Schaumburg School District 54

In her 24 years working at MacArthur International Spanish Academy, Jolanda McGinn has truly left her mark on the school. As a paraprofessional, she has supported countless students over the years, and she extends her reach by also sponsoring numerous clubs. This year she is working with 2 first-grade students in the morning and 2 fourth-grade students in the afternoon. She also supports some third-grade students during specials. “When I started I worked with the same student all day, but this way I have an opportunity to talk with another paraprofessional about what is working for our students,” she said. Jolanda is also busy before school, after school and during lunch. Before school she runs the Breakfast Club, providing food to students so they can start their day ready to learn. At lunch, she is either supervising a classroom or running a club. The one closest to her heart is the Environmental Club. “Bernadette Marcis and I started the teaching garden 15 years ago after applying for a grant from the American Heart Association to promote healthier foods,” she said. “The garden is open all summer, so the whole community gets involved, signing up to water and take care of the plants for one week.” Jolanda is also a sponsor for Student Council and Random Acts of Kindness Club, which had its first meeting of the year yesterday. “I always ask the kids - what do you think Random Acts of Kindness Club should do,” she said. “It could be very simple, like putting kind messages on sticky notes on lockers or chalking the front walk with positive messages. Or it could be a bigger impact on the community.” Yesterday’s meeting led to ideas, such as collecting books for a hospital and making cards for a nursing home. “I have been so grateful to lead these clubs because I get to spend my days with a lot of different students,” Jolanda said. “MacArthur is a special place. It’s become a second home to me.” Her advice to new paraprofessionals is to have grace and patience. “I used to jump in right away with what we needed to do, but I have learned to slow down and give them time to get used to working with me,” Jolanda said. “Building that trust and being kind are the most important things.” #54StaffSpotlight

It's National IT Professionals Day. Shout out to the District 54 Information Technology department, our unsung tech pros who keep D54 staff, students and buildings powered on and connected! #ITProDay

This Wednesday’s professional development session looked a lot different for District 54 staff. Instead of meeting in their buildings by grade level or teams, educators from our 21 elementary schools came together to dive deep into the concept of Belonging with Douglas Bolton. Belonging goes beyond a basic need – it drives both personal and collective success. Dr. Bolton introduced 8 key concepts, from building connections to fostering psychological safety, as part of the district’s ongoing commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for all.

We are so grateful to the amazing individuals who support our students and our staff by serving as substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and custodians – and we need more of you to help ensure the success of all students. Informational Meeting Want to learn more about what the job entails, how to apply and why working in District 54 is so rewarding? Join us for the District 54 Job Fair from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. or 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at the District 54 Professional Learning Center (522 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg). Walk-ins are welcome, or register in advance at https://lnkd.in/gZHdjiZt. If you are interested in learning more but cannot attend one of the sessions, email DianaPeters@sd54.org. Ready to Apply? Visit our Careers page (sd54.org/careers) to find a list of job openings, current rates and additional information. Interviews for paraprofessionals and custodians will take place at the Sept. 10 event for people who apply in advance. We will also try to accommodate individuals who walk in that day with their resumes.

Carly Geyer, a Frost Junior High science teacher, is like many teachers in that she always wanted to be a teacher. She grew up in a family of teachers, including her mother who worked in early childhood education for 45 years. “I saw how much work is involved, but I also saw how much enjoyment she got out of it,” Carly said. Her goal was to teach at the high school level, but her student teacher placement was in a middle school and she changed her path. When Carly graduated 12 years ago, she was hired as a seventh-grade science teacher at Frost. “I love working with this age group,” she said. “It’s always something different. Although I teach the same content six times a day, each group of students is unique.” She also loves the excitement on their face when they walk into the science labs, and how eager they are to start doing experiments. In addition to teaching science, Carly said she also focuses on building their confidence levels, encouraging them to take risks, and helping them find their voice. “That’s the biggest lesson I learned in teaching,” she said. “Are they all going to get an A in my class? Probably not. But can I teach them to have a good attitude or how to pick themselves up when they are faced with adversity? Those skills are more important than memorizing the periodic table.” When she is not supporting her 170 students, Carly is also active on the school’s PBIS Universal team, planning assemblies each trimester. “I love planning the assemblies with our team, because our staff comes together to build school camaraderie,” she said. “Everyone at Frost is really focused on making sure everyone feels heard and feels like they belong.” Carly’s advice to new employees is to remember that you can brighten a student’s day just by being there for them. #54StaffSpotlight

In her role as a literacy specialist at Nathan Hale Elementary School, Nicole Fagan says she has the best of all worlds. During the day, she supports students in kindergarten through second grade during literacy acceleration time. As a former kindergarten teacher, she likes welcoming students to school. “I love that I can spark their love for learning,” she said. “I like seeing their growth from year to year, and building relationships with them and their families.” When she’s not working with students, Nicole also supports teachers, attending the kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade professional learning communities. “During plan time we look at each student and their needs and decide who can best support them,” she said. “I support them but I learn so much from each of these teachers too.” Before and after school she works with older students, as the sponsor of the Safety Patrols and Student Ambassadors at Hale. "Nicole is seamlessly able to build relationships with both students and colleagues to make them feel valued," Hale Principal Kristina Macnider said. Nicole had worked at two other districts before coming to Hale School 10 years ago. She said she appreciates the structures in place, the resources and the support provided to teachers. Her advice to new teachers is as follows:  “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but also be confident in your abilities and the new ideas you bring to your team.” #54StaffSpotlight

We’re hiring! District 54 is seeking dedicated 2nd and 3rd shift Maintenance Technicians to join our team. These vital roles ensure our schools are safe, clean, and ready for students to succeed every day. If you’re committed to making a difference behind the scenes, apply by Wednesday, September 4, 2024. Applications available here: https://lnkd.in/grSh2ivh.

Thank you to FirstService Residential for stopping by today with supplies for our students and teachers! FirstService just relocated their headquarters to the District 54 boundaries and one of their first priorities was making an impact on the community they serve.

We are so grateful to the amazing individuals who support our students and our staff by serving as substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and custodians – and we need more of you to help ensure the success of all students. Informational Meeting Want to learn more about what the job entails, how to apply and why working in District 54 is so rewarding? Join us for the District 54 Job Fair from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. or 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at the District 54 Professional Learning Center (522 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg). Walk-ins are welcome, or register in advance at https://lnkd.in/gZHdjiZt. If you are interested in learning more but cannot attend one of the sessions, email DianaPeters@sd54.org. Ready to Apply? Visit our Careers page (sd54.org/careers) to find a list of job openings, current rates and additional information. Interviews for paraprofessionals and custodians will take place at the Sept. 10 event for people who apply in advance. We will also try to accommodate individuals who walk in that day with their resumes.

It’s Induction Week! 133 new staff, spread across all 28 schools, are joining District 54 today. Induction Week is a week of orientation, learning and making new friends to prepare everyone for their first day of school.