life.
Mr. Oechsner
Mr. Oechsner has spent the past 13 years of his career sharing his passion for marketing and business with students, including the last four years teaching courses like Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, and Sports & Entertainment Marketing at Hamilton High School. Mr. Oechsner also has six years of professional learning and development experience with corporations. With undergraduate and graduate degrees in marketing, advertising, and education from UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater, Mr. Oechsner was first inspired to become a CTE teacher by his own high school marketing instructor. His favorite class to teach is Personal Finance, as it equips students with essential lifelong money management and financial literacy skills before graduation. When he's not at school, Mr. Oechsner enjoys attending concerts (he and his family have seen 11 shows at the acclaimed Red Rocks Amphitheatre) and local sporting events with his beloved wife and two sons. Mr. Oechsner advises all students to leverage high school as a time for career exploration by courageously stepping outside comfort zones to try CTE courses in new fields. His career wisdom is to ultimately pursue paths that intrinsically motivate, continually challenge, and genuinely make you happy.
Mr. Loehe
During his first two years teaching Accounting, Advanced Accounting, Personal Finance, and some middle school Business and Marketing courses, Nick Loehe draws on over 18 years of prior corporate experience. With marketing and business education degrees from UW-Whitewater, Mr. Loehe wanted to leverage real-world skills to effectively prepare students for life after high school. Of all his classes, he especially enjoys teaching the practical personal finance and accounting skills that will help students in their careers and daily lives. Outside of teaching, Mr. Loehe lives an active lifestyle in Menomonee Falls with his wife and three young kids, enjoying the outdoors, sports, hiking, and coaching youth soccer. His advice to students is to not fear exploring new interests and ultimately seek careers they feel truly passionate about.
Mrs. Savic
With 17 years teaching at Hamilton High and 10 at Templeton Middle School, Mrs. Savic instructs Computer Programming, Video Game Design, Computer Applications, and Personal Finance. Holding degrees from Concordia Wisconsin, Aurora University, and Alverno College, Mrs. Savic loves sharing immediately applicable, real-world tech skills. Her favorite classes are the programming courses because of the intricate problem-solving. Outside teaching, Mrs. Savic and her husband enjoy traveling to hike, fish, and pursue his goal of boarding an iron ore ship. She spends her free time beading jewelry, pursuing photography, and scrapbooking. Mrs. Savic wants students to know these skills help all career paths and to pursue their passions while considering job availability.
Mrs. Hillmann
With over 25 years of experience split between the legal and education fields, Mrs. Hillmann has taught business courses like Computer Applications and Digital Design & Web Development at Hamilton High School since 1999. Mrs. Hillmann realized her passion for working with children and made the switch to teaching and obtained her master's from Carroll University in 2006. When not educating students on essential technological and career skills, Mrs. Hillmann loves fishing up at her lake house in St. Germain. She is married and has two daughters, Morgan and Brooke, who are both nurses carrying on the family medical tradition. Mrs. Hillmann wants students to know they control their futures and should make the most of each day.
Applied Engineering
Mr. McLaughlin
Mr. McLaughlin has dedicated his entire eight-year teaching career to instructing welding fabrication courses at Hamilton High School. With bachelor's degrees in Secondary Education and Technology Education from UW-Oshkosh and UW-Platteville, Mr. McLaughlin felt drawn to the hands-on, real-world connectedness of technology education career pathways. His favorite class to teach is Welding Fabrication 2, where he exposes students to the multitude of manufacturing career options after high school, whether four-year engineering/project management university paths or direct employment with education benefits. He loves that students can learn by creating something tangible before pursuing post-secondary training. Outside of illuminating bright young minds on welding best practices and industry trends during the day, Mr. McLaughlin enjoys leaving school behind to spend evenings at home with his beloved wife, young son, and loyal dog. He wants all Hamilton students to know there are abundant options within CTE fields, from BS degrees to certificates to apprenticeships. His best career advice is to pursue education and training that aligns with in-demand, applied skills so students can excel in the workforce.
Mr. Grunewald
In his first year teaching at Hamilton High School, Mr. Grunewald teaches architecture & construction and wood design manufacturing courses after 11 total years in education. With a degree from UW-Platteville, Mr. Grunewald enjoys helping students explore rewarding career paths and express creativity. His favorite class is Wood Design & Manufacturing as students showcase talents beyond academic courses. Outside of school, Mr. Grunewald lives in Sussex with his wife, stepson, and daughter and enjoys spending time with them watching football and action movies. He advises students not to overlook non-four-year degree paths which still provide fulfilling careers with proper commitment and training. Mr. Grunewald wants students to know CTE offers something for everyone to explore interests.
Mr. Mamerow
Mr. Mamerow has dedicated his entire eight-year teaching career to Hamilton High School, leading machining, automation, and construction courses. With bachelor's and master's degrees focused on technology and career education from UW-Stout and Concordia University, Mr. Mamerow was drawn to hands-on CTE due to his enjoyment of shop class and helping his father prep projects. He likes all his classes for the variety of skills taught, but construction allows working alongside students on large creations. Outside teaching, Mr. Mamerow is a self-described "workaholic" who creates instructional videos, woodworks, and stays active through gym, biking, and running. As SkillsUSA advisor and Supermileage team leader, he loves seeing students showcase their knowledge. Mr. Mamerow wants students to know CTE offers vast career paths tied to classes and skills beneficial as an adult homeowner. His advice is developing discipline now makes achieving long-term goals easier later.
Mr. Premo
Since joining Hamilton School District in August 2012, Applied Technology and Engineering teacher Mr. Premo has pushed students to be lifelong learners while connecting them with leaders across local industries. Teaching courses like Architecture & Building Construction, Woods Design & Manufacturing, and advanced variations, Mr. Premo creates hands-on experiences that advocate for student growth. Recognized as an Early Career Educator Award winner for his positive community impact and innovative learning approaches, he wants students to explore their passions and apply their skills to better society. When he's not busy in the classroom or shop, Mr. Premo enjoys traveling the world and immersing in new cultures with his wife.
Ms. Rose
Ms. Rose has dedicated over 25 years to educating high school students in an array of essential life skills courses under the realm of CTE. Ms. Rose joined the Hamilton School District in 2000 after prior classroom experience in Menomonee Falls. She teaches Digital Electronics and Automation, Fundamentals of Engineering, Graphic Arts 1, Introduction to 3D Modeling and Engineering, and Principles of Engineering.
Mr. Schlueter
With over 40 years of combined teaching and industry expertise, Mr. Schlueter has an undeniable passion for graphic arts, which he imparts to students in his courses like Graphic Arts I-III, Graphic Arts Communication, and Graphic Arts Production. During his 24th year instructing at Hamilton High, Mr. Schlueter enjoys sharing his vast knowledge and real-world experiences with students while completing engaging design projects. As advisor of the Graphic Arts Club, he provides fun opportunities for students to refine skills in multi-color printing, advertising, and apparel decoration.
