Science teacher named D214 Ennis Award winner

Kelley Pataky, science teacher at John Hersey High School, is the winner of the 2022 Dr. Elizabeth A. Ennis Innovator Award from High School District 214.

The legacy of the late Dr. Ennis, District 214's sixth superintendent, lives on through this annual award. It is presented to an employee or team of employees who have demonstrated leadership in the development and implementation of an idea to improve student learning and achievement.

Pataky was recognized for her leadership role in developing the curriculum for the Intro to Healthcare class, part of the district's Health Careers Pathway, and for finding unusual ways to engage students in everyday health care experiences.

She will receive her award at an April staff event, and also will receive the opportunity to attend a local, state or national professional development conference during the coming school year.

The District 214 Board of Education established the Ennis Award in 2005 in honor of Dr. Ennis' own leadership during her 15-year tenure of creating advances, including the initiation and growth of the District 214 Vanguard School and the Newcomer Center.

Every year, each District 214 school nominates one individual or team for the award. A district committee - composed of a board of education member, principal, support staff, licensed educator and central maintenance personnel - reviews the nominations and selects a recipient for the honor.

Pataky was recognized for her energetic and enthusiastic work in creating a new course to align with District 214's career pathway goals. In a 27-year career at Hersey High School, she says creating the Introduction to Healthcare class has been one of her greatest accomplishments.

Pataky selected materials, workbooks, notebooks - even new furniture and equipment - for the course. She also has worked to create additional learning opportunities both in the classroom and after school.

She helped create and co-sponsors Scrubs Club - an offshoot of her health care classes - which has grown into one of the most popular clubs at Hersey, with more than 200 members. Scrubs Club educates students about the everyday opportunities to be involved in the health care system. For instance, it helps organize twice-yearly school blood drives and trains staff and students to "Stop the Bleed" in emergency situations.

In addition to her work at Hersey, Pataky also has worked with a team of Illinois educators to develop an organ and tissue donation curriculum used in health science courses across the state.

"My main goal is to introduce students to as many health care experiences as possible prior to graduating high school," she said. "This will provide them with the wisdom and skills necessary to succeed in an extremely competitive environment."

Administrators and colleagues also applaud her search for innovative teaching methods, including using interactive notebooks.

"I am incredibly honored and grateful to be this year's recipient of the Dr. Elizabeth A. Ennis Innovator Award," Pataky said. "Liz embodied innovation, and I had the privilege to work under her tutelage while she was our superintendent. It is extremely humbling to receive an award that represents Liz's influence on this extraordinary district with so many phenomenal educators."

The other 2022 nominees included:

• Arturo Fuentes, Henry Brown, Jacquelin Camacho, Evelyn Sanchez, Dr. Ricky Camacho, Rebeccah Silver, Tom Steinbach, Eric Race and Michael Geist, Wheeling High School: What started out as a simple request for a piece of artwork to represent Wheeling High School's Latinx student body grew into a cross-curricular learning experience involving students from all over the school.

The team began with the idea to create a one-of-a-kind mural representing the values and ideals of the Wheeling school community. Students from the Latinx club worked with an artist to create the 5- by-40-foot mural - and then enlisted help from engineering and manufacturing staff and students to find a way to safely display the art piece.

The final product is museum quality artwork that will be on display for years to come.

• Tom Mroz, business education teacher, Buffalo Grove High School: Buffalo Grove High School business teacher Tom Mroz advocated for and helped create an expanded and more rigorous curriculum in Buffalo Grove High School's Business Pathway, adding a second college-level accounting course.

He even took an additional 18 graduate credits in order to become credentialed to teach the class through National Louis University. Thanks to his efforts, students now can earn up to six early college credits in financial and managerial accounting dual credit courses, two widely required classes for college business majors.

• Arturo Senteno, associate principal, Elk Grove High School: Elk Grove High School associate principal Arturo Senteno created a new second period Principal's Advisory Council (2pPAC) that allows students from across the high school to provide feedback to the administration and to have a voice in school decision-making.

The council is composed of students from each second-period class; instead of a group hand-picked by teachers or administrators, the goal was to have students either elected by peers or volunteer themselves to be part of the process, to provide feedback from a more diverse and unbiased group of students.

This year, the council has had what Senteno calls "courageous conversations" about uncomfortable topics, including vandalism at school, racial equity and behavior at sporting events.

• Stephanie Svarz, English/theater teacher, Rolling Meadows High School: During the pandemic, when live theater events were not an option, Rolling Meadows High School theater teacher Stephanie Svarz worked around the obstacles to provide ways for students to perform and for audiences to participate.

She figured out the logistics of presenting one production as a drive-in event, another as a prerecorded show, and others on Zoom - and eventually organized masked in-person performances.

• Michelle Tantillo, science teacher, Prospect High School: Prospect High School science teacher Michelle Tantillo led an effort called Prospect Ever Forward to improve the high school environment for students and staff.

A Prospect alum herself, Tantillo sensed a need to support and build morale of the staff and students post-pandemic. The result was Prospect Ever Forward, with a set of staff-led groups of teachers and students addressing areas such as differentiation, social and emotional issues, workload and school culture.

• Mike Vargas, director of finance, High School District 214: Mike Vargas, District 214 director of finance, was recognized for converting the district's finance and human resources system to Infinite Visions, a new software platform.

Vargas took the time to make sure all stakeholders were kept informed about the coming transition and were trained in a short time frame - creating an online database with district-specific guidelines, training videos and instructions.

Acknowledging the stress of the implementation, he worked to keep morale high with efforts like making pancakes on-site and perks like customized coffee mugs.

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