Our Teachers
Heather Gandre
Beginning Band Educator
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Ms. Heather Gandre is the Director of Bands at West Allis Central High School, as well as Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, and Mitchell Elementaries. She is a graduate of West Allis Central (’09) and holds her B.M. in Music Education from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. Her main instrument is clarinet, and she currently performs with the Greenfield Concert Band as well as local theater companies.
Outside of music, Ms. Gandre is an Irish Dancer with Glencastle Irish Dancers. You can catch her at Irish Fest every year! She is also an avid traveler, and hopes to continue seeing the world.
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Kelly Schultz
Orchestra Educator
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Ms. Schultz received a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also received a Master of Music Education with a minor in conducting from the University of Colorado-Boulder. While in Boulder, she had the privilege of studying with Dr. James Austin, conducting professor Allan McMurray and Dr. Mallory Thompson. Ms. Schultz has guest conducted area school and community groups.
Ms. Schultz is currently teaching instrumental music in the West Allis School district. In addition to her musical day job, she also is the conductor of Greenfield Concert Band (a concert group for adult musicians). Past affiliations include Music Educators National Conference and Collegiate Band Directors National Association. Former ensembles include Northshore Concert Band, Knightwind Ensemble, Flatirons Brass and Greenfield Quintet.
She also enjoys riding her motorcycle and spending time with her two goofy dogs.
Robin Uttke
General Music and Chorus Educator
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Mrs. Uttke is graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Parkside with a Major in Music Education and Certificates in Instrumental, General and Vocal Music Education. She has 16 years teaching experience and is very excited to be teaching in the West Allis-West Milwaukee school system.
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Music has always been a passion of hers from her childhood in Kenosha, WI to her everyday life as an educator. As a child, her grandfather helped to shape her love for music by supporting her education and by encouraging her involvement in piano lessons and summer band programs. Currently she is the choir director at her church in Cudahy and also enjoys playing with other musicians whenever she can.
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Personally, Mrs. Uttke enjoys spending time with her family. She has a 6 year old daughter, Lucy and a 3 year old daughter, Marion. Both are supper cute learning more and more everyday. Her husband is a band director for Catholic Schools in Burlington, WI. Mrs. Uttke enjoys being outside – enjoying nature and the time with friends and relatives. She enjoys crafting (especially cross-stich), reading and playing games.
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Mrs. Uttke is very excited to be a Jefferson Bear and looks forward to a fabulous year of music making with our students.
Amy Andrews
Prelude Strings Educator
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Mrs. Andrews is teaching the Prelude Strings program at Jefferson this year. She also is the Director of Orchestras at West Allis Central High School, as well as the Orchestra and Prelude teacher at Irving and Walker Elementary Schools. She is a Fond du Lac, WI native (Goodrich HS) and has bachelors degrees in piano pedagogy and music education from UW-La Crosse. Her husband Chris is the Director of Information Technology for a company in Waukesha, and their son Patrick is 3rd generation at UWL, getting his doctorate in Physical Therapy. She has enjoyed performing violin, viola, piano and singing alto in groups like the Menomonee Falls Symphony Orchestra, the South Shore Chorale and Orchestra (Fond du Lac), and the Waukesha Chorale Union. Mrs. Andrews is a devoted fan of the TV show the Golden Girls, and she and Chris have three spoiled cats at home: Winni, a tortie; Pizzi, a black cat, and Sissi, who is gray and white. .
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