Board honors exceptional educators
The Illinois State Board of Education announced more than 150 award recipients who will be singled out for their outstanding service at the 33rd annual Those Who Excel/Teacher of the Year banquet Oct. 13 in Decatur.
The evening will include the announcement of the Teacher of the Year.
Recipients are teachers, administrators, student support personnel, educational service personnel and community members.
Categories include: classroom teacher; administrator; support personnel; educational service personnel; school board member and/or community volunteer; early career educator; and teams, which recognizes groups of educators, citizen committees, civic organizations, parent organizations, school boards, booster clubs, etc.
Award levels include the highest level of Excellence, followed by Award of Merit; and Award of Recognition. The excellence award winners are all finalists for the Teacher of the Year Award.
This year's Those Who Excel/Teacher of the Year banquet will be held at the Decatur Conference Center & Hotel, 4191 W US Highway 36, Decatur.
A complete list of award recipients can be found at www.isbe.net/news/2007/twe_07-08.pdf.
Local award recipients include:
Award of Excellence
• Adlai Stevenson High School District 125, Lincolnshire: Alfredo Acosta, educational service personnel; Laura Brandt-Stoppek, classroom teacher; M. Terese Sullivan, student support personnel.
• Community Consolidated School District 62, Des Plaines: Mary Ellen Bleeden, administrator; Paul C. Piszkiewicz, board member.
• Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54, Schaumburg: Renae Kraetsch, classroom teacher.
• Township High School District 211, Palatine: Andres Acosta, student support personnel; Chemistry of Foods Team; Marina D. Scott, administrator.
Award of Merit
• Adlai Stevenson High School District 125, Lincolnshire: AP Calculus AB Team.
• Community Consolidated School District 15, Palatine: Fatima Ali, early career educator; Winston Campus Junior High PBIS Team.
• Community Consolidated School District 62, Des Plaines: Timothy Henson, educational service personnel.
• Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54, Schaumburg: Patti Hlavacek, educational service personnel; Nicholas Myers, administrator; Doris Reynolds, student support personnel; Special Olympics Team.
• Warren Township High School District 121, Gages Lake: SWS -- School Within A School Team.
Award of Recognition
• Adlai Stevenson High School District 125, Lincolnshire: Nancy G. Nichols, community volunteer; Ileene Paul, administrator; Jill R. Smiley, early career educator.
• Community Consolidated School District 15, Palatine: Holli Solberg, educational service personnel; Jean Sophie, administrator; Seema Thaker, student support personnel; Trish Vanderploeg, classroom teacher.
• Community Consolidated School District 62, Des Plaines: Joan Abrams, classroom teacher.
• Community Unit School District 95, Lake Zurich: Jeff Bivin, administrator; Andye Bonkowski, student support personnel, LZHS Peer Leadership Program Team.
• Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54, Schaumburg: Pushpa Khurana, community volunteer.
• Township High School District 211, Palatine: Anthony L. Krotz, classroom teacher; Karen Strauch, community volunteer; Joan P. Volberding, educational service personnel.
• Warren Township High School District 121, Gages Lake: John C. Cerauli, classroom teacher.