“We had so much fun together, and that's when I decided this is the district I would love to work in! Now that I have spent two years with my Matherville family, I know this is the place I want to be,” said 5th grade teacher Maddison Barnhill of her time student-teaching with Mrs. Hoover’s second grade class at Winola.  

“Mrs. Hoover was a wonderful role model, and I learned so much from her.”

Barnhill is in her second year teaching with the district. She has a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, and recently started her Master's Program today (Master's in Instructional Technology).

Her husband’s name is Patrick - they have a pup named Zoey. “I grew up outside of North Henderson with my Mom, Dad, and older brother Jacob. I graduated from AlWood High School.”

Barnhill’s favorites include:
Animal:  My dog, Zoey :) but, if I had to choose another animal... I would say a Polar Bear.
Color: Purple!
Food: Anything pasta
Book: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Movie: Grease
Vacation place: Anywhere where there's a beach!

When she’s not teaching she’s going to the gym (CrossFit WigWag), spending time with her family, or working on grad school homework. For fun, she loves to shop. 

Her favorite parts of teaching are, “Seeing those "aha!" moments on kid's faces when a new concept finally clicks for them. I also love when we are able to laugh and joke together. These kids have my heart!” 

Something unusual about her - “Well, my kids know this... but I LOVE Harry Potter! My whole classroom is decorated with Harry Potter.”

Her advice for life is, “Always be happy. You cannot control outside factors, but you CAN control your attitude about them. So, choose happy!”