School Leadership

Mrs. Denise Tetzlaff has dedicated herself to the field of education for more than 20 years with most of her time spent at the elementary level. Her experiences in the classroom as a teacher, literacy coach, and district instructional coach are the foundation of the leadership she brings to Franklin Elementary School. Denise attended UW Fox Valley where she earned an associate degree and transferred to UW Stout finishing her undergraduate studies in Education becoming the first out of seven children in her family to earn a bachelor's degree. After proudly beginning her career as a classroom teacher in the Green Bay Area Public School District at Howe Elementary School, she earned her Master's of Education in Reading through Concordia University. She continued her career in Green Bay as a literacy interventionist and literacy coach while earning her Principal and Director of Instruction License from Concordia University. In 2016, Denise finally found her home with the Appleton Area School District serving Houdini and Ferber as the Literacy Coach and most recently as a District Literacy Coach and Social Studies Inquiry Advocate. Denise resides in Appleton, with her husband Craig; an AASD alumni and local business owner and their two daughters, Elle and Brynn, who are students in the district. The Tetzlaff family is proud to be part of the Appleton Area School District Community. Outside of school, Denise can be found enjoying a good book and spending time with family and friends. Together, they enjoy playing and watching sports, traveling, going up north, and being on the water. Mrs. Tetzlaff is honored and excited to serve as the principal at Franklin Elementary. She is grateful for the opportunity to lead a school with such a strong sense of community who take pride in ensuring the success of all.