Abel is new Medford Area Middle School assistant principal

Tara Abel is excited to be the new assistant principal at the Medford Area Middle School.

Abel was recently hired to fill the position, which was vacant due to former assistant principal Jodi Butler moving into the MAMS principal position.

Abel was born and raised in Medford. “Besides college and a year stint in Spencer after getting married, I have lived in Medford my entire life,” she said.

Abel said she looks forward to serving as MAMS assistant principal.

“I look forward to contributing to the Medford School District’s mission of ensuring that all students learn,” she said.

“Becoming the middle school assistant principal here at MAMS fulfills my professional goals as an educator while allowing me to serve the community in which I live. This role lets me work with many students and staff members, which I highly enjoy. My own children will attend school here in the district and being close to family is important to me,” she said.

As assistant principal, Abel’s role will primarily be working with students in terms of attendance and behavioral support, but she said she will assist in any way that is needed.

Abel went to Immanuel Lutheran for grade school and graduated from MASH in 2008. After high school, she attended Northcentral Technical College’s early childhood program and obtained her associate’s degree. She then transferred to UW-Stout for her bachelors degree.

“At UW-Stout I majored in early childhood, early childhood special education, and middle childhood education. I received my masters degree as a reading specialist from Concordia in 2017. This past July I completed my certifications for principal, as well as director of curriculum and instruction from Viterbo,” Abel said.

After graduating from UW-Stout Abel spent 10 years with the School District of Spencer. She was primarily a 5th grade teacher for seven years. Her last three years at Spencer were spent as the District Reading Specialist, Title-I Coordinator, and District Assessment Coordinator.

She and her husband, Brian, have been married for seven years. He works for the RVA as the technology director. They have two boys, Kai, four, and Kase, two and a half.

When not at school she said she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, cooking, hunting, gardening, and spending time outside.