Link School Celebrates International Women's Day

Alyssa Ironside attended District 54 schools during her educational career. She then attended Conant High School and Illinois State University where she obtained her undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education. Ms. Ironside then went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Principal Leadership from Concordia University. She has taught for ten years within District 54. Ms. Ironside has always known she wanted to be an educator and to help shape the minds of young learners. She is passionate about being an educator and role model to children and helping each child reach their full potential.

A Reflection from Custodian Dan Kluss

Mr. Dan is inspired by his mom. Growing up, his mom was always there for him and his sister. Mr. Dan's mom encouraged him. His mom worked hard, and she is now enjoying her retirement. Mr. Dan appreciates his mom's continual support.

Mrs. Martinez

Mrs. Martinez always knew she wanted to be a teacher, since she was a little kid. But probably, the most important time for her was when she realized that she could use the power being an educator to help with social issues and to help minorities and girls feel that they belong. She wants girls to know that they have a lot to offer in many different ways. Mrs. Martinez thinks it is important to show girls that they need to speak up for themselves, love themselves, and support each other. This is why International Women´s Day means a lot to her. She believes that this is a day to commemorate women, but it is also a day when people should stop and think if they are doing enough for young girls...giving women and girls the space and opportunities to be themselves. Mrs. Martinez asserts that International Women's Day is a reminder for educators to think about what else they can do to give girls the tools they need to grow stronger and to help them believe they can do anything.

Mrs. Martinez feels inspired by a lot of women who have contributed to make the world a better place for all women and girls, as well as other minorities. She can think of a lot of writers, artists, politicians, activists, etc., who fight every day to empower women in many different ways and who fight for girls' rights. But, Mrs. Martinez also thinks that every woman has a lot to offer and that women can learn from each other. Mrs. Martinez is inspired by her mom, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, friends, teaching partners, students, and her students’ moms, because they are brave and amazing women. These women fight every day in their own way, inspire her to be a better version of herself, and teach her a lot of different things.

Mrs. Peters

Stephanie Peters attended the University of Iowa. She received her Bachelor’s in Education with a math and science middle school endorsements. Mrs. Peters currently teaches kindergarten at Link Elementary. She knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was in kindergarten herself! You can see her passion for teaching when you walk in her classroom. She loves seeing all students grow, so she received her Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an ESL endorsement. She wants to make sure that her students who are learning English are equipped with all the strategies and tools that they need in order to be successful. Seeing the growth that her kindergarteners make each year is one of her favorite things about teaching.

There are many women who inspire her. One of those women is her mom, who is a speech pathologist. Her kindergarten teacher is another woman who inspires her. At a young age, Mrs. Peters noticed that her kindergarten teacher built a great rapport with all students. She set the bar high, and showed Mrs. Peters all of the amazing things an educator can accomplish. Her Link teammates also inspire her by reminding her how amazing she is and are always there to encourage her. They show her that she can do whatever she puts her mind to.

Mrs. Peters empowers all of her students by making sure that they know “they are enough”. According to Mrs. Peters, International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate the amazing accomplishments that women have made throughout history and to celebrate women today who are making great advancements in their fields.

Mrs. Willis

Mrs. Willis worked as the assistant to the Vice President of D.R. Horton homebuilders. Then, she worked as a stay at home mom raising three children for 13 years. After that, Mrs. Willis joined District 54 as a lunch supervisor, and then began working at Link School 11 years ago. Before becoming one of the school's secretaries, Mrs. Willis worked as a Library Resource Assistant.

Mrs. Willis is inspired by strong, independent women. She believes that anything is possible, and that women can do it all. Mrs. Willis's advice for young women is, "When it comes to your career path, don't take 'No' for an answer."

Mrs. Clifton

Experienced and dedicated educator, Kelly Clifton, has a stellar record of providing high service to students and fellow teachers. She possesses a strong capacity to empathize with inexperienced educators and offer appropriate support and guidance. Ms. Clifton also has worked in the corporate world as a retail banking manager before she started her career in teaching. Her favorite thing to do is spending time with her two children and traveling. She hopes to visit Paris, France and London, England in the future.

Mrs. Wojciak

Mrs. Kuna had an “a-ha moment” that inspired her to become an educator. That "a-ha moment" came when she was teaching swim lessons while attending college. Mrs. Kuna realized that she was able to connect with kids in a skill needed for life. She would be so proud when the kids she was working with learned to float without panicking or learned how to perfect their free style stroke. Mrs. Kuna knew that these small moments helped solidify her desire to become a teacher.

Mrs. Kuna's mom has inspired her to become a better person. Mrs. Kuna's mom has always encouraged her and her brother to do the right thing. Her mom was more concerned with them becoming good people who cared about themselves, their family and their community. Her mom wanted them to become responsible, humble people.

If Mrs. Kuna could impart any wisdom to young girls today, it would be to strive to be the best person you can be. Believe in yourself. Take advantage of all of the opportunities that your school and community has to offer. Get involved in something that you love. You’ll never know where your hobbies and interests lead you. Be well-rounded! Today, women and girls have many opportunities to make an impact within their communities. Many women ahead of them have set the path forward. Continue to work hard and remained focused on your dreams.

Mrs. Stob

Mrs. Stob grew up in the District 54 community. She wanted to be an attorney until her mom, who was substitute teaching at the time, included her in planning and discussions about how much she was learning. At that time, Mrs. Stob changed her college major, and she graduated from DePaul University with a B.S. in Elementary Education. She taught elementary students for 12 years before moving into two different leadership roles within District 54. During those 12 years, she acquired an MAEd. as a Reading Specialist and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership.

Throughout her journey in District 54, Mrs. Stob has learned from numerous female parents, educators, and leaders. Mrs. Stob appreciates how much these inspiring women demonstrate consistent investment in the students and families of District 54. International Women's Day is wonderful way to celebrate and encourage women to continue setting goals, to lean on each other, and to be relentless in their efforts to make their dreams a reality.

Mrs. Hyland

Mrs. Hyland worked for Delta Airlines as a customer service agent and at American Express as an account manager before becoming an Instructional Assistant at Link School 9 years ago. She is currently serving the Link community as one of the school's secretaries.

Mrs. Hyland is inspired by the many generations of women in her family. These strong women owned and operated restaurants, and Mrs. Hyland continues to value and live by their work ethic. Mrs. Hyland believes that women can do absolutely anything, and her advice for girls is to to follow their dreams.

Ms. Murphy

Ms. Murphy always knew that she wanted to be a teacher when she was growing up. She LOVED attending school, and she had so many amazing women educators throughout her educational career that set great examples for her. In high school, Ms. Murphy had the opportunity to teach a pre-school class that was housed inside her school building and that solidified her decision. She knew that she could make a difference in children’s lives every day and set them up for success in their future. Throughout her career as an educator, Ms. Murphy has been able to work with students from different cultures and with different needs. These students have taught her so much, and given her new perspectives. Ms. Murphy feels so lucky to be able to work with these children and hopefully make a lifelong impact like her teachers did for her.

Ms. Murphy's mom is her biggest inspiration. Her mom is the strongest woman she knows. Throughout all the hardships in her life, Ms. Murphy's mom has led a successful career and raised the most amazing family with her dad. Ms. Murphy values her mom's advice and opinions more than anyone else. In addition, Ms. Murphy's two sisters are also a source of inspiration for her. Her sisters teach her new things every day, and they are always there to support her. Ms. Murphy also feels lucky to work in an elementary schools that has women as the majority of the staff. Ms. Murphy believes that the women that work at Link are truly amazing. They all contribute their own knowledge, ideas, and experiences which leads to a rich environment for staff, students, and parents!

Anyone who knows Ms. Murphy know that she loves Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Her favorite quotes from these two artists are:

“Other women who are killing it should motivate you, thrill you, challenge you, and inspire you rather than threaten you and make you feel like you’re immediately being compared to them.” - Taylor Swift

“We have to teach our girls that they can reach as high as humanly possible.” - Beyoncé

“The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence.” -Beyoncé

Ms. Murphy thinks that International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate all the important women in our lives and throughout history. Women’s achievements and contributions were overlooked for a long time throughout our history, and it is important now that we have a day/month to honor all the women in our lives that have made an impact and fought for our rights. Women are crucial members to our society and it is important that we take the time to acknowledge their strength and intelligence.

A Reflection from Dr. Wulbecker

While I have been blessed to have many inspirational women in my life, I will never forget the impact that my great grandma Fannie had on me. She was the shortest woman I knew, but by far the most generous. She was so generous that every time we would see her, she would want to give us something of hers. It came to a point where my parents told me to not tell her if I liked something in her apartment because she would undoubtedly send it home with me. She expressed genuine joy every time we visited, and always made us feel special. She spent her later years in a number of different nursing homes, and every time we would visit, she would take us around and introduce us to every resident and nurse. She made us feel so loved, even though it would take us a very long time to get down the hallway to go anywhere. My great grandma Fannie taught me at an early age what joy and generosity look like.

Mrs. Rummel