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Board of Education Honors Outstanding Efforts by Students and Staff

 Board of Education Honors Outstanding Efforts by Students and Staff thumbnail199506
 Board of Education Honors Outstanding Efforts by Students and Staff thumbnail199507
 Board of Education Honors Outstanding Efforts by Students and Staff thumbnail199508

The outstanding efforts of students, faculty and staff were recognized at the Board of Education meeting on Sept. 23, led by Dr. Kenneth Bossert, the district’s superintendent.

John Glenn High School freshmen Penelope Negron and Emma Ronai, both recent graduates of the middle school, were recognized for their donation of 14 multicultural library books as part of their project to earn the Girls Scout Silver Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve. The award is earned by completing a personal and meaningful project to benefit the community. To that end, Negron and Ronai researched books and checked library catalogs to see which titles would be a good fit.

“They felt compelled to help diversify the district libraries because they love to read and wanted to share their good fortune in having multicultural books with characters that looked like them and their families,” Middle School Principal Christina Moran said. “They set out to provide that same experience for the children of Elwood’s schools, so that can see themselves represented in the books in our libraries.”

“We are so proud of these two young ladies who are looking to share their love of literature coupled with their passion for creating opportunities for all students to feel seen and valued, and truly living by the Elwood mantra of All Are Welcome,” Assistant Principal Julie Bilello said. “Their impact will be felt for generations to come.”

“We look forward to adding these books to our collection,” Dr. Bossert said.

Next, teachers Jaime Herrmann and Marsha McLeod were acknowledged for their crucial roles as co-coordinators of the district’s K-8 summer program.

“I am so pleased and grateful for the work of Miss Hermann and Miss McLeod,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Maureen Hull. “They truly provided outstanding service this summer as co-coordinators, and their diligence and dedication were evident in the manner in which they took on all the responsibilities that went with coordinating such a large program. Their teamwork – in collaboration with the teachers, teaching assistants, parents and administrators – really ensured a highly successful and fun program for the students.”

Finally, teachers Krista Albrecht, Nicole Gendjoian and Joseph Pushee were honored for their diligent work in providing professional development sessions for their fellow teachers during the summer.

“Every summer, the district’s Office of Curriculum offers professional development for teachers,” Dr. Hull said. “This is made possible by the wonderful contributions of our faculty, who offer to teach great courses to their colleagues. We know the collegial models of professional development, in which peers teach peers, are highly effective, and I think it’s wonderful that we can take advantage of the summer months to offer high quality professional development. When you have a talented and caring faculty, such as the teachers at Elwood, you have a great source for some very creative professional development. I just want to thank all of the teachers for their assistance in enhancing the skills and knowledge of our staff.”