School Staff | Zion Lutheran School

School Secretary

Mrs. Jolene Jacobs

Jolene started working at Zion Lutheran School in August of 2021 and loves working with the students and her Zion family. She lives in Mayer with her husband Robert and 4 children. They stay busy running with their kids to baseball, softball and volleyball games. They also enjoy camping and fishing.

Preschool

Mrs. Kristen Thun

(No Bio Available)

Kindergarten

Mrs. Becky Aurich

Becky is in her 19th year of teaching kindergarten at Zion. She was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and raised in Rogers, Arkansas. Becky received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Concordia Teachers College, Seward, Nebraska. She majored in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Concentration and minored in music. Becky and her husband, Dean, live in the woods on a lake southwest of Waverly. Dean teaches industrial arts (Woodworking Classes) at Mayer Lutheran High School. He also coaches the pole vault at Gustavus Adolphus College. Becky and Dean have five children (with five awesome spouses), ten grandsons and seven granddaughters. Becky feels very blessed to be teaching these young children at Zion.

1st Grade

Mrs. Tracy Shipler

Tracy is in her 31st year of teaching at Zion. She is our current 1st grade teacher. She graduated from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and a minor in music. She directs our K-4 choir and is a worship leader for Zion’s contemporary worship service. She is married to Kirk and they have been blessed with four children.

2nd Grade

Mrs. Mollee Mielke

Mollee is in her fourth year of teaching 2nd Grade at Zion. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Southwest Minnesota State University, her Master of Education in Instructional Design from Western Governors University, and recently completed the Colloquy program through Concordia University. Mollee lives outside of New Germany with her husband, David, and their two children Matthew and Adeline.

3rd Grade

Information Currently Unavailable

(No Bio Available)

4th Grade

Information Currently Unavailable

(No Bio Available)

5th Grade

Mrs. Elizabeth Gadbaw

Elizabeth is the 5th grade teacher at Zion. She graduated from Concordia University - Ann Arbor, MI with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with minors in English and psychology and also earned her Lutheran Teacher’s Diploma. Elizabeth also received her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Concordia University - Irvine, CA. Originally from Indiana, she moved to Minnesota in 2024. She lives with her husband (Pastor Daniel Gadbaw) and three children (James, Seth, and Eden) in Hutchinson.

Writing

Information Currently Unavailable

(No Bio Available)

6th Grade

Mrs. Shannon Aurich

Shannon teaches 6th grade at Zion. She began teaching at Zion in 2005. Shannon grew up in Excelsior, MN, and attended Mayer Lutheran High School. She graduated from Winona State University with an Associate’s Degree and Graduated from Concordia University, St. Paul with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. Mrs. Aurich lives in Mayer with her family.

7th Grade

Mr. Paul Erdman

Paul Erdman is the 7th grade homeroom teacher at Zion. He teaches math, social studies, and science to grade 5, science to grade 6, and social studies to grades 7 & 8. He grew up in the Mankato/Lake Crystal area. He received a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato in Geography with an emphasis in Meteorology and Physical Geography. He received a Master of Arts in Teaching from Hamline University. He and his wife, Diane, have three wonderful children: Luke, Adam, and Lauren.

8th Grade

Mr. Kirk Shipler

Kirk Shipler is the 8th grade homeroom teacher and teaches Math, Science, and Music. Kirk is in his 26th year of teaching, all at Zion Mayer. He received his bachelor's degree from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. Kirk and his wife Tracy live in Lester Prairie. They have four children Katelyn, Caleb, Samuel, and Ellie.