08/20/2026
Our very own 4th grade superstar! Check out Mrs. Janisse’s spotlight from Murfreesboro City Schools.
We are blessed with the best! We love our Salem Saint Family 🐶🐾🩵
The Moment I Knew | Sherri Janisse
Some people discover their calling later in life. For Salem Elementary fourth grade teacher Sherri Janisse, she knew in kindergarten.
As a student at Bradley Model School, Sherri was inspired by her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Gaddy, whose kindness and love made every child feel special.
"I remember coming home and telling my mom I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up," Sherri said. "I never changed my mind."
That dream grew stronger with every teacher who encouraged her, from playing math games with her fifth grade teacher, Mr. Joe Thompson, to learning history from her sixth grade teacher, Mr. Jim Bjork. Years later, Mr. Bjork even hired her as an ESP employee while she was in college. Today, he still occasionally stops by her classroom to visit with her students.
Now entering her 26th year of teaching, Sherri strives to make every child feel the same way Mrs. Gaddy made her feel.
"I have always tried to treat every student in my classroom as if they were my own child," she said.
One recent encounter reminded her why that matters. While going through a fast food drive thru, a former student recognized her and shared words she'll never forget:
"You were the only one who believed in me, and thank you for that."
Moments like that are why Sherri never forgets her "why."
"Develop those relationships with all of your students first," she says. "If a child knows and feels that you care for them, the possibilities are truly endless."
Thank you, Mrs. Janisse, for believing in children and continuing the legacy that began with one inspiring kindergarten teacher.
