Caddie Howard

Caddie Howard, the new Sixth-Grade English teacher at Newton Elementary School, brings with her a deep passion for education—a passion that was sparked by a personal story of family and teaching. Growing up in Vandalia, Illinois, Caddie always had the unique perspective of what it means to be a teacher, thanks to her mother, who taught fifth grade until she tragically passed away when Caddie was in eighth grade. It was at her mother’s celebration of life where the magnitude of her mother’s impact truly hit her. Seeing former students, many now adults with families of their own, come to honor her mother made Caddie realize the profound effect a teacher can have on a community.

“I saw how many lives my mom touched, and I knew I wanted to be a teacher,” she recalls, smiling warmly. “Her impact was huge, and that’s what I want to emulate in my own career.” This connection to education has driven Caddie into the classroom, where she’s determined to build similar relationships with her students.

Now in her first official teaching role, Caddie teaches Sixth-Grade English, focusing on reading and language arts. She comes prepared, having done her student teaching in Bloomington, Illinois, after earning her degree from Illinois State University. But Newton feels different—more like home, even though she’s new to the community. “There’s something special about Jasper County,” she says. “Everyone’s incredibly welcoming. Even though I’m new, I already feel like I have a support system.”

Her enthusiasm for teaching shines brightly when she talks about her students. For Caddie, academics are only part of the job. She strongly believes in the importance of building relationships with her students, many of whom may not have strong support systems outside of school. “Some kids just need that constant, positive energy in their lives,” Caddie says. “I want to be that person they can come to, no matter what’s going on at home.”

The transition from student teaching to managing her own classroom has been smoother than she expected, and much of that has to do with the relationships she’s built with her peers. “The staff here is incredible. Everyone’s ready to help out if I need anything,” Caddie says, clearly moved by the welcoming environment at Newton. “Even people down the hall in the first-grade wing always greet me with a smile.”

Her students, too, seem to have a special energy that fuels her work. She acknowledges that sixth graders are at a pivotal point in their lives—old enough to start coming into their own but still young enough to have that boundless, sometimes “squirrelly” energy, especially the boys. “They want to be cool, but they also want to please the teacher,” she says, laughing. “It makes for some lively classroom conversations.”

When asked why she chose English, Caddie doesn’t hesitate. “You use it in everything. Whether it’s writing professional emails or reading something important for work, English skills are essential,” she explains. For her, teaching English is about more than grammar and essays; it’s about preparing students for life. “No matter what career they choose, they’re going to need to know how to communicate, how to present themselves. That’s what I’m helping them with.”

As a former student council president and athlete in her own right, Caddie knows the importance of balancing academics with personal growth. She encourages her students to explore not just their studies but their social and emotional development as well. “I think it’s just as important socially to be able to communicate with different kinds of people—peers, adults, everyone.”

With such a strong foundation in place, Caddie Howard is poised to make a lasting impact in her Newton Elementary Sixth Grade classroom. She’s not just teaching English; she’s building relationships, fostering confidence, and preparing her students for the real world.

And, of course, she’ll carry her mother’s legacy with her—a reminder that teaching runs in her blood, and that she’s exactly where she’s meant to be. Making a difference in the lives of young people.