Strong.

Loving.

Genuine.

Sunshine.

Those are just a few of the words that were used to describe Heather Woodyard.

An educator at WHHS for 15 years, beloved to both faculty members and students, Woodyard’s death shocked the entire community. Her memory will forever live on.

She played soccer in college for Ohio State and coached soccer for FC Storm.

She loved being outside and frequently visited national parks across the country.

She had two kids whom she loved dearly, and was a woman of immeasurable faith.

She hated the University of Michigan so much that she refused to wear blue and gold, even though they are the colors of WHHS.

Woodyard taught seventh-grade science for all 15 years she was at WHHS. Not only did she teach the seventh-grade curriculum, but she also prepared her students for life at a stressful school, emphasizing organizational skills and making a lasting impact on the rest of their WHHS experience.

“She took in a lot of seventh graders who didn’t know the school and were new, which is very scary, and she made them love science, and she made them love [WHHS], and showed them that it’s not some big scary place,” Grace Williams, ‘27, who had Woodyard in seventh grade, said.

Due to her exceptional teaching abilities, Woodyard was chosen as a finalist for the 2025 Hawkins Educator of the Year Award, which honors one CPS educator “who elevates the educational process.”

“You could just [take] a video of her teaching and send it out to all the teachers, saying ‘This is how you teach science,’” Sandee Coats-Haan, a science teacher, said. “She had all the pieces together, she was teaching rigorous content in a way that was approachable for seventh graders, and they were actually doing science.”

Her passion for education was reflected in every interaction with her students. If at any point a student needed extra help, she made sure to advocate for them and get them the assistance they needed.

“She would always follow her kids, especially the ones who were needy, figuring out who they would have [and tell their new teachers], ‘These are the things I watched for, this is what you need to do, and let me know if they’re struggling,’” Susan Macsotai, science teacher,  said. “That was an important part of her teaching… she cared as much about the kids as the content.”

Her exemplary teaching style became a model for others all over the district.

“She impacted so many teachers on becoming better teachers,” Rachna Gajjar, science teacher, said. “I think every single individual that came in contact with her, either as an evaluator or as a colleague, has taken something from her teaching style because she did it so well.”

Not only did Woodyard support her students, she was also a crucial and beloved member of the science department. Commonly referred to as the “work mom” of multiple teachers, her frequent words of encouragement lifted the spirits of everyone around.

“One of the last texts I got from her was her reminding me how good of a teacher I was,” Jayma Hazelbaker, science teacher, said. “I was really upset because my kids had done a really poor job on one of their quizzes, and she was telling me that I still was doing everything right and that they would figure it out.”

Woodyard was also incredibly considerate and caring to all. For instance, when Alexandra Mondini, science teacher, and Hazelbaker were pregnant, she made sure they had reliable subs and lesson plans; she supported all teachers during their hard times.

“She was just a problem-solver for all of us on a personal level,” Kim Von Bargen, science teacher, said. “Several of us have had health scares, and she held our hand and prayed with us through each of those.”

Woodyard’s memorial service was held on Monday, Oct. 20. However, the memorial had a unique dress code; attendees wore soccer jerseys and bright colors, with a focus on cherishing a life well lived.

“There was a lot of crying, but it was probably the most joyful service I’ve been to in a very long time,” Melissa Riggs, science teacher, said. “It was more about remembering the good things and that she was at peace, but it was rough on all of us.”

While Woodyard will be sorely missed by all the faculty and students who came to know and love her, her presence and spirit will live on for years to come.

“I’m just hoping that I end up being the Ms. Woodyard for somebody else who ends up teaching here and for my students,” Hazelbaker said, “and if anybody ever wants to talk about her, I want to talk to them about her every single day.”