Top Kane County educators to be recognized Friday
Twenty-nine Kane County educators will be recognized Friday and one will be chosen Kane County Educator of the Year.
The 41st annual Kane County Educator of the Year Awards banquet begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Q Center in St. Charles.
Awards will be presented to top educators in eight categories. Committees comprising teachers and administrators nominated educators for playing active and useful roles in their communities and their schools. All nominees will receive special recognition as Distinguished Educators. The nominees:
School administrator: Jeff Bragg, principal, Otter Creek Elementary School, Elgin; Laura Garland, principal, Kaneland John Stewart Elementary School, Elburn; Twila Garza, principal, Bardwell Elementary School, Aurora; Brian Moran, associate principal and math/science division chair, Streamwood High School.
High school: Gary Burgener, English teacher, St. Charles East; Ryan Colton, English teacher, St. Charles North; Kurt Dobbeck, band director, South Elgin; Cathy Garrett, special education teacher, Batavia; Katharine Hertz, English teacher, Geneva; Michelle Jurcenko, Spanish teacher and world language department chair, Kaneland High School; Ryan Robinson, agricultural science teacher, Burlington Central.
Middle school: Anthony Garcia, band teacher, Cowherd, Aurora; Raney Good, Language arts and social studies teacher, Harter Middle School, Sugar Grove; Linda Kleiner, English language arts, science, AVID classroom teacher, Lakewood School, Carpentersville; Beth Wood, orchestra director, Carpentersville; Holly Yee, seventh-grade science teacher, Ellis, Elgin.
Elementary school: Jaime Calvo, kindergarten teacher, Krug Elementary, Aurora; Barbara Freeman, acceleration and enrichment reading and math teacher, Western Avenue Elementary, Geneva; Lisa Kees, classroom teacher, Washington, Elgin.
Preschool: Maestra Vivi Luna, early childhood, Oak Park Elementary, Aurora.
Early career educator: Mary Rebecca Carver, math and science teacher, Fred Rogers Magnet Academy, Aurora; Jessica Weibler, communication skills and literature teacher, Harter Middle School.
Educational service personnel: Joan Barley, student information specialist, St. Charles East; Betty Borg, paraprofessional, Kaneland; Rocio Ibarra, parent liaison, Hermes Elementary, Aurora; Tina Zucker, administrative assistant, St. Charles North.
Student support personnel - Sherrill Denise Dodson-Lewis, social worker, Waldo Middle School, Aurora; Christine Hitt, registered nurse, St. Charles North; LeeAnn Rodriguez, speech pathologist, Batavia Early Childhood Center.
The Educator of the Year will receive a $3,000 grant to be used in his/her classroom. Those retiring from education this school year also will be recognized.
For more information, visit kaneroe.org. For educator profiles, visit kanecountyconnects.com.