With the 2016-2017 school year under way, it’s time to introduce the teachers and teaching assistants who have joined the Culver community.
Shahida Bilal is a teaching assistant for 2nd and 3rd grade. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social science and has worked at Culver as a recess supervisor and substitute. She is delighted to be working at the school where all three of her children graduated.
Sarah DeCicco teaches PE and 8th grade health. She has a bachelor’s in physical education with a minor in health education from Northeastern Illinois University. She expects to finish graduate school at Northeastern in May 2017 with an M.S. in teaching and inquiry, and be endorsed to teach ESL. She also has started a certification program to teach yoga. Before coming to Culver she worked for three years in Highland Park District 112 as a middle school PE and health teacher. Although it is still early in the school year, she said, “I can tell that the students and staff at Culver are something special. My students make me laugh every day, which makes work fun and enjoyable. And the staff has been so warm and welcoming. I know I can go to any teacher and ask for help whenever necessary.”
Hannah Deremo is a new kindergarten teacher who went into education to “make a difference in children’s lives.” She has a bachelor’s in elementary education from Indiana University and a master’s in urban education from National Louis University. She worked for the past three years as a kindergarten teacher in Chicago Public Schools. Now that she has come to Culver, she said, “So far, my favorite part is how wonderful the whole community—staff, parents, students—are at this school.”
Elise Freier is a preschool and kindergarten special education teaching assistant. She has a B.S. in business administration from Marquette University in Milwaukee. She moved to the Chicago area from Indianapolis, where she worked at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. Earlier, she worked for more than 15 years as a teaching assistant in a developmental preschool and a Catholic school in Indiana. “I am so lucky to be a part of the community of Culver School. Everyone I have encountered has been so warm and welcoming,” she said. She grew up in Park Ridge, but has been away for 30 years. “It is wonderful to be back!”
Kathy (Katarzyna) Koch is a special education teacher for students in grades 4, 5 and 6. She has a B.A. in education from Northeastern Illinois University and received an endorsement as a Learning Behavior Specialist I. Before starting at Culver she was a special education inclusion and resource teacher at Peterson Elementary School in Chicago. She said, “I enjoy working with children and young adults in a field that provides excitement, challenge and fun in different ways every day. The Culver School community has been incredibly welcoming. It is a blessing to work at a school with so many responsive resources to student needs.” An animal lover, she has a dog, two cats and an aquatic turtle.
Elizabeth Lemons is the orchestra teacher for students in grades 3-8. She has a bachelor’s degree in music education and has taught for three years in other districts. In addition to teaching students to play instruments, she is interested in learning about music cognition, psychology and therapeutic techniques for school-aged children. “Having students who learn to strive for success and witnessing ‘ah-ha!’ moments are some of the best gifts a teacher can receive,” she said. “Culver provides an atmosphere in which students of all grade levels are exposed to a wide array of engaging and rewarding activities, both inside and outside the classroom.”
Julie Anne Mathieu is a new teaching assistant who works in both kindergarten and 8th grade. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Marquette University and a master’s in teaching from National Louis University, with 6th through 8th grade endorsements in language arts and social studies as well as an endorsement for teaching English language learners. Before coming to Culver, she taught kindergarten for a year and has worked as a teaching assistant and a substitute teacher with students in preschool through 8th grade. She draws inspiration from her mother, who was a teacher, and her sister, who is one now. She has three sons in college and sits on the board of directors for an orphanage in Guanajuato, Mexico. She said, “Culver students and staff have shown themselves to be welcoming and family-like. Everybody helps one another. I am proud to be a Bulldog!”
Alex Meger is a new kindergarten teacher. She attended North Park University in Chicago, where she received a B.A. in elementary education. Before coming to Culver, she taught 3rd grade for two years in the Archdiocese of Chicago. She said her passion is teaching: “I will never forget those lightbulb moments my students have in class. As a former Culver student, I love being back and seeing all the teachers who inspired me to become a teacher.”
Laura Papageorgiou is a teaching assistant who works with preschool students during mornings and with 2nd graders in the afternoons. She has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s in education from North Park University, and is certified to teach K-12 physical education and special education. She was a teaching assistant last year in District 64 and a substitute teacher in District 219 before that. She also coaches girls’ track and field at Niles North High School. “My favorite part of working at Culver is helping with the preschool students because they are so much fun and so energetic,” she said. She has what she calls an “insane (but very healthy) passion for running,” and has set a personal goal to run a marathon in every state and as many other countries as she can.
Sandy Smolenski teaches 7th and 8th grade language arts and 7th grade Spanish. She has a master’s in teaching from National Louis University with middle school endorsements in language arts, Spanish, math and social studies. She has a bachelor’s degree in advertising with a minor in Spanish from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before becoming a teacher, she worked for more than 10 years in corporate public relations, advertising, media and marketing management. She has also been a wedding photographer and a fitness and dance instructor. Now in her fourth year as a teacher, she said, “I chose to change careers and become an educator because I enjoy teaching and helping students grow. I want to help guide our youth to be the leaders of tomorrow. So far, my favorite part about teaching at Culver is the students.”