Nancy Ashley
Like
so many educators, Nancy Ashley always knew she wanted
to teach. Even so, she was overwhelmed by the terms
of her college scholarship requiring her to teach
in Illinois for two years after graduation. “My
hand just shook when I signed that paperwork! Two
years seemed like such a commitment!” Now, she
can look back at a 32-year career, during which she’s
been a classroom teacher, a resource teacher, a Special
Services Coordinator and a Transition Coordinator.
Nancy became a Resource Teacher after some years as a classroom teacher in the south suburbs. “As a classroom teacher, it could be frustrating to see a child with needs but not to have enough time to really address them. I would feel badly that I couldn’t do more.” Unlike a regular education classroom where the teacher can center part of the instruction on common needs, “the Resource Teacher might have one student with behavior issues, another with ADHD, and another with a learning disability with students at all ages and grades. It’s never boring!” Over the years, Nancy has worked with the majority of staff members at Forest Glen and has especially enjoyed the one-on-one relationship she established with her students. “I had the opportunity to really get to know them and to make an impact. I often got children who were unable to read and it was thrilling to help them, using different methods.”
During this past year, Nancy has taken what she’s learned as a Resource Teacher and SSC, and put it to use in a one-year position as Transition Coordinator. Her focus has been to help smooth the change from the former, district-based inclusion model to the more responsive and nimble building-based approach.
As she reflects on her years at Forest Glen, she says, “I’ve made lifelong friends who I know I will see for the rest of my life. I’ve gotten to know students and their parents. Just recently, I heard from a student I had when she was in fifth grade who wrote to say she’d graduated from college. That’s the resource link.”
Nancy and her husband plan to be snowbirds, going back and forth from their condo in Florida. Their two children are in college, and they are looking forward to visiting Mount Rushmore with no kids. There is also a pile of unread books by her bedside that beckons. “It will be a different chapter of my life,” says Nancy. “I just don’t know what I’ll write yet!”
Carolyn Nemergut
Kids take Spanish for lots of reasons…some take it to help them get into college, some because their parents insist, and some because they think it’s easier to learn than French. But some are drawn to Spanish for the same reasons Hadley Spanish teacher Carolyn Nemergut was—they are smitten with its very sound. Carolyn, who retires in June after 13 years at Hadley, says her mom remembers her as a tot, dragging a piano bench in place so that she could reach the radio dials to tune it to a Spanish station. “I can’t say why…I just loved Spanish!” Her interest in the language has never wavered, and after she graduated from the University of Madrid (a whole other story!) she began teaching in Hinsdale District 181 and at St. Isaacs, also in Hinsdale.
The Spanish language can be a bit of a fooler, says Carolyn. “Some kids choose it over French thinking it’s easy to learn, and at first, it is. But once you start getting into the verbs and grammatical elements, it’s much harder. It’s a wonderful feeling when you see a student begin to really get the language.” Carolyn has begun to notice that more of her students are taking Spanish as their third language these days. “For example, I have one student from Poland and another from Cambodia, both of whom are now taking Spanish. In some ways, it makes the language easier to learn, because, having had to learn English, they know the process and they know what to expect.”
When she was a student, Carolyn tried out for a theater
program at the University of Madrid. She auditioned
in Spanish, and was the only U.S. student to be accepted.
So although she hasn’t made a lot of retirement plans,
there is a symmetry to her upcoming, end-of-career
trip to Madrid, where she and her husband will hear
one of their two sons (both doctors) speak at a medical
convention. “This is my child that took French! I
know Spain will be much changed since I was there
and Generalissimo Franco was still in power!” She’s
also looking forward to the birth of her sixth grandchild—the
first child for her daughter, who lives in Wheaton.
Carolyn doesn’t like to think about retiring and even less thinking about leaving her students, children who remain “hers” no matter how many years ago she had them in class. She plans to substitute teach and will continue to tutor, but says, “I still remember my students from when I first came here! My friends from Hadley I will continue to see, but I am going to miss my students terribly, much more than they know.”
Chuck Cobb
In his 32.5 years in District 41, Hadley Social Worker Chuck Cobb has worked in nine schools (four of which have since closed) under 15 principals. Throughout, he’s had a clear sense of his role and his mission, and has loved working in a school environment. Much about schools has changed, but the problems of children haven’t. “I see students who have been referred by their parents or teachers because they think the child might benefit by talking. I see children who are depressed, friendless, or acting out. Sometimes a child signals problems by falling grades or absences. “
One of the things Chuck likes about school social work is the opportunity to focus on prevention of problems rather than working with adults whose lives could have been better if they’d been helped as children. Still, “One occupational hazard of this job is not knowing if what you are doing is helping,” says Chuck. “If a child improves, is it because of the social work? Or is it because of other factors? Did they make a new friend? Did things get better at home? On a day when I feel I have helped just one student, this is the best job in the world."
When he started, he was the only Social Worker in the district, and sometimes felt isolated or found that people did not understand his role. “Now, it’s a team environment with friendly colleagues. The social workers, counselors and psychologists consult with each other.” The roles are somewhat overlapping along a continuum, explains Chuck, noting that he feels it’s crucial to work as a team. “There can be lots of people involved with a child and it might be any one of several professionals who is the one the child feels most comfortable talking to.” Chuck says that most teachers are empathetic and attuned to the emotional state of their students and use the referral process in the best interest of the child.
Chuck has a lot of travel planned—Hawaii in June, a Caribbean cruise in August. “I plan to play a lot of tennis and do some kind of volunteer work.” Even with such delights in store, Chuck has a few mixed feelings about retirement. “I will miss the contact with children and my fellow workers. This has been a wonderful place to work”
Doug Craig
In 1975, 24-year-old Doug Craig was one of, if not the youngest principal in Illinois. As a “teaching principal” in the small town of Addieville, Illinois he taught class, coached sports, and was licensed to drive a school bus. Eight years and two school districts later, he came to Glen Ellyn as principal of Benjamin Franklin, back when the school had about 300 students.
The 1983 move to Glen Ellyn from southern Illinois was an eye-opener for Doug. Recalling his initial impressions of the beauty of the town and the facilities of the school (the size of Franklin’s library impressed him as so much he thought the collection must be for the whole district), he says “It could have been a million miles from Mattoon to Glen Ellyn.” He quickly came to love the school. “While at Franklin I had a unique and welcoming relationship with the staff and community. There was always compassion for those in need. I like to think I was a part of that.” Doug is also proud that his children—Jon, Ben, and Katie—went to Franklin and he had the opportunity to be their principal.
Forest Glen’s principal since 1997, Doug is always out and about, popping into classrooms and chatting with kids in the halls and on the playground, asking about their interests and tossing out corny jokes. “I tell the teachers, my job is to make sure the kids are smiling when they walk in the door, your job is to make sure they’re smiling when they walk out. I focus on making sure the kids are safe, welcome and secure; the teachers focus on making sure they have a good day.” While leading in an environment of high expectations, he’s managed to preserve his delight in the kind of “visiting” during which two people suspend time, at least for a little while. “I’m the kind of person who takes you around the barn to get in the door,” he says of his conversational style.
Still an Indiana farm-boy at heart, he sounds a bit wistful as he recollects growing up with an outhouse in the back and no running water in the kitchen. Soon after school lets out, he and wife Cherrie will move to Ft. Myers, Florida, where his parents will join them in their new home.
Looking back on a career in education that started in 1973 teaching fourth grade at the Eliza Kelly School in Joliet, a few things stand out for Doug—organizing a county-wide immunization program in Addieville, initiating a WatchD.O.G.S. program at Forest Glen that drew national attention for its participation rate, ushering in the era of shared-decision making while at Franklin and becoming almost famous for his Halloween costumes (some of which include the oldest living custodian, the first PTA President of Franklin, and his favorite, a pirate). “The 23 years I’ve been in D41 have gone by in an eye blink,” says Doug. “People really care about each other here. I couldn’t think of a better place to work.”
Danna Szczepanik
In 1970 Danna Szczepanik was hired as a fifth grade teacher at Benjamin Franklin, back in the days when female teachers had to wear dresses or skirts. After three years, Danna felt the effects of the enrollment drop that was occurring in D41 and throughout the state, and was transferred to Abraham Lincoln where she met and married fifth grade teacher Larry Szczepanik (now an Assistant Principal at Hadley). When the two returned from their Florida honeymoon, “Larry had my job, Maureen Stickles-Biggs had his job, and I was a librarian at Franklin and Spalding! The thought at the time was that married teachers shouldn’t work together.”
Danna, who had a degree in Instructional Media, had several assignments and a maternity leave before coming to Churchill in 1982, where she has been ever since.
Danna was a computer pioneer in D41. While she’d been out on maternity leave, the Churchill PTA bought an Apple computer, the first one in the district. Danna had no computer knowledge and the only one in the district who knew how to really use the thing was Churchill's custodian, Lenny Birkshire, who taught Danna during every spare minute either of them had. When the district switched to Macs, Doug Huebner, the husband of one of her co-workers taught her. "I learned computers from a custodian and a borrowed husband!”
As a self-described “category freak,” Danna enjoys working with systems that help kids find what they need, whether the kids are visual or audio learners or whether they speak English or Urdu or Tagalag. “It’s a little United Nations here—we’ve got it all and it’s a great experience for kids.” With all the emphasis on technology, “I still love the book part of it,” says Danna, who sees no decrease in the love of reading among kids. “There are so many trends that come and go, but the basics are the same…students, staff, and parents teach each other and learn from each other. That’s what it takes to be a learning community.”
Danna is looking forward to having some time when she retires, and—apart from plans to acquire a new dog to take on long walks— is leaving things loose. “I have some ambivalence, but it will be nice to have things not so hectic and to be caught up in my life for once. Then I’ll probably get bored and look for part-time job.”
Linda Stone
Raised on a farm in the Coal City, IL area, Linda Stone was the only child in her grade in a one-room school taught by a teacher of whom Linda tactfully says, “she did not add anything. I was essentially self-taught.” Oddly, this ineffective teacher was highly motivating to Linda, who early decided that she did not want other kids to suffer through that kind of teacher. “There is no other occupation I would have wanted. Teaching has definitely lived up to my expectations. I love kids, I love to watch them learn, and they keep me young!”
After graduating from Northern Illinois University, Linda taught in Elmhurst for five years before taking six years away from teaching to raise her kids. After a short stint subbing in D41, she was hired at Lincoln, where her own kids went to school. She has been at Lincoln through four principals, teaching either first, second or third grade. Mostly, she has been in second grade and while she has occupied the same room, in some ways it’s hardly the same school.
“Physically, Lincoln is much larger now. When I started, most of the moms were at home. Then there was a period when most of them were working. Now, it’s a mix. And teaching has changed…it’s much more hands-on, as opposed to textbook based. And the kids are learning more as No Child Left Behind and state standards have affected the curriculum. ” Still, her teaching philosophy is the same. “I get to know my classroom, I differentiate and I work to the needs of my children.”
Linda and her husband, who retired from teaching four years ago, have always traveled and camped in the summers and they are planning trips to the west and east in their motor home and may take a trip abroad as well. There are other diversions and interests to explore ahead, as well. “I love quilting and plan to golf and get more serious about exercising—maybe I’ll even do a 5k run,” says Linda. “Still, I’m very attached to Lincoln, and will miss it very much.”
Lynne Bodony
Lynne Bodony wanted to be a teacher since she was a tot. “My twin brother had asthma and I was his protector. I always had a desire to help and to teach.” After high school, Lynne graduated from Northern Illinois University with degrees in both regular and special education. She spent the next six years as a Special Ed teacher in the Kaneville/Batavia area before taking 16 years away from the classroom to raise her children. During that hiatus, she substitute taught, tutored, taught religious education and coached soccer. The decision to return to fulltime teaching was the only time Lynne ever wavered about her choice of career. “I knew education had changed and I was concerned about the impact of the ‘video age.’ I wondered if I would be able to teach the way I wanted to due to the emphasis on standards.” For a while, Lynne worked as an aide in D41 “just to make sure. I realized that that kids are still kids and that teaching was exactly what I wanted to do.”
As it turned out, D41 was looking for someone with dual certifications, and Ben Franklin Principal Doug Craig hired Lynne for second grade, where she stayed for the next eight years, moving to third grade for the last three. “Kids are lovable in second grade. They love everything! I love that wide-eyed look.”
One of Lynne’s skills has been the ability to keep her teaching fresh so that her students benefit from her experience and from her excitement over the material. Her own school experience was devoid of Science until high school, a subject she loves teaching. “I’m good at breaking things down into small steps so it’s easy to learn.”
Over the years, Lynne has developed a multi-faceted relationship with the school. She’s a teacher, but was also an involved parent (living just down the street from Ben Franklin) for many years. “My kids went through Franklin and I volunteered in every way possible.” Her kids’ former teachers are now her colleagues. Now, she’ll be waving at the students who pass her house on their way to school. She has a 30th wedding anniversary trip planned to Hawaii and trips to visit her children in Alaska and North Carolina. She’ll also have more time to help her mother and rehabilitate her back yard. Even with such a busy time ahead, Lynne says it will be hard to leave her classroom. Already, she’s thinking about how to keep in touch with teaching. “I very well may reappear in a volunteer role, possibly with a Reading With Rover dog in tow!”
Mary Alice Saville
Mary Alice Saville decided early on to be a teacher. “I had an aunt who made it look wonderful, a real joy.” And a joy it has been to her, because “I love to see children learn, see the spark in their eyes.” She remembers break-through moments, like a particular little boy who finally “broke the code” and was able to turn a confusing jumble of letters into text that he could read. “There has never been a day that I haven’t learned something new.”
It took a while for Mary Alice to get some traction on her career, because she and her husband moved 19 times due to transfers. But wherever she was living at the time, she managed to work in a school, substitute teaching or working as an aide. In 1986, she moved to a house across the street from Churchill and the principal, Howard Decamp, walked across the street and offered her a job as an aide. For several years, she worked in an alternative class for kids in grades 1 through 5, mostly bright kids who had been recommended for the class. “We taught five curriculums at the same time,” says Mary Alice. “It was unbelievable, and it worked!” The class was eventually discontinued, and Mary Alice went to Forest Glen as an aide for a student with Spina Bifida. Another career interruption followed, as she and her husband moved to Delaware upon his retirement. But later, a divorced Mary Alice was delighted when Forest Glen principal Jim Crabtree, faced with a last-minute influx of 14 students, called a week before school started and offered her a job. “I drove across the country with my bed and bureau in a U-haul! I had always wanted a career in teaching but never could before.” Mary Alice taught first grade, looping with the class to second grade. “I think looping is wonderful…the kids get off to such a good start in second grade.” She has taught second grade at Forest Glen ever since, where she is known for her sense of humor, her love of variety (“I can’t stand to have every year the same.”) and her fondness for animals. Her teaching is based on a kids-eye view of the world, a belief that there are many ways to get to the right answer and a skill in bringing out the best in each child.
Almost as soon as school lets out, Mary Alice departs for a visit to China and Tibet. “I love creating with my hands, and plan to go back to painting and volunteer at the Arboretum.”
Mary Alice, who still hears from some of her now-grown students, says, “Thanks to those 14 children, I got to have my career. It’s the most rewarding job you could have, and the rewards keep on coming.”
2006 District 41 Retirees