LESSON PLANS: "Yellow Birds"

Darlayne Coughlin - Music Educator, Kromrey Middle School, Middleton-Cross Plains School District

Mrs. Coughlin is the lead teacher for 6th & 8th grade band. She also pushes in to help 5th and 7th grade band. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and her Master's in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. She is in her 17th year of teaching and is thrilled to be starting another school year and excited to connect with all of her band students and families!

In addition to teaching band, Mrs. Coughlin is a member of the Tundra Line, the official drumline of the Green Bay Packers. She has been performing at all home Packer games for what will hopefully be her 16th season. She has two cute kiddos: Danicka who is 9 and goes to Northside and LOVES playing the flute and piano. (In August 2022, she played a flute solo in a recital in New York City)! Derrick is a 6 year old aspiring drummer who's favorite songs to play are "We Will Rock You" and "Seven Nation Army". You will likely see Mrs. Coughlin's husband, Patrick around Kromrey too! He is a college athletic band director in Waukesha, WI and a percussionist. Outside of school, Mrs. Coughlin enjoys teaching young children in group piano classes, spending time with her nieces and nephew and keeping busy with friends and family.

Devon Calvert - Art Educator, Harmony & Consolidated Elementary Schools, Milton Area School District

Devon Calvert is a dedicated art educator who has passionately shared his love for art history and contemporary art with K-3 students in Milton, Wisconsin, for over a decade. His commitment to art education extends beyond the classroom. He has served as President of the Wisconsin Art Education Association, advocating for quality art education across the state. Most recently, he completed his term as the National Art Education Association’s Elementary Division Director, influencing art education practices on a national scale. Devon regularly presents, sharing his expertise at both state and national conferences on the integration of digital and contemporary art within the elementary curriculum. Outside of his professional life, Devon enjoys a variety of personal pursuits. He likes to go on backpacking adventures, expresses his creativity through painting, and appreciates watching movies. He also enjoys the hands-on challenge of remodeling his home. Above all, he cherishes time spent with his wife, Julia, his son, Sully, and their dog, Birdie.

Dannielle Arneson - Media Art Educator, Sheboygan North High and CHANGE Academy

Dannielle has been a Wisconsin-based art educator for over 22 years teaching to all ages from kindergarten to adult. She is a Nationally Board Certified Art Educator and Wisconsin Master Educator. In 2023, she was named Secondary Art Educator of the Year in Wisconsin. Her art lessons have been featured in national magazines and publications. She is a freelance professional artist, photographer, and graphic designer. When she is not in the art classroom, you can find Dannielle… well, all over. She remains busy with her three sons, husband, and dog at numerous sporting events, outdoor explorations, home improvements, and traveling in wonderlust. She appreciates noise, chaos, and never-ending projects as the entertaining parts of life. In her downtime, she likes to paint (oil is her favorite), draw in ink, create 3D sculptures, or experiment with all types of art media in her home studio. 

Lucie Sullivan - Dance Educator & Performer

Lucie Sullivan is an enthusiastic dancer and educator inspired by the everyday ‘lightbulb’ moments of life. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in May 2025 with dual degrees in Dance and Elementary Education and certificates in Pilates and Early Childhood. Lucie is a motivated and energized individual who is always looking for something to do! While in school, she was a five-year member and captain of the UW Dance Team and held several mentorship opportunities through the UW Dance Department and the We Are Queens 501(c)(3) organization. Lucie currently serves as a teaching artist for the UW Dance Exchange as well as a performing artist for Gus Legacy Company in Chicago. She believes dance education holds immense potential to catalyze positive change, both within individuals and communities. By promoting movement and community involvement, dance education has the power to transform lives and contribute to a better society. Lucie approaches teaching grounded in the belief that every child deserves to feel capable, valued, and unique in nurturing spaces that encourage individual exploration and development. Whether she finds herself in a classroom or onstage, she is excited to further her artistic growth and inspire others to find movement in their own lives.

Amanda Leurquin - Theatre Arts & English Educator, Marshfield High School

After joining high school theatre on a whim, when her high school produced 1776, she assistant directed as a sophomore with the show Fiddler on the Roof. From there on, Leurquin appeared briefly on stage, but mostly as an assistant director and backstage crew, and never thought she’d be teaching theatre until her first teaching position needed a one-act play advisor. After that year, she spent four years in the Merrill School District, teaching English and directing the school musical annually. While in the Wausau area, she assistant directed shows with the Central Wisconsin Educational Theatre Alliance (CWETA) which brings together talent from 12+ schools in the Wausau Area bi-annually, to perform a large-scale production with an emphasis on educational opportunities for audiences and theatre education for students involved.

In 2013, she accepted her current position at Marshfield High School, her Alma Mater, and has been developing a theatre education program through her drama classes, English coursework and the annual play and musical. Her newest role is as advisor for the International Thespian Troupe, which the Drama Club joined in 2023. In the summer, she contributes to the Chestnut Center for the Arts in Marshfield, leading a summer theatre camp for the youth, as well as a middle school summer course with the school district. Leurquin received her M.S. in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado - Greely in 2022, her teacher certification from Lawrence University in 2008, and her undergraduate degrees in English and Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2004. One of the greatest gifts that involvement in theatre provides students with is a love for creativity and the arts throughout their lives, benefiting the community as whole with unique interests, creative thinkers and culture!