Author: Maggie O'Mara
Published: 6:27 AM MDT June 1, 2026
Updated: 6:27 AM MDT June 1, 2026
BOISE, Idaho — The end of the school year means the end of an era for so many teachers in Idaho. Many will choose to retire this year, after a long and impactful career teaching our kids. One of those teachers is Shari Carter, a beloved kindergarten teacher at Cecil D. Andrus Elementary in the West Ada School District. Carter loves teaching kindergarten. "I think that I had a calling," Carter said. "I've been teaching her for 20 years – this is my 20th year. I knew I loved this school from the moment we walked in. The rest is history!" Carter has nurtured and taught hundreds of little people over the years at Cecil D. Andrus elementary in the West Ada School District. "We do life in this classroom, and we learn about life in this classroom, we are a family," Carter said. "We grow together and we learn together. The love is exponential; it just doesn't stop. No matter how old they get, they are still my kinder babies, they will be my kinder babies forever." This was her final year in the classroom, and it's so bittersweet. "It's hard to think about saying goodbye because we fall in love with each other here," Carter said. "So, I think just the opportunity to work with such amazing tiny humans that will change our future, and I'll have a tiny part in that, makes my heart just swell." The principal of Andrus, Dani Andrus, says Mrs. Carter is and has always been something special. "Shari has the biggest heart, she comes to work every day with a smile on her face, she brings so much enthusiasm," Andrus said. "For our parents, for our staff for our kids, everyone just knows that Shari loves them. She puts her heart and soul into what she does in the classroom. She's gonna miss it!" Several families nominated Mrs. Carter as a 7's Hero for her years of teaching. Two of them wanted to be there to surprise her on camera. Carter has taught five of the Hamaker children and four of the Manwaring kids. They all walked in with big hugs and tears. Carter was blown away and overwhelmed with emotion. "I remember thinking wow she has a gift, and she has a gift to make every single child feel like they are her favorite," said Ali Hamaker, mother of five. "When you go into her class you just feel like you belong there and that she loves you," said Colt Hamaker, now in middle school. "I think what I love about Mrs. Carter is that she makes you feel like you are the most important person in that room," said Reese Hamaker, who is now in high school. Wendy Manwaring's four daughters have all been taught by Mrs. Carter. "She's more than a teacher, she is so invested in these kids," Manwaring said. "She leaves an imprint in them and in their hearts." Shari Carter is off to enjoy retirement, and her family, full time. She has a wonderful husband, two children, and a granddaughter and a new grandbaby on the way. But saying goodbye to all of these memories at Andrus that's not easy to do. "My heart is just filled with so much joy," Carter said. Her legacy will live on here at Andrus Elementary and beyond. "Every single child who has come through this door has just a tiny piece of my heart," Carter said.
Published: 6:27 AM MDT June 1, 2026
Updated: 6:27 AM MDT June 1, 2026
BOISE, Idaho — The end of the school year means the end of an era for so many teachers in Idaho. Many will choose to retire this year, after a long and impactful career teaching our kids. One of those teachers is Shari Carter, a beloved kindergarten teacher at Cecil D. Andrus Elementary in the West Ada School District. Carter loves teaching kindergarten. "I think that I had a calling," Carter said. "I've been teaching her for 20 years – this is my 20th year. I knew I loved this school from the moment we walked in. The rest is history!" Carter has nurtured and taught hundreds of little people over the years at Cecil D. Andrus elementary in the West Ada School District. "We do life in this classroom, and we learn about life in this classroom, we are a family," Carter said. "We grow together and we learn together. The love is exponential; it just doesn't stop. No matter how old they get, they are still my kinder babies, they will be my kinder babies forever." This was her final year in the classroom, and it's so bittersweet. "It's hard to think about saying goodbye because we fall in love with each other here," Carter said. "So, I think just the opportunity to work with such amazing tiny humans that will change our future, and I'll have a tiny part in that, makes my heart just swell." The principal of Andrus, Dani Andrus, says Mrs. Carter is and has always been something special. "Shari has the biggest heart, she comes to work every day with a smile on her face, she brings so much enthusiasm," Andrus said. "For our parents, for our staff for our kids, everyone just knows that Shari loves them. She puts her heart and soul into what she does in the classroom. She's gonna miss it!" Several families nominated Mrs. Carter as a 7's Hero for her years of teaching. Two of them wanted to be there to surprise her on camera. Carter has taught five of the Hamaker children and four of the Manwaring kids. They all walked in with big hugs and tears. Carter was blown away and overwhelmed with emotion. "I remember thinking wow she has a gift, and she has a gift to make every single child feel like they are her favorite," said Ali Hamaker, mother of five. "When you go into her class you just feel like you belong there and that she loves you," said Colt Hamaker, now in middle school. "I think what I love about Mrs. Carter is that she makes you feel like you are the most important person in that room," said Reese Hamaker, who is now in high school. Wendy Manwaring's four daughters have all been taught by Mrs. Carter. "She's more than a teacher, she is so invested in these kids," Manwaring said. "She leaves an imprint in them and in their hearts." Shari Carter is off to enjoy retirement, and her family, full time. She has a wonderful husband, two children, and a granddaughter and a new grandbaby on the way. But saying goodbye to all of these memories at Andrus that's not easy to do. "My heart is just filled with so much joy," Carter said. Her legacy will live on here at Andrus Elementary and beyond. "Every single child who has come through this door has just a tiny piece of my heart," Carter said.
We are thrilled to celebrate Shari Carter as Idaho PTA Teacher of the Year! 🍎✨
Shari is truly the most deserving—her dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to her students shine through in everything she does. Every child who walks into her classroom is impacted by her kindness, care, and genuine love for teaching.
We are incredibly proud to say that Andrus is home to one of the best groups of teachers around, and Shari is a shining example of that excellence. Her many years of service to our school and the West Ada School District have made a lasting difference in countless lives.
Congratulations, Mrs. Carter! Your Andrus family is so proud of you! ❤️
I’m excited to share some wonderful news—Our very own Mrs. Carter has been named the Idaho PTA Teacher of the Year! This is a well-deserved recognition of her dedication, passion, and the positive impact she makes every day.
Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Carter on this outstanding achievement!
A huge shoutout to Mrs. Werley for organizing an amazing multicultural night for the Andrus community. Our families showed up and shared all that makes Andrus what it is. Thanks to everyone who helped make this wonderful night a success!
A huge shoutout to Mrs. Werley for organizing an amazing multicultural night for the Andrus community. Our families showed up and shared all that makes Andrus what it is. Thanks to everyone who helped make this wonderful night a success!
Join Mrs. Dalos, school counselor, and Amanda Leavitt, Idaho PTA Operations Manager, as they present the findings from the bestselling book, “The Anxious Generation”. Together, we will explore the impact of technology and social media on children’s mental health. We will meet Tuesday, October 21st at 6:00p.m. inside of Andrus Elementary.
Join us in wearing blue every Monday in October to celebrate Anti-Bullying!
👏 Our amazing OT Nicole Hall was awarded 800 dollars from the CapEd grant. Her plan is to purchase vibration plates. These cool plates give gentle vibrations that can boost balance, coordination, and core strength. For those with tight muscles, they can even help ease that tension. The low-frequency vibes also have a calming effect, making it easier for students to focus. They help improve awareness of space and make it easier to tune out distractions. We’ll use the vibration plates at the start of activities and during lessons to help everyone stay focused and learn better. It's a fun way to help our nervous systems chill and concentrate! 👏
Andrus Elementary is hiring! Visit the West Ada School District website, click menu, and join our team. Scroll to the bottom to find current job openings. It will take you to Applitrack. You can sort by job or by building. Look for us and submit your application and resume today! We can't wait to hear from you!
Looking for something to do this weekend? We are searching for helpers in our school garden to get it ready for the new school year! 🪴
Please use the following link to see the school supply list for Andrus Elementary. This has been updated for the 2025-2026 school year! Supply list linked here! ✏️🎨📔
Pass on the information! Our in-person kindergarten registration/screener is coming up next week! All parents with a 5-year-old by September 1st who are interested in kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year need to fill out the pre-registration form. Please use the following link for all questions or reach out to us at the information listed on the graphic. We can't wait to meet you!
https://www.westada.org/page/kindergarten-registration/
Congratulations to our February Caught Ya Being Awesome students. We are so proud of your hard work and dedication in showing kindness, safety, and leadership. Keep being a positive light for all around you.
A round of applause for our Andrus crew! We awarded these 3 amazing ladies with Teacher of the year, Certified Employee of the year, and Rookie of the year. Andrus staff and families are so lucky to have you! Congratulations!
Do you or someone you know have a child that will be 5 before September 1st? If so, it's time to register for kindergarten!
Our hearts are bursting with love! 💕 We had a very enjoyable day celebrating Valentine's Day! Thank you, Ms. Juli for treating the staff with Wack-A-Packs! What a fun surprise.
Next week we are celebrating kindness. Our amazing Mrs. Dalos and the Andrus elementary K-Kids planned a week full of love for us. You will see this flyer in Friday folders this week! Please join us in spreading kindness. 💕
The Andrus K-Kids made Christmas ornaments and wrote Christmas letters to residents of an assisted living home. Here is their amazing work. Thank you for making the world a better place!
Congratulations to Linus who won the Andrus Spelling Bee, and Sal who was runner up! We are so proud of you! Great job to all of the spellers who participated in the spelling bee! Thank you to Mrs. Morton for your dedication to this club for the last eight years.
On Friday, we celebrated our November Caught Ya Being Awesome students with high fives! Andrus learners are recognized for being safe, kind, and showing leadership. These students invited their parents to share in the celebration. Thank you to all of our November nominees. We can't wait to do it again for our December Ambassadors! 🎉
