Congratulations to District 153's
Those Who Excel Honorees
District 153 is proud to report that several members of the District 153 family have earned recognition from the 2017 Illinois State Board of Education's "Those Who Excel" educator recognition program. The "Those Who Excel" program annually recognizes and honors people who have made outstanding contributions to public and non-public elementary and secondary education throughout the state.
They will be among the individuals from across the state to be honored at a banquet in Normal, IL on October 28, 2017.
Below are the names of the winners, the type of award they received, and a quote from the forms submitted by their nominators.
Elizabeth Binnendyk (6th-grade teacher, Award of Excellence, Early Career Educator category)
"I have been privileged to work with talented and dedicated teachers throughout this time, but it is those rare occasions when I am able to sit back and truly sit in awe as I watch someone whom I believe to be the best in our profession. In just five short years, Elizabeth has proven herself to be a master educator, and I know she will continue to impact thousands of students over her career."
District 153 Technology Team (Award of Recognition, Team category)
Members: James Cassidy, Jacob Condon, Bob Dippold, Sametta Gardner, Tim Noe, Nicko Sims, Beth White
"
Kind, Prompt, Knowledgeable is the Tech Team's self-proclaimed motto, and they exceed expectations every day. Teachers, staff and students know they can count on understanding, patient support with a sense of humor whenever they run into problems."
Alison Lincoln (5th-grade teacher, Award of Merit, Classroom Teacher category)
"She inherently understands the need for relationships as the basis for significant learning and progress. She works tirelessly to find a connection with each of her students and seeks to learn their stories. Those connections allow her to work through the struggles and genuinely celebrate the successes of her students."
Dr. Dale Mitchell (Superintendent, Award of Excellence, School Administrator category)
"It is clear that the relationships Dale values are the bedrock of his success. He is able to create and maintain these relationships because at this core, Dale has a deep and abiding respect and care for the people around him. His compassion and dedication to this staff, board, students, and community shine through every interaction, every decision."
Megan Scislowicz (Churchill School Speech Pathologist, Award of Merit, Student Support Personnel category)
"Megan delivers impeccable speech services in her role. She is able to maximize on a student's strengths to help them gain confidence which in turn impacts classroom performance as well as everyday life. I have seen Megan help a child transform his/her speech and have watched that child grow into a more self-assured individual."
Richard Thiernau (Award of Excellence, Community Volunteer category)
"As a life-long Rotarian, he lives and breathes the Rotary's motto of 'Service Above Self' and makes decisions based on the Rotary's 4-Way Test demonstrating this to all the students, families, and community members in Homewood. He was instrumental in helping us start our Early Act and Interact Clubs in our schools, teaching students the values of volunteerism, and helping others."
Tanya Thomas (Churchill School Special Education Assistant, Award of Recognition, Educational Service Personnel category)
"She is the liaison between the regular education and special education classroom, providing the academic and behavioral support her students need to be successful each day. She approaches this work with a deep love and commitment to her students and her colleagues."
