A total of 13 individuals and teams from District 207 were honored as part of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Those Who Excel program and Teacher of the Year program this year. The program aims to recognize the best in the education profession in Illinois.
There are three categories of recognition with each of the two programs including awards of excellence, awards of meritorious service and special recognition.
Frost Academy Principal Anna Hamilton (administrator category), Maine East School Nurse Kathy Klein (student support personnel category) and the Maine West Student and Family Services team (team category) all earned awards of excellence. Among all the awardees across the state, Hamilton is one of just 11 administrators to earn an award of excellence, Klein is one of just 10 to earn an award of excellence in the student support personnel category and the Maine West team was one of just 10 teams to earn an award of excellence in the team category.
Maine South Teacher Carrie Saurer and Maine West and Maine East teacher Kristin Mazanowski each earned meritorious service awards in the teacher program.
Maine East World Languages Department Chair Sharon Baima (administrator category), Community Volunteer Maureen Hartwig (volunteer category), Maine South Administrative Assistant Christine Bednarek (educational support personnel category), Maine West School Psychologist Dr. Sandy Flores (student support personnel category) and the District 207 Integrated Math Team (team category) each earned awards of meritorious service.
Maine East teacher Cassandra Cowperthwaite received a meritorious service award and Maine West teacher Kacey Carpenter earned special recognition in the Early Career Educator category that recognizes teachers who have less than five years experience.
Maine West Family Outreach Coordinator Crista Adams (educational support personnel) was awarded special recognition.
The program has been in place since 1970 and each year those selected will be honored at the 49th Annual Teacher of the Year/Those Who Excel banquet on April 29.