St. Isidore teacher receives diocesan award

Jeanine Theobald, a longtime kindergarten teacher at St. Isidore School in Bloomingdale, recently was recognized by the Diocese of Joliet's Catholic Schools Office with a Core Value of Catholic Education Award.

Theobald was nominated by her fellow teachers at St. Isidore as a teacher who exhibits excellence in sharing Catholic Core Values. The criteria are:

• Leading by example in exhibiting Catholic values inside and outside the classroom;

• Incorporating faith into lesson planning;

• Helping students with any kind of learning need;

• Making themselves available for conferencing with parents at any time (even outside school hours);

• Creating plans to work with a child's strengths and weaknesses and sharing those ideas with families;

• Actively working within the parish;

• Consistently demonstrating high morals and ethics.

"Jeanine, without question, fits the criteria that is established for this award," said Cyndi Collins, St. Isidore principal. "When I asked our staff to nominate someone for the award, Jeanine was the overwhelming choice and we are thrilled the diocese recognized that as well. She is the model teacher when it comes to exhibiting Catholic core values in and outside of the classroom."

Theobald began her 22nd year of teaching at St. Isidore when classes started Aug. 26, and her 31st year as a Catholic schoolteacher.

Additionally, St. Isidore School itself was recognized as being one of 10 diocesan schools to receive a "Curare" Award, which is a Customer Service Award. The school agreed to have a "secret shopper" visit the school and evaluate it during the spring semester in such service/communications areas as: website, school entrance, the cleanliness and appearance of the grounds and the school, the way they were greeted first on the phone and then in person, the tour that was provided, and so on.

"We take a great deal of pride in our service to parents, alumni and guests who visit St. Isidore, so we agreed to take part in this program and are quite proud of the fact that we were one of the schools in the diocese to receive it," Collins said.