Tara Lundell’s career in education began at Dixie Middle School in St. George, where she served as a behavior unit teacher. The assignment at Dixie Middle School taught her more about resilience, creativity, and human connection than anything else could have. From that formative starting point, her professional journey wound through Spanish Fork Junior High, Payson Middle School, Mt. Nebo Junior High, and finally Mt. Nebo Middle School.
Throughout her three decades in the classroom, Tara has worn many hats. She has taught ELA, math, inclusion science, and reading. She has served as a mentor teacher, teacher leader, district-level specialist, and ELA teacher leader.
Despite the variety of roles and responsibilities she has taken on, Tara says the hat that has always fit her best is the one she wears while sitting beside a student who is working hard to crack the code of reading.
“When that light turns on in their eyes and they know they’ve got it? There is
nothing—absolutely nothing—in this world like it,” she said. “That moment is the whole reason I kept showing up for thirty years.”
This unwavering commitment to student literacy stems from Tara’s deep understanding of what reading truly means. To her, watching a student learn to read is not simply an academic achievement—it is the greatest gift education has ever given her. It represents far more than decoding words on a page. It embodies confidence. It opens doors to independence. It unlocks possibility, all wrapped up in the transformative moment when a word finally makes sense.
Tara has formed deep and enjoyable relationships with her students. She said she has laughed every single day in her classroom. She said that her students have given her the gift of laughter over and over again, and she truly believes it is what has kept her heart in this work for so long.
“When you laugh with kids, when they feel safe enough to laugh with you, that’s when the real learning happens,” she said.
This philosophy has become the cornerstone of her teaching practice, and with it, Tara has fostered classrooms where students feel valued, supported, and genuinely connected to their education.
Tara’s journey from her early days managing challenges at Dixie Middle School to her current role at Mt. Nebo Middle School reflects a career built on relationships, resilience, and an unshakable belief in student potential. Her colleagues recognize her dedication, her students remember her warmth, and her impact continues to ripple through the district.
As Tara looks back on three decades of teaching, the answer to what has made her career meaningful is simple: The students themselves. Their growth, their laughter, their breakthrough moments. These are the reasons she continues to show up, inspire, and unlock the readers and learners within every child who walks through her classroom door.
