U-46 board recognizes three outstanding employees

Elgin Area School District U-46 officials Monday night honored three employees who received statewide awards for their contributions.

Last month, Randal Ellison, U-46 coordinator of pre-K through 12th grade discipline and education options, was named Administrator of the Year by the Illinois Coalition for Educating At-Risk Youth at its annual conference in Normal.

This past weekend, paraeducator Tina Pizzitola was named the Illinois Education Association's 2018 Education Support Professional of the Year.

And Natalie Simons, a health educator and assistant athletic director at Bartlett High School, was named the Illinois School Health Educator of the Year by the Illinois School Health Association at its annual conference in Naperville earlier this month.

The school board recognized all three with certificates of achievement.

"I was both shocked and humbled," said Pizzitola of being selected for the IEA award out of more than 30,000 education support personnel statewide, and more than 1,300 within U-46 alone. "I'm very proud to be part of this amazing team. My students need me. These children are my neighbors. This is my community and our students truly are the future."

Pizzitola is a member of the U-46 Para-Educator Intervention Team and rotates among buildings based on need.

"Tina is a talented, devoted paraeducator who fills such an important role for the Specialized Student Services department, and I'm glad to see her recognized," said Leatrice Satterwhite, department director. "Her devotion to the field and to children helps us to create a positive, productive learning environment for students."

Simons was nominated by fellow health educators, Jennifer Dellis at Kenyon Woods Middle School and Lisa Meister at Geneva High School, for her presentations at professional conferences and mentorship of younger teachers in northern Illinois. "She goes above and beyond to make sure her students have the highest level of emotional support and academic support," they wrote.

Simons said her passion for her work stems from her love for children.

"I'm always changing my lesson plans because I never want to see a kid bored or nodding off," she said.

Ellison was nominated by Dream Academy Principal Lourdes Baker who wrote, "He believes that every student, regardless of their circumstances, has the ability to learn and become a productive member of society."

Ellison said he loves his work and that it took him 42 years to get here. "To me the greatest honor is to be recognized by your peers," he said.