District 207 staff, teachers honored as Those Who Excel

Maine Township High School District 207 had 11 staff members individually honored and two teams recognized as part of the Illinois State Board of Education Those Who Excel honors and the ISBE Teacher of the Year program.

In the Those Who Excel program, which honors staff members for significant contributions to schools, there are two categories of recognition, including awards of excellence and awards of meritorious service.

Maine South school psychologist Steve Mihalopoulos earned an award of excellence in the student support personnel category. He was one of just three statewide in the category to earn the award of excellence distinction from among the 32 who were recognized.

Maine South teaching assistant Sheronne Thompson earned an award of excellence in the educational service personnel category. She was one of just seven in the category statewide to earn the award of excellence designation from among the 49 who were recognized.

The other honorees from District 207 were all honored with an award of meritorious service:

• School Board President Paul Besler in the community volunteer category.

• Assistant Superintendent for Finance Mary Kalou in the administrator category.

• Coordinator of Digital Media Daniel Kolen in the educational service personnel category.

• Maine Township High School Foundation President Susan Yadgar in the community volunteer category.

• Former Maine East School Psychologist Susana Held in the student support personnel category (she is now working in Glenbard High School District 87).

The maintenance and custodial teams across the district, as well as the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support leadership team districtwide, both earned meritorious service recognition in the team category.

Maine East teacher and instructional coach Eric Coval, as well as Maine West teacher and instructional coach Kristi Ryken, both earned meritorious service recognition in the Teacher of the Year program.

Maine South teacher Lauren Haman and Maine West teacher Kelly Voigt both earned meritorious service recognition in the Early Career Educator category.

The Teacher of the Year program honors teachers with five years of teaching experience and the Early Career Educator category honors teachers with less than five years experience. The program aims to recognize the best of the teaching profession in Illinois.

The program has been in place since 1970.