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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	For Further Information:
October 4, 2000	217/782-4648

Statewide Contributions to Schools to be Honored Oct. 14

Springfield-The State Board of Education will honor about 280 of the state’s outstanding teachers, administrators, support service personnel and community members for their contributions to education at the 27^th annual Those Who Excel/Illinois Teacher of the Year awards program.

The award winners will be recognized October 14 at a banquet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 3000 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield. The banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will culminate with the presentation of the 2000-2001 Illinois Teacher of the Year.

The categories for recognition are classroom teacher; school administrator; student support personnel; education service personnel; and school board member/community volunteer.

The Team category recognizes groups of teachers and administrators; citizen committees; civic organizations; parent organizations; school boards; booster clubs and others that have had a significant impact on teaching and learning in a school or district. Learning Organizations recognize entire schools or districts that have had a systematic impact on teaching and learning in a school or district.

“We are honoring these individuals for their outstanding contributions to schools throughout the state,” said Superintendent of Education Glenn W. M^cGee. “They represent the thousands who help schools every day to prepare students to reach high standards and succeed in their future endeavors. These contributions represent all of the work being done statewide to help make Illinois schools Second to None.”

Of the 279 awards, 231 will be presented at the banquet. Fifty-seven individuals will receive the highest award level, the Award of Excellence. Eighty-eight honorees will receive the Award of Merit and eighty-six will receive the Award of Recognition. The State Board will also honor 48 people with the Certificate of Appreciation, which will be mailed to the recipients’ schools and presented locally.

The winners’ local schools and communities nominate award recipients. The nomination includes a brief biography of the nominee, his or her philosophy of education, professional development and community involvement and their opinions of the state’s most pressing educational needs. Letters of recommendation are also required.

A committee of peers chooses the award winners. The committee represents statewide education organizations and includes former award winners. The committee considers the following criteria:

· How the nominee has demonstrated excellence in his or her duties

· How the nominee has demonstrated concern for children

· Positive effects the nominee has had on the school environment

· Leadership shown by the nominee to inspire others to achieve

· Achievement by the nominee beyond what would be expected as part of his or her normal duties.

Teacher of the Year finalists comprise all teachers given the Award of Excellence. Finalists sit for a videotaped interview as part of the selection process. The Teacher of the Year will serve as the state’s ambassador for teaching and will represent Illinois in the National Teacher of the Year programs sponsored by Scholastic, Inc. and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

Kevin Murphy, a physics teacher at Lyons Township High School, District 204, in LaGrange is the current Teacher of the Year.

This year’s Those Who Excel winners follows, listed by county:

ADAMS

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
Bev Frank	Community Volunteer	Harlem CCSD #122	Machesney Park	Merit
Jane Freehauf	Educational Service Personnel	Harlem CCSD #122	Machesney Park	Recognition
Janet Lundgren	Student Support Personnel	Harlem CCSD #122	Machesney Park	Merit
Lynn M. Stafford	Classroom Teacher	Harlem CCSD #122	Machesney Park	Certificate of Appreciation

BOONE

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
Cynthia J. Connor	Classroom Teacher	Belvidere CUSD #100	Belvidere	Merit
James R. Cox	Community Volunteer	Belvidere CUSD #100	Belvidere	Recognition
Families and Schools Together (FAST)	Team	Belvidere CUSD #100	Belvidere	Recognition
Linda S. Neil	Student Support Personnel	Belvidere CUSD #100	Belvidere	Recognition
Ronald Popham	Educational Service Personnel	Belvidere CUSD #100	Belvidere	Excellence
Richard Sens	School Administrator	Belvidere CUSD #100	Belvidere	Merit

BUREAU

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
Louverta Hurt	Classroom Teacher	Chicago Public Schools #299	Chicago	Certificate of Appreciation

CASS

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
Sheila M. Brunner	Classroom Teacher	Chadwick-Milledgeville CUSD #399	Milledgeville	Merit

CHAMPAIGN

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
Christine Brinkley	School Administrator	Champaign Unit School District #4	Champaign	Merit
Brenda Diehl	Community Volunteer	Champaign Unit School District #4	Champaign	Merit
Education to Careers and Professions Program	Team	Champaign Unit School District #4	Champaign	Merit
Samuel Hankins	Classroom Teacher	Champaign Unit School District #4	Champaign	Certificate of Appreciation
Donna M. Reed	Student Support Personnel	Champaign Unit School District #4	Champaign	Merit
South Side Elementary School	Learning Organization	Champaign Unit School District #4	Champaign	Recognition
Addie Williams	Educational Service Personnel	Champaign Unit School District #4	Champaign	Merit

CHRISTIAN

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
Kay S. Frevert	School Administrator	Taylorville CUSD #3	Taylorville	Recognition

CLINTON

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
The Dill Team	Team	Clinton CUSD #15	Clinton	Recognition

COOK

Name	Category	School	City	Award of
Advisory Council for District Initiatives (ACDI)	Team	Schaumburg CCSD #54	Schaumburg	Recognition
Thomas J. Anderson	Community Volunteer	Township High School District #211	Palatine	Merit
Carol A. Arnold	Educational Service Personnel	Evanston Township High School District #202	Evanston	Recognition
Bannes School Learning Organization	Learning Organization	Kirby School District #140	Tinley Park	Excellence
Marva L. Berger	Community Volunteer	Evanston Township High School District #202	Evanston	Merit
Mary Beth Casper	Community Volunteer	Community Consolidated School District #146	Tinley Park	Excellence
Paul G. Caulfield	Classroom Teacher	School District #162	Matteson	Certificate of Appreciation
James C. Chasey	Classroom Teacher	Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District #233	Flossmoor	Merit
Earl Cooney	Classroom Teacher	Leyden Community High Schools District #212	Franklin Park	Certificate of Appreciation
Carol J. Crum	School Administrator	Blue Island Public Schools District #130	Blue Island	Excellence
Michael N. Curran	Classroom Teacher	Rich Township High School District #227	Olympia Fields	Excellence
Donna M. Czarnecki	Classroom Teacher	Lyons Township High School #204	LaGrange	Merit
District Advisory Committee for Educational Excellence	Team	Community Consolidated School District #15	Palatine	Certificate of Appreciation
Patricia A. Doggett	Classroom Teacher	Community Consolidated School District #146	Tinley Park	Recognition
Robert Ewy	School Administrator	Community Consolidated School District #15	Palatine	Merit
Fine Arts Team	Team	Riverside Brookfield High School District #208	Riverside	Merit
Forest View Alternative School	Learning Organization	Township High School District #214	Arlington Heights	Merit
Paul J. Golisch	Student Support Personnel	Township High School District #211	Palatine	Certificate of Appreciation
Joann W. Hartmann	School Administrator	Township High School District #211	Palatine	Merit
Audrey J. Haugan	Team	Maine Township High School District #207	Park Ridge	Certificate of Appreciation
Judy Henry	Student Support Personnel	Rhodes School District #84.5	River Grove	Recognition
Phyllis M. Henry	School Administrator	Chicago Public Schools #299	Chicago	Certificate of Appreciation
Jennifer Houtsma	Classroom Teacher	Chicago Public Schools #299	Chicago	Certificate of Appreciation
Maria de Lourdes A. Ibarra	Classroom Teacher	Blue Island Public Schools District #130	Blue Island	Excellence
Integrated Learning Communities (ILC)	Team	Township High School District #211	Palatine<