The District 202 Board of Education will honor 18 exceptional educators at its 27th annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14, 2019.
The event is open to the community and will be held in the auditorium at Plainfield High School – Central Campus, 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive, Plainfield. A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony.
The Awards of Excellence honor teachers and non-administrative staff who have significantly impacted their students, schools and the community.
A committee of two Board members and the Board’s two community ambassadors picks the Awards of Excellence winners from nominations from students, staff and parents. The Board of Education has honored 405 individuals since the Award’s inception in 1993.
“The Board of Education is very proud of all of our staff and the tremendous work they do to serve our students and families,” said Board of Education member Rod Westfall, chairperson of the Board’s recognition committee.
“Recognizing and honoring a sampling of these excellent employees is truly one of the best parts of our job,” Westfall said.
The Board will also give two special awards that recognize community members for significant service to District 202 and volunteerism:
- Former District 202 Board of Education member and current Plainfield Foundation for Excellence Trustee Michelle Smith, and her husband Brian Smith will receive the Richard Ira Jones award.
- District 202 Transportation Director Ellen Theobald will receive the Elizabeth “Bess” Eichelberger award.
Finally, Plainfield South High School Social Worker Kim Simpson will receive the 4th annual Cheryl Ricciardi Exceptional Student Service Award.
The 2019 Awards of Excellence winners are:
- Plainfield High School--Central Campus math teacher Tom Bond
- Heritage Grove Middle School band director Darcie Condon
- Central Elementary School Learning Resource Director Karen Domanski
- Central Elementary School second grade teacher Jaime Dykstra
- Plainfield East High School science teacher Dominic Fortino
- Plainfield Academy paraprofessional Melissa George
- Eagle Pointe Elementary School fifth grade teacher Dr. Kathleen Heinrich
- Grand Prairie Elementary School extended day kindergarten teacher Juell Markowski
- John F. Kennedy Middle School certified nurse Shannon Morris
- Lincoln Elementary School Learning Resource Director Judy Olson
- Plainfield High School – Central Campus music teacher Nathan Rancatore
- River View Elementary School fourth grade honors teacher Sue Ramsak
- Charles Reed Elementary School first grade teacher Danielle Smith
- Heritage Grove Middle School math/7th grade communications teacher Faith Whitfield
- Ridge Elementary School third grade teacher Elyse Yates
