District 58 Teacher, Principal win Distinguished Service Awards

Submitted by Downers Grove Grade School District 58.

The Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58 hosted its Distinguished Service Awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 28 at Ashyana Banquets. This ceremony annually honors those District 58 employees who exceed expectations and serve as inspirations to their colleagues, students and students’ families.

“These staff members represent a wide variety of schools, buildings and job descriptions,” said Event Emcee and Former Foundation President Marc Hausmann. “Yet they all share one common value: a solid dedication to the District 58 community. Each of their contributions has made a lasting impact on District 58, and more importantly, on the children who come through our school doors each and every day.”

This year’s Distinguished Service Awards ceremony recognized 24 District employees, who were each nominated by a community member. The ceremony gave each nominator the opportunity to share a few words about what makes their nominee special and deserving of the award.

The event concluded with the announcement of this year’s Distinguished Service Award winners: Andrew Kupsich, a third grade teacher at Henry Puffer School, and Jason Lynde, principal of El Sierra School.

Kupisch received six award nominations from his students and parents. The nominations praised Kupisch for his leadership, compassion and service to his classroom, school and district. The nominations noted his innovative use of technology in the classroom – Kupisch creates his own YouTube videos to help teach his students lessons. He also designs creative ways to make learning fun. For example, he taught his students lessons on math and creating budgets when he assigned them to create and budget for their dream vacation.

Lynde received 15 award nominations, mainly from students and parents in the District’s new kindergarten-first grade biliteracy class, which is housed at El Sierra School. The nominations thanked Lynde for his help making the biliteracy program so successful in its first year. The nominators noted how Lynde and biliteracy teacher Maria Ibarra Lorence applied for and won Education Foundation grants to bring more biliteracy books into the classroom and to host a classroom field trip to an American farm. For many of the students, this was their first such field trip, and they enjoyed learning more about animals and agriculture in person.

The Education Foundation also honored the following Distinguished Service Award nominees:

• Deborah Anderson, Henry Puffer LRC Assistant
  
• Christine Balagtas, Pierce Downer Fifth Grade Teacher
  
• Kristie Barber, Henry Puffer Instructional Assistant
  
• Meghan Beard, Lester Third Grade Teacher
  
• Kristin Cantrell, Pierce Downer Fourth Grade Teacher
  
• Kristy Hopkins, Indian Trail Preschool Teacher
  
• Katherine Hurckes, Henry Puffer Second Grade Teacher
  
• Maria Ibarra Lorence, District Biliteracy Teacher
  
• Kara Jurinek, Whittier Third Grade Teacher
  
• Matt Leiser, Lester Second Grade Teacher
  
• Cheryl Lyons, Whittier Fifth Grade Teacher
  
• Kathy Mahay, Herrick Social Studies/French Teacher
  
• Mary Lynn O’Kelly, Pierce Downer Instructional Assistant
  
• Amy Peksa, Hillcrest Third Grade Teacher
  
• Christine Poggensee, Indian Trail Preschool Teacher
  
• Barbara Potocki, Fairmount Kindergarten Teacher
  
• Dr. Matt Rich, District Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
  
• Meg Rohlfing, El Sierra Fifth Grade Teacher
  
• Leslie Schoenberger, Whittier Secretary
  
• Colleen Sciacca, Lester Fourth Grade Teacher
  
• Patricia Szczurek, Lester First Grade Teacher
  
• Janet Weiner, El Sierra Secretary
  

Congratulations to all of our 2014-15 Distinguished Service Award winners and nominees!