Staff Spotlight: Alexis Dyer: Strong hometown ties have led to a long career in the district

Since 2003, teacher Alexis Dyer has been making a difference in the lives of her seventh- and eighth-grade students in Stockbridge—the same district she graduated from. Photo provided by Alexis Dyer.

by Amy Haggerty

Teaching middle school / junior high school students is one of the more challenging jobs in teaching, and Alexis Dyer has been doing this since 2003. She works with seventh and eighth grade students who are located in the renovated and specially designated area within the high school building.

A hometown girl, Dyer grew up in the area. After graduating from Stockbridge High School she attended the University of Michigan. One of her first jobs was working summers in the Migrant Program here in Stockbridge, a program that was eliminated several years ago.

Dyer’s mother has been the most influential person in her life even though Carol Dyer died when her daughter was young.

“My mother was an amazing woman. Kind, generous, loving, and strong at the same time. I miss her every day, and I try to make choices each day that would make her proud.”

Dyer returned to her hometown to teach as soon as a full-time position became available. “I received a phone call from Meredith Hannah [past Community Education Director]. I was excited to be able to work in the same district where I grew up!”

She refers to Stockbridge as a special place. “I love that it’s a small town and a tight-knit community.”

Dyer believes her greatest accomplishment is being a good teacher, and she takes a lot of pride in her work with Stockbridge students. “I want to be the teacher kids will think back on and feel I made a difference to them. I always want my kids to know that I care about them and that they matter to me. I work really hard to be someone who believes in them—someone they can count on.”

This middle school teacher has some great advice to pass along to students in the Stockbridge Community School District. “Believe in yourself and go for anything that you want in life. Travel, and don’t be afraid to take chances.”

Stockbridge Community School District is fortunate to have Dyer teaching some of our most challenging age groups. Extremely motivated middle school / junior high school teachers can be a rare breed who are not always rewarded for their difficult jobs. Thank goodness we have teachers like Dyer who are driven by the desire to give back to the community she grew up in!

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