Let’s welcome another new teacher to the Maercker D60 community! Melissa Wych will be joining the team at Westview Hills to teach Spanish. She says that she chose to work at Maercker D60 because of the district's passion and dedication to their students and for having values that mirror hers including diversity, inclusivity, and family community alongside academic strengths.
“As cliche as it sounds, I have always wanted to be a teacher,” said Melissa. “ I love being a positive light in children’s lives and being able to teach them new things every day. The Spanish language has always been important to me because I am of Latin descent. Teaching the language which my family speaks and the culture that we share is an honor. My mission is to make sure each student is filled with motivation to learn and grow not just as students, but as people!”
Bienvenida Melissa!
We are fortunate to have such incredible educators in Maercker D60! We celebrated our staff during our opening day to recognize their years of service. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for your dedication to our schools!
15 Years of Service: Lorrae Finkbeiner, Kelly Russo, Stephanie Walker, Not Pictured: Joanne Van Hoegarden
20 Years of Service: Lorenzo Parker, Mike Ryan, Amy Griffin, Mary Jo Lopez, Megan Casey, Katie Pebler, Lissa Blake, Trudy Vacek, Not Pictured: Nicole Pervan
25 Years of Service: Lynn Donahue
30 Years of Service: Robert Goss
We are excited to kick off the school year tomorrow! This week we held an opening day all staff meeting and were able to honor staff members for their achievements! Congratulations to Samantha Herrera, Kate Cannova, Michelle Chick, Thatcher Ramirez, Tania Yackle, and Patrice Malamis for attaining Tenure and to Sam Williams, Cesar Tamayo, and Desiree Regalado for earning their master's degree! #d60learns
Maercker School Families, join us tonight (Wednesday, August 21) from 4-5 p.m. for Meet the Teacher and Supply Drop Off. We can’t wait to see everyone and start the school year! #d60learns
It was amazing to have students in the building at Holmes yesterday! Everyone had a great time at the exotic animal show and we are feeling ready for the school year! #d60learns
The Dual Language program at Holmes continues to grow and we are excited to welcome April Kujawa to the team to teach second grade students! She is passionate about the value, beauty, and power of diversity and says she appreciates that Maercker D60 is willing to invest in programs like dual language.
“I have always loved learning and wanted to be able to encourage others to fall in love with learning as well,” said April. “Working in education is a calling and a heartbeat. I believe that knowledge is power and one of the best ways to empower students is to help them recognize that learning can take them where they want to go- today, tomorrow, and beyond. It is the stepping stone to their dreams and it should be real life, engaging, and fun in the process!”
Bienvenida April!
Westview Hills Families, don’t miss the back-to-school meet and greet tonight (Tuesday, August 20) from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Come meet your teachers, find your locker, and get ready for the school year! #d60learns
The new Admin Team at Maercker School is ready to kick of the 2024-25 school year on Thursday, August 22! It's going to be a wonderful year to be a Wildcat! (L to R: Mr. Mark Pagel and Mrs. Laura Gilmartin, Co-Principals; Mr. Dennis Bolus, Assistant Principal) #d60learns
The youngest learners in Maercker D60 will get amazing support from Amanda Laurinec, a new preschool for all teacher! She says that she was searching for a district that truly values creating lifelong learners, and that Maercker D60 fits that perfectly.
“I knew I wanted to be a teacher ever since preschool thanks to an incredible teacher who made each day an adventure,” said Amanda. “When I was in her classroom, I felt truly loved and valued, and that feeling has stayed with me. My preschool teacher and I still keep in touch, and she’s always been one of my biggest supporters. I promised myself I would make a positive impact on my students, just as she did for me. There's nothing better than seeing students fall in love with learning the way I did!”
Welcome Amanda!
Maercker D60 staff is preparing to kick off the 2024-25 school year during Institute Day! We love seeing our team together getting energized for an amazing year. #d60learns
Holmes families, Meet the Teacher and Curriculum Night is tonight (Monday, August 19) with two sessions. Session 1 will begin at 5 p.m. for last names A-M and Session 2 will begin at 6 p.m. for last names N-Z. Drop off your supplies, meet your teacher, and students get to see a wildlife show! #d60learns
Kindergarten Leap students had a great time. We even heard one student say “I waited all morning to get in the car to come to school!” #d60learns
Please join us in welcoming Elizabeth Valtman to the Maercker D60 team! She will be serving as a Differentiation Specialist at Holmes and says that she believes that a way to inspire students is to build relationships with them, get to know them as a person, and tie their interests to the learning.
“I had an amazing first and third grade teacher that changed my whole outlook on learning as a student and took it from being hard to being fun,” said Elizabeth. “I decided I wanted to be that teacher for others struggling and be the reason they learn to love learning and become lifelong learners!”
Welcome Elizabeth!
Another familiar face to the Maercker D60 community is joining the team for the 2024-25 school year. Andrew Lewandowski completed his student teaching in D60 and he says that the staff and students left him with a strong desire to continue his journey here. He says he love working education because it’s an opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life and that seeing the smile after a student conquers a difficult problem is one of the most rewarding parts of being an educator.
“I believe each child has the right to explore,” said Andrew. “By letting the child take control of their learning, you are letting them find new and exciting experiences. These experiences then lead them to questions and these questions lead to more discoveries.”
Welcome back Andrew!
The 2024-25 school year is just a week away and for families starting kindergarten, it can be a time full of emotions for parents! Thankfully the Maercker PTA has you covered with a Tears & Cheers breakfast at Holmes after drop-off on the first day of school in the cafeteria.
Please welcome Subhadra Swain to the Maercker D60 team! Subhadra will be an Instructional Assistant at Maercker Intermediate School who says she wanted to work in education to have the ability to help students grow and achieve their dreams. She is a parent in the district and her son has been a student since kindergarten.
“I am excited to encourage students to ask questions, solve problems, and look for answers,” said Subhadra. “I tell people to never be afraid to ask questions, because if you don't, how will you reach your goals?”
Welcome Subhadra!
The 2024-25 school year is coming up quickly and we have all the resources you need in one easy to find place! Visit the new back-to-school hub for important dates, links, and more! #d60learns
https://www.maercker.org/article/1696032
We are excited to welcome some awesome new teachers to the Maercker D60 team!
Katelyn Scacco will be teaching second grade at Holmes and says she chose Maercker because it felt like a welcoming and supportive environment. She is passionate about working with kids and helping them to explore, be curious, and discover their full potential.
“Since I was fifteen, I’ve had many different opportunities working in various childcare positions through my local park district,” said Katelyn. “These opportunities have fostered an appreciation for childhood development and witnessing children's growth and learning firsthand ignited my passion for education. I am eager to contribute to the formative years of young minds and inspire a lifelong love of learning!”
Welcome Katelyn!
The students who are taking part in the Kindergarten Leap program are getting a great head start on kindergarten. At the end of the last school year, we also asked some current kindergarten students for their advice on starting at Holmes. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/Maercker60/videos/484566770592316
Maercker D60 is proud to offer a strong mentoring program for new teachers! We kicked things off last week. #d60learns
