Kane educators to be honored Friday
The nomination form for Kane County Elementary Teacher of the Year award states that the most important quality in nominees should be "their superior ability to inspire the love of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities."
For Dianne Clark, a first-grade teacher at Mill Creek Elementary School in Geneva, that might mean giving kids a magic wand, goofy costume glasses and sending them on to Pooh Corner to enjoy a book.
She is one of the nominees for the award, which will be handed out Friday night by the Kane County Regional Office of Education at a banquet in St. Charles.
Twenty-five people are nominated for eight awards: support staff, associate educator, elementary teacher, middle school teacher, high school teacher, administrator, regional superintendent's award and Educator of the Year.
Clark has been a teacher for 35 years, 20 of them with the Geneva school district. She knew she wanted to be a teacher when she was in third grade.
"Whether she is walking down the hallway with them (students), waiting in line or on the playground, the 'classroom' travels with her, and she continues to teach," wrote Kerri Calloway, a fellow teacher.
Sometimes children learn from workers who aren't teachers. Parkview Elementary School in Carpentersville believes head custodian Raymundo Vargas of Elgin teaches by example. "You must realize that many of these children have no male role model," wrote teacher Karen Andraski in a letter supporting his nomination. "What better example could you wish for than a man who cares, is kind and has such a good work ethic?" Parents and other staff members spoke about his dedication to providing a safe, immaculate place for children to learn, his volunteer work (including helping students' parents become citizens), and his willingness to help translate for people who are not fluent in English. The kids like him so much that getting to do a task with Vargas is offered as an incentive for good behavior.
Local committees, consisting of teachers and administrators, picked the nominees.
2009 Kane County education award nominees
The Kane County Regional Office of Education will present its annual awards Friday in St. Charles. Eight awards will be given, including the Kane County Regional Superintendent award and the Educator of the Year award. The nominees are:
Administrator
Joe Harmon, assistant principal, East Aurora High School
Bradley Hawk, superintendent, Central District 301
Fran Eggleston, principal, Kaneland McDole Elementary School
Robert P. Abraham, assistant principal, St. Charles East High School
Elementary teacher
Sara Lynn Imthurn, O'Donnell Elementary School
Mary Ann Dunham, Sleepy Hollow Elementary School
Patricia Anne Gondek, Thomas Elementary School
Anna M. Richards, Kaneland John Shields Elementary School
Crystal Sportsman, Richmond Elementary School
Dianne Clark, Mill Creek Elementary School
Middle school teacher
Michael Adams, Waldo Middle School
High school
Don Alton Williams, East Aurora High School
Jim Struyk, Central High School
Andrew J. Johnson, St. Charles East High School
Kristin S. Williams, St. Charles North High School
Deborah Perryman, Elgin High School
Special/associate educator
Carrie Janes, East Aurora High School
Dave Hatcher, Dundee-Crown High School
Karen Devereaux, Blackberry Creek Elementary School
Peter Vander Bleek, Richmond Elementary School
Support staff
Griselda Contreras, East Aurora District 131 Early Childhood Center
Raymundo Vargas, Parkview Elementary School
Ruth Waite, Prairie View Grade School
Leanndra Bowen, Blackberry Creek Elementary School
Zoran Terzic, Lords Park Elementary School