Larry from Bus 4 was recognized five times in May for being an excellent bus driver and dedicated to keeping the children safe. Larry has been responsive in communicating with us even reminding us of Team Days and holidays. We've had such a great experience with Larry that we were wondering if we could have him as a teacher for our son at Oak Ridge. Another nominator said that "Larry engages in conversation with my child and truly makes her bus rides enjoyable. She loves taking the bus because of him. He is always so friendly and always is so polite." Another nominator said this of Larry: "He is always so kind. Each day he greets us with a smile and assures us that our daughters will have a safe ride to school. Thank you Mr. Larry for all you do for our children! A fourth nominator added: "Larry has always been great and courteous to my daughters." And a fifth nominator summed it up this way: "Mr. Larry is the best bus driver. He really cares about our kids and their safety. When he is absent, my daughter always asks when is he coming back?" He is always on time and with a smile on his face. We are very lucky to have him as a bus driver."
Colleen was recognized for going above and beyond while preparing students for the end-of-the-year Farewell Show. Each year, the show turns out amazing, the students do a fantastic job, and parents and teachers truly enjoy the performance all thanks to Colleen’s hard work and effort! Thank you so much for making the show amazing each year! Additionally, we would like to thank Colleen for helping our students participate in various holidays and events by working with them to complete many wonderful art projects. Colleen always works hard to make this process fun and engaging for the students, and when they see their work posted throughout the hallways, the students are truly proud of what they have achieved! Thank you, Colleen! Your hard work and dedication don't go unnoticed!
Camille was recognized for having an incredible way with the children she works with. She is compassionate and dedicated and always does everything she can to help all of the children succeed. She is always willing to lend a hand to anyone for anything they need and works tirelessly to help students reach their goals. In addition to developing wonderful relationships with the students and staff, Camille also has an amazing way of relating to families. Her love for their children is obvious and it puts parents at ease to know that their children are in her capable and caring hands. She is simply amazing.
Mike was recognized for going above and beyond for keeping Sorrick running smoothly. When we ask Mike to do something he always does it immediately and with a smile. He is always available to help the staff by bringing the supplies that they need for their classroom and is always willing to clean up the constant water spills in the hallway and in the classroom. In the winter, he always made sure that the sidewalks were clean and safe for the staff and students. As the end of the year approaches, he prepares for all the special events on time, and has saved empty boxes for the teachers to pack up for the summer. His personal pride is exhibited in every task given to him as shown by the beautiful courtyard. Mike is dependable, respectful, punctual, diligent, knowledgeable, and considerate of all the teachers' needs. It is a pleasure to have him on our team and Sorrick is fortunate to have him.
Jolanta was recognized for being a true reincarnation of a super-hero. She is constantly juggling 101 things, with grace might I add, and will always make time to smile your way. She is kind, hardworking, and I am so happy to see her every morning. Everyone loves Jola, and I wanted to heartily say thank you!
Kelly was recognized for being a consistently positive, helpful, and kind force since day one. I have never seen a teacher care so much for her students; the time, energy, and love she puts in daily is astounding. I am so proud to be her co-worker.
Michelle was recognized for using her experience and skill as a classroom teacher to identify issues with a student who was struggling. Mrs. Kjeldsen was very supportive to ensure the student had the greatest chance to succeed. Not only was Mrs. Kjeldsen supportive during the process of helping the child succeed and substantially grow academically, she took active measures using her experience to help reduce any learning loss.
Melissa was recognized for .being an excellent Math teacher. She is very patient with her students and has a wonderful demeanor while in the classroom. The students respect her and yet she is able to make the learning environment fun for her students. Some of her students have considered her their best teacher ever! Thanks Ms. Stevens.
Manal was recognized for being great at co-teaching and helping all the kids. She knows things the content teacher missed and she fills in. If the teacher pauses, she picks up the lesson. She is great at giving alternative ways to look at something. She is very patient and we at Conrady are lucky to have Manal on our team.
Theresa was recognized for being extremely helpful and kind with Kaleb's transition back to school. I truly believe these qualities are an innate part of her personality and she is sweet and caring all the time. The world is a better place with her in it!
Maira or Mrs. M (as the kids call her) is awesome! She has been our son Jovan's bus driver for 3 years and we are so grateful. When Jovan went from Sorrick to Oak Ridge, we were nervous because Maira set the bar high for us and we did not know what to expect from a new driver. We were so excited when she pulled up on the first day of school this year. Jovan was nervous about going to a new school but seeing her gave him a burst of excitement to see a friendly face picking him up and bringing him home every day. She is very attentive and responsive to the needs of all the kids on Bus 21 but especially ours and we would like to recognize her for being the best bus driver hands down! Thank you so much for looking out for our kid,
Nikki, Jamie, Rabab and Shannon were recognized for their efforts in co-teaching for our English Learners. Since we've implemented co-teaching at NPD 117, these ladies have been hands-on in supporting all of our students, while working through research-based co-teaching models and co-planning best practices. They provided such effective co-teaching models and relationships, that Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld, bestselling author and renowned researcher in the field of education, has published North Palos SD 117 and these specific teachers in her new book titled, "Co-Planning: 5 Essential Practices to Integrate Curriculum and Instruction for English Learners." This book was published by Corwin Publishers. This book aims to support novice and seasoned educators alike in their move away from isolated practices and help them engage in collaborative planning and professional dialogue about asset-based, best practices for English Learners.
Teresa was nominated several times for a number of reasons. She takes the initiative to gather Polish bilingual parents and explain how the important tests work in our children's tenure in District 117. Most of those parents barely speak any English and I really didn't see the district explain in Polish what those are all about. Last year my daughter was in her class, but I chose to keep her remote, and Mrs. Borowicz was preparing her paper school assignments every week. Sometimes even more times a week than that. I never felt that it was too much for her. And that's when I truly started to understand the learning process in American elementary school, what all the testing means, even though I went to high school in the U.S. My son is in kindergarten now, and hopefully next year we'll be lucky to have her as his teacher. Two other nominators said Mrs. Borowicz is a good teacher. Another said she organized meetings for Polish parents at Dorn to help them understand all requirements and get knowledge about bilingual programs that are available in our District. Another said she prepared presentations and explained all details of the programs and tests related to bilingual learning. She always encourages parents to be more involved in school life and their children’s education. She inspires the Polish community at Dorn to decorate school for Christmas and Easter and supported parents with all ideas. We are so thankful that she is always so helpful and involved. Thanks to teachers like Mrs. Borowicz, Dorn School is a great place to learn and we as parents feel always invited and included in our children’s education. Another said she is a great teacher and wonderful to the community. And yet another nominator praised her positive attitude.
Shawna was recognized for always helping our students and her team. She is a hard worker, and very devoted teacher. As our Math Department was in flux mid-year, Ms. Dukes was always on top of things. She is truly a star and we at Conrady are happy she is on our team. She is amazing!
Vince was recognized for his positivity in the classroom and with his co-workers. Vince has a smile on his face all through the day and everyday. His students always enjoy being in the classroom with Mr. Annel. Our Math teachers have really stepped up this year to accommodate some changes that we have been dealt and we sincerely appreciate his efforts.
Kelly, Kate, Regina and Karen were recognized for the amount of support, encouragement, kindness and professionalism that these ladies display every single day. They have ALL gone above their job description to support my students and my classroom and have every school year. They always have amazing ideas and radiate love and gentleness every day. Their SEL lessons are fun and engaging and involve all students of all abilities. I can not imagine Glen Oaks without them.
Josephine was recognized for being incredibility positive and projecting her positivity into every class and project she tackles. Her team is always brainstorming new ideas and Ms. Tadros is right there in front with ideas. Thanks Ms. Tadros for supporting your team as always.
Karolina was recognized for being the type of teacher my children needed. She brings so much joy to their learning. She is just wonderful. My children can't wait to go back to school each and every day!
Sireen is one of our Math Department's favorite teachers. She is very serious in the classroom, but cares so much for her students. The students have a lot of respect for her and she respects them in turn. Our Math Department has experienced a lot of changes this school year, and Ms. Saqri has stepped up to the plate to help out.
Maddy is a first year teacher at Conrady and an alumni, so she is very in tune with Conrady's spirit and teamwork. She was recognized for her efforts that go beyond the classroom, with her involvement in facilitation of the Student Council. She is truly a gem and we are thrilled to have her as part of our math team.
Where do I begin with Mrs. Buckley? Mrs. Buckley is a PHENOMENAL educator, and an essential asset to the Conrady team. Her love, passion, and zest for teaching 7th grade Science radiates beyond the walls of the classroom. She creates multiple opportunities for students to feel they are part of the decision making in the classroom. Seventh-grade Science is LEAD by the 7th grade Science students. They wear the hats of mini-scientists from the first day of class! How cool is that? Students sign up for classroom roles which teaches responsibility and leadership. She holds students accountable as needed. Mrs. Buckley is creative - she transforms the classroom to match the current topic. In this way, Mrs. Buckley makes learning Science engaging and fun! Mrs. Buckley is a highly creative and energetic leader. She makes everyone feel welcome. She is a respectful, humble and inclusive team player. Mrs. Buckley is open-minded and willing to consider all possible options. I can go on and on about her upbeat and enthusiastic attitude that has had a big impact on the Conrady community as a whole. Thank you for being YOU!
Shannon was recognized for going above and beyond for every student and staff member at Dorn. She is always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Shannon works so hard on everything that she does. All her hard work is greatly appreciated!
Since the first day of Parent Orientation, Kim has been a dream of a teacher for our daughter. We appreciate both her high level of education and the variety of professional experiences that have helped her develop her skills as a teacher. Beyond that, she is organized, highly responsive to questions, and provides very specific, useful feedback regarding our child's schoolwork. Lexie's academic skills have flourished since beginning kindergarten, even though she missed pre-K opportunities due to the pandemic. Her take-home schoolwork is cute, fun, and allows choices so that each student can work more in the areas that need strengthening. Although we as parents have little opportunity to observe actual classroom dynamics, Mrs. Pietryla posts regularly to a Twitter feed that showcases her love of her students. Additionally, it highlights her amazing ENERGY in maximizing the students' attention to productive classroom activities. The classroom decor and layout appears conducive to learning, student interaction and regular physical exercise which is so important for children. It is not good to be still all of the time for adults, either...and based on what we see on the Twitter feed, Mrs. Pietryla sets a good example here. She takes good care of us parents, too. For example, at the beginning of the school year, whenever Lexie had a problem in school (e.g. crying on the first day, urinating in her pants due to fear of the industrial toilets...etc.) Mrs. Pietryla called us right away to both notify and reassure us. As Lexie has a food allergy, Mrs. Pietryla called me ahead of time to ask permission to serve her hot chocolate during the Hot Chocolate Challenge. She spent some extra time with us (virtually) during our first parent-teacher conference and reacted with good humor to our audio-visual troubleshooting efforts. We have been spoiled by regular reminders of special dates/deadlines for school and classroom activities so it is almost impossible to forget. Mrs. Pietryla also seems to anticipate a variety of family/parental needs, such as when she let us know that one needn't subscribe to Twitter to access and view the classroom feed. To summarize, our daughter's (and ours, ahem) introduction to the school system has been a hugely positive one! Ironically, although Mrs. Pietryla has identified our daughter as having standout verbal expression abilities, when I ask Lexie what she loves about her teacher, she states quite seriously, "I love that she gives us recess."
Mike was recognized for always going above and beyond to help all the students in the building. He always has the best activities prepared for his classes. The kids absolutely adore him. Thank you for all your hard work!
Anne was recognized for being such a great addition to my classroom. She does a great job teaching my fourth-grade students and the students look forward to her coming into the classroom. Anne always is collaborating with me and has great ideas for making 4th grade math more fun. She is an amazing Panther team member!
Mike was recognized twice this month for being a kind and compassionate bus driver. The first nominator said that "Mike is very kind, reliable and always on time. He goes out of his way when doing his job and he is my favorite bus drive." The second nominator wrote: "Mike is an exceptional bus driver. He always greets us with a smile. I know that I can count on him being on time. He is also easy to talk to. I am very comfortable with leaving my son in his hands during the time between school and home as I have gotten to know him not only as a bus driver, but also a person.
Brad is an important asset to North Palos District 117. Conrady especially appreciates all the work Brad does for this building. Whether it's fixing student's Chromebook issues or getting staff members laptops to cooperate, Brad always gets the work done in a timely matter. Thank you for everything that you do!
Huda Ihmud and Olga Baroudos were recognized for being such a great collaborative co-teaching team at Glen Oaks School. I was able to participate in a meeting and hear discussions surrounding the instructional planning of their lessons, which showed evidence that these fellow educators are committed to their partnership and the excellence of all their students through their willingness to share their knowledge, skills, thoughts and ideas. Thank you Huda and Olga!
Alice was recognized for spending the week going in and out of classrooms to touch base with teachers and helping those who were having difficulty with the loss of Mr. Boam.
Cathy was recognized for spending time going in and out of classrooms and touching base with teachers to deal with anyone having difficulty with the loss of Mr. Boam. She was the calm during the storm.
David, Rafaela and Angie were recognized for keeping our students safe during drop-off and pick-up and for spreading salt to melt the icy sidewalks and street early in the morning before kids arrive to school. Truly thankful for having rthem in our district. May God bless them!
Eileen was recognized for her leadership. As her staff faced a most difficult situation, she displayed the strength and empathy to carry us through. She did her best to ensure that although we were all grieving the loss of Brian, we would remember the amazing person he was. She openly communicated with us and went out of her way to celebrate his life. This one event, however, is not an isolated event. Dr. McCaffrey displays the pillars of good leadership every day. We are so thankful that she is the principal at Dorn.
Cathy was recognized for making dozens and dozens of Cubs and Bears masks for us to wear to honor our colleague, Brian Boam.
Madelyn was recognized for her ability to explain work like no other teacher can.
Denise was recognized for being one of a number of staff members who stepped up and took on extra duties after Winter Break, including working in the office as teacher/attendance clerk. She offered to do this and it made such a huge difference in keeping the office running smoothly.
Ahlam has been an amazing co-worker to me. She has helped and supported me throughout my teaching journey. She is such a positive ray of sunshine. I love seeing her everyday. She always makes sure to incorporate and create a multilingual inclusive environment for all.
These four amazing ladies, also known as our parent liaisons, have been the greatest gift to our district. While we have only had them for a short time, their impact has been incredible. At Glen Oaks they have provided us with much-needed translations .to give our families access to the amazing things that are happening in our building. They have been present for meetings where they provide friendly support to our families while translating important letters to parents. They have held extremely enjoyable reading nights and have contacted families to sign up for Parent-Teacher Conferences. They have also attended our Parent Literacy Night to provide needed support to our parents. These ladies are extremely kind, caring and helpful. We are so thankful for the support of these wonderful women and I know that our families appreciate them so much! Thank you ladies!
Meghan was recognized for stepping up and taking many of Dorn's quarantined students for their remote instructional time..
Aubrey was recognized for being a wonderful music teacher and making sure everyone is successful.. She energizes students and makes them feel that they can always perform at their best. Ms. Malito is always very accepting with everything and she loves to help students in their time of need to become great musicians.
Mike was recognized for .making sure that every child has a responsible adult to get him/her from the bus, and questioning any adults he does not recognize.
Laura wears her superhero teacher cape to help tackle every obstacle in her way. She uses her superpowers to fight off those challenges with patience, kindness and positive energy. Laura has super strength to manage two instructional grade levels (second and third grade) planning and teaching lessons, testing, writing reports, writing IEP goals and objectives and contacting parents. Her commitment to her students goes above and beyond as she stays long hours after school to create instructional materials for her students' individual needs. Laura deserves to be recognized as the star of the month because of her dedication to her students and passion for teaching.
Margaret was recognized for doing a magnificent job with students through her speech therapy. My son has improved tremendously and loves the fun and interactive activities. Margaret is very much in tune with her students' needs and interests. Parents can also always count on her for additional support, questions and guidance.
Stefanie was recognized for working tirelessly to ensure that children are given the keys to unlock the ability to express themselves. She goes above and beyond her job description by thinking out of the box, and goes the extra mile to make sure that all children are gifted with what so many of us take for granted.....the freedom of speech. Stefanie is not only concerned with what the child knows, but also what the child becomes. She is priceless!!!!!
Jeff was recognized for continuously being instrumental in assisting with student enrollment, Power School, InfoSnap and Meals Plus. His knowledge and expertise helps make all the programs we use with our student data run smoothly on a daily basis! He truly is a Star employee!