District 300 Foundation Nominees for 2013 Distinguished Educator and Distinguished School Employee of the Year Awards Are In

CARPENTERSVILLE…. The District 300 Foundation for Educational Excellence is proud to announce this year’s Distinguished Educator and Distinguished School Employee Nominees.  This is the inaugural year for the D300 Distinguished School Employee of the Year award program.

District 300 Foundation Distinguished Educator of the Year:

By annually honoring a District 300 classroom educator who best meets the award criteria, it is the hope that the excellence that exists in many of our classrooms will be advanced.

District 300 Foundation Distinguished Educator of the Year Award Criteria

• The educator must have at least 5 years of District 300 teaching experience and be at
 least 5 years from anticipated retirement.

• The educator should display innovative techniques of instruction and motivation of
 learners that maximize student achievement.

• By example the educator should inspire colleagues to employ innovative techniques and best practices.

• The educator should display a willingness to share her/his expertise that leads colleagues down the path toward exemplary performance.

• The educator should demonstrate through daily practice, an understanding of the needs of learners and what it takes to bring them to high levels of achievement.

  District 300 Foundation Distinguished Educator Nominees:

• Rebecca Hendriksen – Golfview Elementary School - Writing and Reading teacher   7 years experience.  Member of LEAD

• Stephanie Kouri – Dundee Crown High School - English teacher - 5 years experience.  Awarded DCHS Rookie of the Year.  Member Ill Education Assoc., National Education Assoc. & LEAD

• Margaret Dill-Lentz – Jacobs High School - Special Education and Art teacher - 24 years of teaching experience.  Member National Education Assoc. & LEAD

• Jennifer O’Donnell – Lakewood School - Orchestra teacher - 7 years experience.  Awards:  Mr. Holland’s Opus, National Assoc. of Music Merchants, Top Community for Music Education.  Member of American String Teachers Assoc., National Assoc. for Music Education, Ill Music Educators Association

• Letisha Pena – Meadowdale School - Fourth grade teacher - 6 years experience.  Published in Michigan Reading Journal.  Member National Education Assoc. & IRC.

• Morgan Szymonik – Hampshire Middle School - English teacher - 11 years experience.  Awarded National Board Certification.

District 300 Foundation School Employee of the Year Nominees:

By annually honoring a District 300 employee who best meets the criteria of this award, it is hoped that such excellence will serve as an inspirational example. 

District 300 Foundation School Employee of the Year Award Criteria

• The nominee must be assigned to one or more of the District’s schools in a position that is not applicable to the Distinguished Educator Award. 

• The nominee must have at least 3 years of District 300 service and be at least 3 years from anticipated retirement. 

• The nominee should display professional excellence, innovativeness, dedication, and/or any other quality that contributes toward an enhanced/enriched District 300 student learning experience. 

• By example the nominee should inspire colleagues to work towards the same level of high performance. 

• The nominee should display a willingness to share her/his expertise that leads colleagues down the path toward exemplary performance. 

• The nominee should demonstrate through daily practice, an understanding of the needs of learners in his/her area of job responsibility.

District 300 Foundation School Employee Nominees:

• Ron Biallas – Custodian – Jacobs High School -  17.5 years -  Awards:  Cooperative Work Experience Certificate of Appreciation, 2011 Principal’s Award.  Member D300 PBIS program & Eagle Pride Advisory Committee.

• Telesforo Contreras – Custodian – Westfield Community School.  13 years - Known for…keeping his building in brand new condition and paying close attention to special needs of students.

• Tim Loversky – Principal – Lakewood Elementary School - 13 years - Awards:  Voices Courageous Leadership Award, Northern Kane Charter School Service Award, Western DuPage Special Recreation Assoc.  Member of National SAM Innovation Project, American Association School Administrators. 

• Viviana Perez-Morace – Dundee Crown High School - English as a Second Language Paraprofessional - 7 years -  Known for…Unwavering positivity and forward thinking.

• Matilde Ramon -  Golfview Elementary School - Secretary - 8 years - Known for..Positive role model for staff and students. 

The Foundation would like to congratulate all the nominees for this distinguished award nomination and invite all District 300 employees and community members to join us at the Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills on Tuesday, April 30^th starting promptly at 4:30 p.m. to show their support and appreciation for their outstanding efforts.

The winner of the D300 Foundation Distinguished Educator and Distinguished School Employee of the Year will be announced at the Awards Banquet on April 30, 2013.  In addition, the Foundation will announce the recipients of the 2013-2014 Innovation and Large Project Grants.

The D300 Foundation’s mission is to enhance and extend learning opportunities in all D300 schools. Since its founding in 2002, it has raised well over one half million dollars for District 300 schools and its students.  The Foundation focuses on four areas of impact:  Literacy, Performing and Fine Arts, Science and Technology and Student Leadership.

Money for the Foundation is raised through corporate partnerships, private donations and Foundation events.

To purchase your D300 Foundation Awards Banquet tickets, and to learn more about the Foundation and past educational project grants, please visit the website at: www.d300foundation.org.