Frankfort Resident Sherry Grutzius Named 2022 IL “Teacher of the Year”

Frankfort’s Sherry Grutzius has found her own “personal legend” by imparting that pursuit on others – her students.

“I encourage all of my students to find their passion, their ‘personal legend’ – the reason they are on this planet,” said Grutzius. “If they do this for a living, they will never look back. They will be filled with daily joy, as I am.”

Illinois Network of Charter Schools named Grutzius the 2022 “Teacher of the Year” finalist. Grutzius never pined for personal recognition during her career, including 15 years at Morgan Park Academy, and now as a faculty member of Southland College Prep Charter High School in south suburban Richton Park, instead, the educator mined for personal insight and excellence in every single one of her pupils.

“I am living my personal legend and one of the joys of teaching for 28 years is that now I have former students who are adults,” said Grutzius, a Frankfort resident. “I am able to follow their journey to see the incredible work they are now doing.”

Which includes her son, Sam, who was once Grutzius’ student at Morgan Park Academy and has found his calling in education, intent on helping young people as a social worker and in a classroom setting – his mother’s slice of heaven on earth.

Her son, Sam Bell, was in attendance at Southland College Prep’s all-academic “pep” rally December 14th to celebrate the school’s highest designation as “exemplary” for four years by the Illinois State Board of Education and to recognize his own mom and role model. Bell, a teacher at Matteson District 162’s O.W. Huth Middle School, spoke to Southland’s packed field house audience.

“For as long as I can remember, my mom has been extremely dedicated and passionate about bettering the lives of every student and person she comes into contact with,” said Sam. “Since I was young going to the same school that my mom taught at, and now as an adult, working in the same district of schools as my mom, I’ve only ever heard how lucky I am to have a mom who’s so kind, caring, and accepting of all ways of life; which to me separates her from other great teachers.

“She’s not only a phenomenal teacher, who puts the students first always, but she is one of the most down to earth people in the world. The values and morals she’s ingrained into me since I was young, have stuck with me through the years, and led to me wanting to pursue a career in social work in schools.

“Seeing her passion and desire to put others before herself, her willingness to accept and reassure all ways of life, and the gratification she has spoken about feeling from helping the kids she has over the years, rubbed off on me in the best of ways. I couldn’t thank her enough for molding me into the compassionate and caring man I am today, and for instilling in me the very same things that others recognize in her for being such an outstanding teacher.”

“That made me weepy,” said Grutzius.

A career in teaching had the seedlings of “a whim” for a restless Grutzius. In the midst of successful, but not totally fulfilling career as an attorney, Grutzius reached out to her old high school to explore an impulse with an Elizabeth Seton High School administrator. That very day, her query led to a job offer, albeit at a reduced salary, but an entry into a classroom, where she has reigned ever since.

With support from her husband, Eric Bell, she enjoyed “a fabulous three years” at Seton and began her Masters in Education before setting her sights from Central Beverly on nearby Morgan Park Academy, which recognized a teacher with the potential to gain legendary standing in her own community.

According to Grutzius, the village-like Beverly community inspired her to emulate her own version of a Mayberry School setting, choosing to teach at Morgan Park Academy and carpool a short distance to the lush campus setting with her young sons - Sam and Jared – as well as their friends.

While there are so many memorable moments during that time frame at the academy, the most remarkable remains “watching my two sons and their friends grow into outstanding young men.”

“The love the kids had for Sherry was so apparent,” said Jean Doyle, Morgan Park Academy’s director of upper school musicals during Grutzius’ tenure.

When Doyle posted in the faculty room a production of “Sound of Music” for presentation on the original Beverly Arts Center stage on the Morgan Park Academy campus, Grutzius signed on to perform as a singing nun along side students.

“When the students know you are really involved, they take you very seriously,” said Doyle.

The Grutzius legacy grew through her ability to introduce students to themselves through timeless works such as Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden; or Life in the Woods” and Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” – the most translated book in the world delivered by the Brazilian writer and storyteller of spiritual journeys.

One assignment jazzed her students so profoundly, love letters set in historical eras, “everyone at the Academy knew the assignment was underway,” said Doyle.

Beginning a new teaching chapter in 2013 at nationally recognized Southland College Prep, Grutzius’ talents in constructing curricula limited her classroom time, where her hands-on knack for energizing students invigorated her.

With some urging, she found a balance with the approval of Southland College Prep CEO Dr. Blondean Y. Davis, who compromised to allow Grutzius to carry a three-class load every semester.

“Sherry Grutzius’ legacy is of building lives,” said Dr. Davis, a former CPS leader known for curriculum structure. “She is an extraordinary teacher in the classroom who goes above and beyond the walls of the classroom and school to touch the hearts and lives of her students.”

Folding all of her talents into a single teaching vision, Grutzius serves as the senior English Global Literature teacher, chair of the humanities department and the school’s grant coordinator.

Tapping into a background as a practicing attorney, Grutzius is the school’s trial advocacy instructor, Mock Trial coach and a member of the school’s college counseling team, guiding and instructing seniors through the college essay and application process.

Coupled with the Grutzius award presentation, a resolution presented by INCS president, Andrew Broy, heralded Southland College Prep as the only charter high school of 69 in the state of Illinois to earn the highest designation of “exemplary” in the four years: 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Southland, the resolution proclaimed “performs in the top 10 percent of schools statewide with no underperforming student groups and is the “only public school in Illinois of any type with a population that is more than 88 percent African American to be designated exemplary.”

Dr. Davis noted the synergy, citing Grutzius for her “commitment to Southland’s vision and mission of excellence; she has cultivated community and launched extracurricular activities that empower our students and build traditions that enhance the school.”

One such student is Southland's Shawn Strong, a member of the Mock Trial team since his freshman year, who addressed the rally praising the contributions to all her students.

“Ms. Grutzius cares for all of us and wants us to grow individually and together as a team,” he said.

Ms. Grutzius got “weepy” again.