District 200 honors three top teachers
Three teachers in Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 received Distinguished Teacher Awards this month from the NEW 200 Foundation.
Each year, the foundation honors one teacher from the elementary, middle and high school levels who has put forth extra effort to enrich the educational experiences of District 200 students.
The annual Distinguished Teacher Awards were established to recognize teachers for their excellence. Students and parents of students currently enrolled in District 200 schools may nominate teachers they believe have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Honored this year were Emily Hull, a kindergarten teacher at Whittier Elementary School; Carrie Provost, an orchestra teacher at Franklin Middle School; and Philip Culcasi, a chemistry teacher at Wheaton Warrenville South High School.
Hull has been a teacher at Whittier for two years. Several families nominated her for the award, and comments included: “She not only teaches the class as a whole, but also focuses on the needs of each individual and where they need attention. She inspires each student to make individual goals for themselves that are appropriate to their current abilities.”
Provost is in her 25th year with the district and is teaching orchestra at Franklin.
In addition to the countless hours she spends with her students at Franklin, her students also appreciate the summer orchestra she leads in her own garage. She also leads the Franklin Fiddlers group. According to one of her nominations, “Ms. Provost shares things with us that really help us to either remember or learn techniques.”
Culcasi has been a teacher at Wheaton Warrenville South for 10 years. He was nominated by students and their families, with one saying, “goes above and beyond the requirements of a teacher by being available at any time. He has set up a website for the AP Chemistry kids so they can contact each other or him on matters regarding AP Chemistry.”
A student nomination said Culcasi “teaches in a way that allows for students to discover concepts on their own, as if they were Boyle or Lavoisier or another scientist constructing these laws of science for the first time. It makes science fun and exciting and encourages us, making science less intimidating and more attractive.”
The teachers were honored with a plaque and a gift check.
The mission of the NEW 200 Foundation is to enhance the school experience of students by funding innovative education; extending educational opportunities; recognizing excellence in teaching; and fostering community partnerships.