I was born and raised in the northwest side of Chicago. I grew up with my parents, two sisters, and multiple dogs. I am the middle child and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I enjoy having an older sister who I can lean on and a younger sister who I can mentor. I attended CPS schools for both elementary and high school. I always looked forward to going to school since my friends and I always had a blast. I kept busy during the school year by participating in different clubs and sports such as cross country, tennis, basketball, and softball. Most of my weekends were spent with my basketball and softball teams since we always had tournaments. Playing sports was the best decision I ever made since it allowed me to create so many beautiful memories and life long friendships.

I am fortunate that all of my teachers created such a warm and welcoming environment. My PE teachers, Math teacher and Science teacher went above and beyond in developing positive relationships with their students. They would take the time to get to know me as an individual and support me in all of my endeavors. I still keep in contact with a few of my teachers to this day. My parents have also played a huge role in where I am today as well. They taught me to never give up and are constantly being positive role models. 

I attended nursing school at Aurora University for 3 years. Family plays a huge role in my life and I knew I wanted to be close to home for college. Once clinicals began for nursing school, I realized nursing was no longer my passion. I then made the decision to transfer to Northeastern Illinois University to pursue my degree in Physical Education. Physical Education is always something I had thought about majoring in since I have always loved working with kids. I am forever grateful to be where I am today.

I found out about Peterson through Ms. Mendes. I met her at a friend's party and we talked about how we are both teachers. She told me that Peterson was a great school and that they were hiring. I applied that same week and am fortunate enough to have this wonderful opportunity of working here. The best part of working here is that I truly look forward to seeing all of our amazing students everyday. I am constantly learning new things from them and am fortunate enough to be able to learn about their cultures and different passions. 

Outside of Peterson, I enjoy kayaking, fishing, pickleball, and spending time with my family.

Nací y crecí en el noroeste de Chicago. Crecí con mis padres, dos hermanas y varios perros. Soy la hija del medio y no lo cambiaría por nada. Me encanta tener una hermana mayor en quien puedo apoyarme y una hermana menor a quien puedo guiar. Asistí a escuelas de CPS tanto para la primaria como para la secundaria. Siempre esperaba con ansias ir a la escuela porque mis amigos y yo siempre nos divertíamos mucho. Me mantuve ocupada durante el año escolar participando en diferentes clubes y deportes como campo traviesa, tenis, baloncesto y sóftbol. La mayoría de mis fines de semana los pasaba con mis equipos de baloncesto y sóftbol, ya que siempre teníamos torneos. Jugar deportes fue la mejor decisión que tomé porque me permitió crear recuerdos hermosos y amistades para toda la vida.  

Soy afortunada de haber tenido maestros que crearon un ambiente cálido y acogedor. Mis maestros de educación física, matemáticas y ciencias hicieron todo lo posible por desarrollar relaciones positivas con sus estudiantes. Se tomaban el tiempo para conocerme como persona y apoyarme en todos mis proyectos. Hasta el día de hoy, sigo en contacto con algunos de ellos. Mis padres también han jugado un papel fundamental en donde estoy hoy. Me enseñaron a nunca rendirme y siempre han sido modelos a seguir muy positivos.  

Estudié enfermería en Aurora University durante tres años. La familia es una parte muy importante en mi vida, y por eso quería estar cerca de casa para la universidad. Sin embargo, cuando comenzaron las prácticas clínicas en la carrera de enfermería, me di cuenta de que ya no era mi verdadera pasión. Decidí entonces transferirme a Northeastern Illinois University para obtener mi título en Educación Física. Siempre había considerado esta carrera porque me encanta trabajar con niños. Estoy infinitamente agradecida de estar donde estoy hoy.  

Conocí Peterson gracias a la Sra. Mendes. La conocí en la fiesta de una amiga y hablamos sobre el hecho de que ambas somos maestras. Ella me contó que Peterson era una gran escuela y que estaban contratando. Apliqué esa misma semana y tengo la fortuna de haber recibido esta maravillosa oportunidad de trabajar aquí. Lo mejor de trabajar en Peterson es que realmente disfruto ver a nuestros increíbles estudiantes todos los días. Constantemente aprendo cosas nuevas de ellos y tengo la suerte de conocer sus culturas y diferentes pasiones. 

Fuera de Peterson, disfruto del kayak, la pesca, el pickleball y pasar tiempo con mi familia.

I was born, raised, and still live in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood. I grew up with my father (a licensed social worker and later a CPS special education teacher), mother (a CPS office assistant), an older sister (also a CPS school social worker), and many, many cats. I loved growing up and living in Albany Park where we’re known for our Global Roots, Local Heart. I spent my younger days at the library, adventuring along the Brown Line, and going to concerts. Now as an adult, living with my partner and our own cats in Albany Park, I also enjoy exploring different restaurants and living within walking distance of my job!

I am a proud CPS alum, having attended Edgebrook Elementary and Von Steuben MSC. I struggled with anxiety throughout my school experience, which I often hid from peers and teachers. In high school, I benefited from accommodations from a 504 Plan. This experience had a significant impact on my desire to work in the mental health field and to, “be the person you needed when you were younger”.

I enrolled at North Park University and majored in Psychology thinking I would become a psychiatrist. In undergrad, I interned and later worked at an after-school program for students in 5th-12th grade at Christopher House. At that time, we did not have funding or consistent access to a social worker that so many of our students needed. When our program was cut, I decided to enroll at UIC for my Master’s in Social Work and take a step toward addressing the inequities in access to mental health care for Chicago youth. 

In grad school, I interned with Year Up Chicago, a workforce development program for young adults, and in the Outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at Lurie Children’s Hospital. After graduation, I began working at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois as a school-based therapist at Beaubien Elementary. 

When Covid hit, I did a lot of reflecting on my values and what I wanted from my job. I thought back on my own experience in school and how I wanted to be involved in school systems more directly as they are often children and adolescents’ first point of access for mental health support. I completed a school social work endorsement program and started working with CPS (like everyone else in my family). 

I was placed at Peterson in my first year with CPS, and I am so grateful for that opportunity. I love that Peterson feels like my neighborhood growing up, full of so many different languages, experiences, and cultures. I love being able to learn from all my students and hope to keep learning from them for many more years!

Outside of Peterson, I look forward to tackling my To Be Read list (which grows daily), spending more time by Lake Michigan, scoring the ultimate thrift find, and consuming iced coffee regardless of the temperature.

Nací, crecí y todavía vivo en el vecindario de Albany Park en Chicago. Crecí con mi padre (un trabajador social licenciado y luego maestro de educación especial en CPS), mi madre (asistente de oficina en CPS), mi hermana mayor (también trabajadora social en una escuela de CPS) y muchos, muchos gatos. Me encantó crecer y vivir en Albany Park, donde somos conocidos por nuestras "raíces globales, corazón local". Pasé mis años de juventud en la biblioteca, explorando la Línea Marrón y asistiendo a conciertos. Ahora, como adulta, viviendo con mi pareja y nuestros propios gatos en Albany Park, también disfruto explorando diferentes restaurantes y viviendo a poca distancia de mi trabajo.

Soy una orgullosa exalumna de CPS, habiendo asistido a la escuela primaria Edgebrook y a Von Steuben MSC. Durante mi experiencia escolar, luché con la ansiedad, algo que a menudo ocultaba de mis compañeros y maestros. En la secundaria, me beneficié de las adaptaciones de un Plan 504. Esta experiencia tuvo un impacto significativo en mi deseo de trabajar en el campo de la salud mental y en mi compromiso de "ser la persona que necesitabas cuando eras más joven".

Me inscribí en North Park University y me especialicé en Psicología pensando que me convertiría en psiquiatra. Durante la licenciatura, hice una pasantía y luego trabajé en un programa extracurricular para estudiantes de 5.º a 12.º grado en Christopher House. En ese momento, no teníamos financiamiento ni acceso constante a un trabajador social, algo que muchos de nuestros estudiantes necesitaban. Cuando nuestro programa fue cancelado, decidí inscribirme en la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago (UIC) para obtener mi maestría en Trabajo Social y dar un paso hacia la reducción de las inequidades en el acceso a la atención de salud mental para los jóvenes de Chicago.

En la escuela de posgrado, hice una pasantía en Year Up Chicago, un programa de desarrollo laboral para jóvenes adultos, y en el Departamento de Psiquiatría Infantil y Adolescente Ambulatoria en el Hospital Infantil Lurie. Después de graduarme, comencé a trabajar en Lutheran Social Services of Illinois como terapeuta escolar en la escuela primaria Beaubien.

Cuando llegó la pandemia, reflexioné mucho sobre mis valores y lo que quería en mi trabajo. Pensé en mi propia experiencia en la escuela y en cómo quería involucrarme más directamente en los sistemas escolares, ya que a menudo son el primer punto de acceso a apoyo de salud mental para niños y adolescentes. Completé un programa de certificación en trabajo social escolar y comencé a trabajar en CPS (como todos los demás en mi familia).

Fui asignada a Peterson en mi primer año con CPS, y estoy muy agradecida por esa oportunidad. Me encanta que Peterson se sienta como mi vecindario de infancia, lleno de tantos idiomas, experiencias y culturas diferentes. Me encanta poder aprender de todos mis estudiantes y espero seguir aprendiendo de ellos durante muchos años más.

Fuera de Peterson, disfruto enfrentando mi lista de libros pendientes (que crece todos los días), pasando más tiempo en el lago Michigan, encontrando las mejores gangas en tiendas de segunda mano y tomando café helado sin importar la temperatura.

I was born in July 1998 and I’m an only child, unless you count dogs as siblings. I was raised in Chicago and graduated from Cove High School in Northbrook, Illinois.

I’ve had a lot of aspirations growing up like being a race car driver, starting a business, and even going into space, but I’ve toned those down quite a bit. I do love to draw for fashion, draw animation, and attend conventions. Some of my aspirations are in filmmaking, and I’m currently going to school to learn how to do animation properly and I hope to make an animated film at some point in the future.

I found Peterson through my crossing guard position. I will say being a crossing guard has been the easiest job I’ve ever done, the only challenges have been impatient motorists and the occasional cold day, it also gives me the opportunity to do some car spotting.

As for what I’m looking forward to, well, I look forward to a variety of things such as buying a car and doing a variety of small projects that help me focus on my craft. My biggest passion is definitely hanging out with my friends.

Nací en julio de 1998 y soy hijo único, a menos que cuentes a los perros como hermanos. Crecí en Chicago y me gradué de Cove High School en Northbrook, Illinois.

He tenido muchas aspiraciones mientras crecía, como ser piloto de carreras, iniciar un negocio e incluso ir al espacio, pero las he atenuado bastante. Me encanta dibujar moda, dibujar animación y asistir a convenciones. Algunas de mis aspiraciones son el cine y actualmente voy a la escuela para aprender a hacer animación correctamente y espero hacer una película animada en algún momento en el futuro.

Encontré a Peterson a través de mi posición de guardia de cruce. Diré que ser guardia de tránsito ha sido el trabajo más fácil que he hecho en mi vida, los únicos desafíos han sido los conductores impacientes y los días fríos ocasionales; también me da la oportunidad de detectar un poco los autos.

En cuanto a lo que espero con ansias, bueno, espero con ansias una variedad de cosas, como comprar un automóvil y realizar una variedad de pequeños proyectos que me ayuden a concentrarme en mi oficio. Definitivamente mi mayor pasión es salir con mis amigos.

I was born in Dara, Greece, and grew up as the middle child of two sisters and six brothers. Dara was a small village and we had very modest means. My grandfather moved to Chicago for a better life and my dad decided our family should join him, and his two brothers. We moved here in 1972 when I was 12, to also have a better life.

I didn’t know any English, which made my first two years very hard at Volta Elementary. When I went to high school at Roosevelt, they had English Language class after school that made a huge difference for me. While in high school, I also went to Beauty School. My parents couldn’t afford college and I wanted to be an independent person, and this allowed me to make my own money from washing hair and getting tips.

In 1986 I went back to Greece for vacation and that is where I met my husband. I came back to Chicago and moved to Greece the next summer, and then got married a year later. We stayed there and raised my daughter and son.

We stayed in Greece until 2010, and then came back to Chicago because we felt our kids weren’t going to have a good future there.

In 2017 I started working in CPS at Canty Elementary, and in 2023 I came to Peterson, which is right down the street from me. This is my old neighborhood and I enjoy working at Peterson and with the kids.

When I have time, I love to play and watch tennis. I always loved sports when I was young, but we had tennis courts where I grew up and it was the sport that stuck with me. My daughter was on a team in Greece, and I play tennis at Peterson Park when time allows.

Every summer I try to make it back to Greece, and that’s what I’m looking forward to!

Nací en Dara, Grecia, y crecí como la hija mediana de dos hermanas y seis hermanos. Dara era un pueblo pequeño y teníamos medios muy modestos. Mi abuelo se mudó a Chicago en busca de una vida mejor y mi papá decidió que nuestra familia debería unirse a él y a sus dos hermanos. Nos mudamos aquí en 1972, cuando yo tenía 12 años, para tener también una vida mejor.

No sabía nada de inglés, lo que hizo que mis primeros dos años en Volta Elementary fueran muy difíciles. Cuando fui a la escuela secundaria en Roosevelt, tenían clases de inglés después de la escuela, lo que marcó una gran diferencia para mí. Mientras estaba en la escuela secundaria, también fui a la Escuela de Belleza. Mis padres no podían pagar la universidad y yo quería ser una persona independiente, y esto me permitió ganar mi propio dinero lavando el cabello y recibiendo propinas.

En 1986 volví a Grecia de vacaciones y allí conocí a mi marido. Regresé a Chicago y me mudé a Grecia el verano siguiente y luego me casé un año después. Nos quedamos allí y criamos a mi hija y a mi hijo.

Nos quedamos en Grecia hasta 2010 y luego regresamos a Chicago porque sentíamos que nuestros hijos no iban a tener un buen futuro allí.

En 2017 comencé a trabajar en CPS en la escuela primaria Canty y en 2023 llegué a Peterson, que está justo al final de mi calle. Este es mi antiguo vecindario y disfruto trabajar en Peterson y con los niños.

Cuando tengo tiempo, me encanta jugar y ver tenis. Siempre me encantaron los deportes cuando era joven, pero donde crecí teníamos canchas de tenis y fue el deporte que se quedó conmigo. Mi hija estaba en un equipo en Grecia y yo juego tenis en Peterson Park cuando el tiempo lo permite.

Cada verano intento regresar a Grecia, ¡y eso es lo que espero con ansias!

I was born and raised on the northside of Chicago with my mother and 2 siblings.  

I attended Chicago Public Schools for elementary and high school. Elementary school was a positive and happy experience for me. I loved going to school, learning was one of my most favorite things to do in the world, and books were my happy place. As a child, my most valued possession was my Chicago Public Library card. This little plastic card held the key that could unlock new worlds, taking my imagination to far off lands where I choose my own adventure, or learn about someone’s life in their country, or even travel back in time to the past to visit a historical event or time period. 

Throughout my high school and college years, I became involved in my neighborhood and school communities. I joined student clubs and organizations with common missions of bringing awareness and creating positive change for all. The aspects of community work that resonated most with me were learning about all the things that connect us, rather than divide us and how sharing our stories, resources, and knowledge to empower ourselves and our communities can build a world that is more inclusive and equitable.

Since joining the education and youth development fields, Peterson has been a natural next step in my professional journey. Although my previous experience in providing academic and socio-emotional supports to high school and college aged students has prepared me to work at Peterson, there are definitely some aspects of education that are unique to the elementary school level. Since joining the Peterson team, I’ve enjoyed working with the then fifth grade and now 6th grade students. This school year, it’s been exciting to follow the 5th grade students into 6th grade, watching their transition into a new school year with new teachers, learning new information, and navigating the expectations of what it means to be in 6th grade. 

The teachers and staff at Peterson that I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with have made my time here a positive and rewarding experience thus far. I am in constant awe of the teachers who show up every day to, not only teach lesson plans, but also take the extra time to pour encouragement, love, and support into students to help them grow into confident, caring, capable and engaging young people.

Nací y crecí en el lado norte de Chicago con mi madre y mis dos hermanos.

Asistí a las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago para la primaria y la secundaria. La primaria fue una experiencia positiva y feliz para mí. Me encantaba ir a la escuela; aprender era una de mis cosas favoritas en el mundo, y los libros eran mi refugio. De niño, mi posesión más valiosa era mi tarjeta de la Biblioteca Pública de Chicago. Esta pequeña tarjeta de plástico tenía la llave para desbloquear nuevos mundos, llevando mi imaginación a tierras lejanas donde elegía mi propia aventura, aprendía sobre la vida de alguien en su país, o incluso viajaba en el tiempo para visitar un evento o período histórico.

Durante mis años de secundaria y universidad, me involucré en mis comunidades de barrio y escuela. Me uní a clubes estudiantiles y organizaciones con misiones comunes de crear conciencia y generar cambios positivos para todos. Los aspectos del trabajo comunitario que más resonaron en mí fueron aprender sobre todas las cosas que nos conectan, en lugar de dividirnos, y cómo compartir nuestras historias, recursos y conocimientos para empoderarnos a nosotros mismos y a nuestras comunidades puede construir un mundo más inclusivo y equitativo.

Desde que me uní a los campos de la educación y el desarrollo juvenil, Peterson ha sido un paso natural en mi trayectoria profesional. Aunque mi experiencia previa en brindar apoyo académico y socioemocional a estudiantes de secundaria y universidad me ha preparado para trabajar en Peterson, definitivamente hay aspectos de la educación que son únicos en el nivel de escuela primaria. Desde que me uní al equipo de Peterson, he disfrutado trabajar con los estudiantes que entonces estaban en quinto grado y ahora en sexto. Este año escolar ha sido emocionante seguir a los estudiantes de quinto a sexto grado, observando su transición a un nuevo año escolar con nuevos maestros, aprendiendo nueva información y navegando las expectativas de lo que significa estar en sexto grado.

Los maestros y el personal de Peterson con los que he tenido la oportunidad de trabajar de cerca han hecho que mi tiempo aquí sea una experiencia positiva y gratificante hasta ahora. Siento una admiración constante por los maestros que llegan cada día, no solo para enseñar lecciones, sino también para dedicar tiempo extra a brindar aliento, amor y apoyo a los estudiantes para ayudarles a convertirse en jóvenes seguros, amables, capaces y comprometidos.

I was born and raised in a beautiful, heart-shaped country, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In one of the most beautiful cities in southeast Europe, Mostar.

I had an amazing childhood which I shared with my older brother and my parents. Schooling was very different from school in the United States; our school days were shorter but more challenging, with plenty of hands-on activities. Unfortunately, my amazing childhood was cut short due to war. Everything that once was beautiful, was completely destroyed. I had experienced the Bosnian genocide; grenades, bombing, hunger, and fear of the unknown, but I survived! Before coming to the U.S., I lived as a refugee in France and Turkey.

I came to the U.S. at the age of 17 with my parents and older brother, not knowing the language. Our new life was hard, but with perseverance and determination, we overcame any challenges that we faced as refugees.

I attended Amundsen High School, where I had an amazing ESL teacher who helped me tremendously with all the obstacles I faced at that time. Later on, I attended college where I majored in marketing and management. I worked for many years as a Financial Operation Manager for a private firm before joining Peterson.

I have always had a passion for working with children who have diverse needs. I am a proud aunt to my nephew, who has Down Syndrome, and he is one of the main reasons I chose a path in special education. I have always wanted to advocate for those who may not have a voice of their own. What sets Peterson apart from other schools, is our diverse community and our incredible leadership.

My wonderful husband and I have two amazing children, and I am beyond proud to be their mother. I am an avid hiker and traveler, and I love to seek out new adventures. Also, I am an Ovarian Cancer survivor, and I volunteer as a mentor to newly diagnosed patients.

Nací y crecí en un hermoso país con forma de corazón, Bosnia y Herzegovina, en una de las ciudades más bellas del sureste de Europa, Mostar.

Tuve una infancia maravillosa que compartí con mi hermano mayor y mis padres. La educación era muy diferente a la de Estados Unidos; nuestros días escolares eran más cortos, pero más desafiantes, con muchas actividades prácticas. Desafortunadamente, mi increíble infancia se vio interrumpida por la guerra. Todo lo que una vez fue hermoso, quedó completamente destruido. Experimenté el genocidio bosnio: granadas, bombardeos, hambre y el miedo a lo desconocido, ¡pero sobreviví! Antes de venir a Estados Unidos, viví como refugiada en Francia y Turquía.

Llegué a Estados Unidos a los 17 años con mis padres y mi hermano mayor, sin conocer el idioma. Nuestra nueva vida fue difícil, pero con perseverancia y determinación superamos todos los desafíos que enfrentamos como refugiados.

Asistí a la escuela secundaria Amundsen, donde tuve una profesora de ESL increíble que me ayudó enormemente con todos los obstáculos que enfrentaba en ese momento. Más tarde, asistí a la universidad, donde me especialicé en marketing y administración. Trabajé durante muchos años como Gerente de Operaciones Financieras para una empresa privada antes de unirme a Peterson.

Siempre he tenido una pasión por trabajar con niños que tienen diversas necesidades. Soy una orgullosa tía de mi sobrino, quien tiene Síndrome de Down, y él es una de las principales razones por las que elegí un camino en la educación especial. Siempre he querido abogar por aquellos que quizás no tengan una voz propia. Lo que distingue a Peterson de otras escuelas es nuestra comunidad diversa y nuestro liderazgo increíble.

Mi maravilloso esposo y yo tenemos dos hijos increíbles, y estoy más que orgullosa de ser su madre. Soy una ávida excursionista y viajera, y me encanta buscar nuevas aventuras. Además, soy sobreviviente de cáncer de ovario y soy voluntaria como mentora para pacientes recién diagnosticados.

I am from the Southwest suburbs and went to Carl Sandburg High School. I grew up as the middle child in my family with my mom, dad, and two sisters. I was on the competitive cheerleading team at Sandburg where we won the state championship the first year that cheerleading was considered a sport by IHSA in IL. I worked for a cheerleading company during the summers in college, which helped me gain experience teaching students and talking in front of large groups. 

I've known since I was in 3rd grade that I wanted to be a teacher for any subject…except science. I loved school growing up, but I disliked science class because it was difficult and I didn't feel like it connected to my life. I went to Loyola University in Chicago, and during my junior year I took a Middle School Science Methods course that completely changed my thinking around teaching science. That course showed me that science could be interesting and fun, and so I added one more science class my last semester of senior year to get my science endorsement.

When I graduated college in 2011, there were few teaching jobs available. Luckily, I connected with the coach of my rival cheerleading team in high school who was a principal at a middle school at the time. He had a job available teaching middle school science, and so I joined Freedom Middle School in Berwyn that year. I taught there for 7 years and learned a lot about teaching. I even co-authored a book on educational technology during my time there! However, after 7 years, I was ready to jump into something new and start my next adventure. 

I joined the teacher professional development (PD) team called the Institute for Quality Science Teaching at the Museum of Science and Industry in June 2018. This was very exciting for me, as I had gone to the PDs hosted by this team when I was teaching in Berwyn and thought it was the best professional development I had ever received! With my team, we collaboratively planned professional development for teachers who taught in low income areas, with a focus on teachers in CPS. We designed lessons based on the Next Generation Science Standards and then taught those lessons to teachers. They would then receive the materials (for free!) to carry out those lessons in their classrooms. During the pandemic, we switched to online professional development, and I was SO impressed by the teachers who wanted to further their own practice while teaching in an unprecedented situation. I loved my team and my time at the Museum, but after 5 years of working there I realized I missed being in a school. 

I joined Peterson in 2023 as a 6th & 8th grade science teacher. Joining a new district and a new school was difficult at first to navigate, but I always felt supported by my wonderful middle school team. I immensely enjoyed working with the students and exploring the new curriculum. Although I love being in the classroom, when the opportunity arose to apply to become the STEAM Coordinator at Peterson, I jumped at the opportunity. I saw it as the perfect melding of my experience both in the classroom and as a professional development provider. I love the nuanced, day-to-day thinking as well as big picture thinking, and this position allows for both. I feel lucky to be able to serve Peterson in this capacity. 

I currently live in Albany Park with my husband along with our two dogs and a cat. I became a certified yoga teacher this summer and am planning on starting my teaching journey soon. In my free time, I love to read, work in my small city garden, bike around the city, and knit/crochet. I also love to travel and hike both within and outside the United States. This summer my husband and I drove to Vermont and Maine with our dogs and visited Acadia National Park. One of my favorite international trips was when my husband and I went to Ecuador and got to visit the Galapagos Islands. During one outing, we snorkeled with fish, turtles, sharks, manta rays, sea lions, and even saw some penguins! 

I love living and working on the Northwest side in our beautiful city. Being able to work at a school close to my home while still being able to explore urban nature areas is one of the reasons why this area is so special to me. I look forward to being at Peterson for many years to come!

Soy de los suburbios del suroeste y fui a la escuela secundaria Carl Sandburg. Crecí como el hijo mediano de mi familia con mi mamá, mi papá y mis dos hermanas. Estaba en el equipo competitivo de porristas en Sandburg, donde ganamos el campeonato estatal el primer año en que IHSA en IL consideró las porristas como un deporte. Trabajé para una empresa de porristas durante los veranos en la universidad, lo que me ayudó a adquirir experiencia enseñando a estudiantes y hablando frente a grupos grandes. 

Desde que estaba en tercer grado supe que quería ser maestra de cualquier materia... excepto ciencias. Me encantaba la escuela mientras crecía, pero no me gustaban las clases de ciencias porque eran difíciles y no sentía que estuvieran conectadas con mi vida. Fui a la Universidad Loyola en Chicago y durante mi tercer año tomé un curso de Métodos Científicos en la escuela secundaria que cambió por completo mi forma de pensar sobre la enseñanza de las ciencias. Ese curso me mostró que la ciencia puede ser interesante y divertida, por lo que agregué una clase de ciencias más en mi último semestre del último año para obtener mi respaldo en ciencias.

Cuando me gradué de la universidad en 2011, había pocos trabajos docentes disponibles. Afortunadamente, me conecté con el entrenador de mi equipo de porristas rival en la escuela secundaria, quien en ese momento era director de una escuela secundaria. Tenía un trabajo disponible enseñando ciencias en la escuela secundaria, por lo que ese año me uní a la escuela Freedom Middle School en Berwyn. Enseñé allí durante 7 años y aprendí mucho sobre docencia. ¡Incluso fui coautor de un libro sobre tecnología educativa durante mi estancia allí! Sin embargo, después de 7 años, estaba listo para lanzarme a algo nuevo y comenzar mi próxima aventura. 

Me uní al equipo de desarrollo profesional docente (PD) llamado Instituto para la Enseñanza de Ciencias de Calidad en el Museo de Ciencia e Industria en junio de 2018. Esto fue muy emocionante para mí, ya que había asistido a los PD organizados por este equipo cuando estaba enseñando. en Berwyn y pensé que era el mejor desarrollo profesional que jamás había recibido. Con mi equipo, planificamos en colaboración el desarrollo profesional para maestros que enseñaban en áreas de bajos ingresos, con un enfoque en los maestros de CPS. Diseñamos lecciones basadas en los Estándares de Ciencias de la Próxima Generación y luego enseñamos esas lecciones a los maestros. Luego recibirían los materiales (¡gratis!) para llevar a cabo esas lecciones en sus aulas. Durante la pandemia, cambiamos al desarrollo profesional en línea y quedé MUY impresionado por los profesores que querían avanzar en su propia práctica mientras enseñaban en una situación sin precedentes. Amaba a mi equipo y mi tiempo en el Museo, pero después de 5 años de trabajar allí me di cuenta de que extrañaba estar en una escuela.

Me uní a Peterson en 2023 como profesora de ciencias de sexto y octavo grado. Al principio fue difícil unirme a un nuevo distrito y a una nueva escuela, pero siempre me sentí apoyado por el maravilloso equipo de mi escuela secundaria. Disfruté inmensamente trabajando con los estudiantes y explorando el nuevo plan de estudios. Aunque me encanta estar en el aula, cuando surgió la oportunidad de postularme para convertirme en Coordinadora STEAM en Peterson, aproveché la oportunidad. Lo vi como la combinación perfecta de mi experiencia tanto en el aula como como proveedor de desarrollo profesional. Me encanta el pensamiento matizado del día a día, así como el pensamiento global, y este puesto permite ambas cosas. Me siento afortunado de poder servir a Peterson en esta capacidad. 

Actualmente vivo en Albany Park con mi esposo y nuestros dos perros y un gato. Me convertí en profesora de yoga certificada este verano y planeo comenzar mi carrera docente pronto. En mi tiempo libre, me encanta leer, trabajar en el pequeño jardín de mi ciudad, recorrer la ciudad en bicicleta y tejer o hacer crochet. También me encanta viajar y hacer caminatas tanto dentro como fuera de los Estados Unidos. Este verano, mi esposo y yo condujimos a Vermont y Maine con nuestros perros y visitamos el Parque Nacional Acadia. Uno de mis viajes internacionales favoritos fue cuando mi esposo y yo fuimos a Ecuador y visitamos las Islas Galápagos. Durante una salida, practicamos snorkel con peces, tortugas, tiburones, mantarrayas, leones marinos e incluso vimos algunos pingüinos.

Me encanta vivir y trabajar en el lado noroeste de nuestra hermosa ciudad. Poder trabajar en una escuela cerca de mi casa y al mismo tiempo poder explorar áreas naturales urbanas es una de las razones por las que esta área es tan especial para mí. ¡Espero estar en Peterson durante muchos años más!

I was born and raised in the South Suburbs of Chicago. I went to the University of Iowa until the middle of my Junior year, and then transferred to DePaul University to finish my Bachelor’s in History. I then continued on at DePaul for a Master’s of Public Service Management. 

I’ve lived in the neighborhood for 14 years, and have enjoyed learning about the rich history of our little pocket of Chicago. I’ve helped to coordinate International Night since 2016, and was excited to expand my role with the PTA this year as President. It’s been a fun adventure planning other events like Winter Fest, Teacher Appreciation Celebrations, and the first Free Book Fair. Over the years, Peterson Elementary has become a home away from home for my kids. I’m grateful to have watched my children enter the doors of Peterson as timid Kindergarteners and soon to watch one walk out a confident graduate.  I look forward to three more years at this amazing place!

Nací y crecí en los suburbios del sur de Chicago. Fui a la Universidad de Iowa hasta mediados de mi tercer año y luego me transfirieron a la Universidad DePaul para terminar mi Licenciatura en Historia. Luego continué en DePaul para obtener una Maestría en Gestión de Servicios Públicos.

He vivido en el vecindario durante 14 años y he disfrutado aprendiendo sobre la rica historia de nuestro pequeño rincón de Chicago. He ayudado a coordinar la Noche Internacional desde 2016 y estaba emocionado de ampliar mi papel en la PTA este año como presidente. Ha sido una aventura divertida planificar otros eventos como el Winter Fest, las celebraciones de agradecimiento a los maestros y la primera feria del libro gratuita. A lo largo de los años, la escuela primaria Peterson se ha convertido en un hogar lejos del hogar para mis hijos. Estoy agradecido de haber visto a mis hijos entrar por las puertas de Peterson como tímidos estudiantes de jardín de infantes y pronto ver a uno salir como un graduado confiado. ¡Espero pasar tres años más en este increíble lugar!

I was born in Baghdad, Iraq and after my first birthday my parents fled the country to seek asylum in the US. My parents and I ended up in a refugee camp in Turkey, before taking a boat to Athens, Greece. While in Athens, my mother gave birth to my only sibling, Edwin. My brother and I are best friends. We lived in Greece for about a year and a half before we got approved for US Visas. We moved to live with my uncle in Jacksonville, Florida.

I attended kindergarten in Jacksonville, FL., it was not a very diverse school, I was the only person with dark hair in my entire class. After two years in Jacksonville, my mother felt that Chicago would be a better place for us to live, so we moved. I attended Jamieson Elementary from second grade until I graduated in 2003. Like Peterson, Jamieson was a diverse school with students of all backgrounds; it was the first time I felt like I fit in. After graduating, I attended Northtown Academy, which was a unique experience. It was the second year the school was open as a charter school and co-ed, prior it was an all girls private school. While we did not have the best sports team, or the most fun school dances, we had some amazing teachers. Mr. Chau, my sophomore and junior year English teacher made the biggest impact on me. He was so knowledgeable about all kinds of subjects and always made the subject matter interesting. 

While in high school I was very involved in student council and was even class president my sophomore year. I excelled in Spanish class and skipped a year and joined the Hispanic Honor Society. By this point in my life, I had decided that I wanted to pursue a career in law. To stay close to my family, I chose to go to the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). About two years into school, I began to volunteer at a youth center and fell in love with working with children. I changed my major the following week. While UIC is an amazing school, I felt that National Louis University would be a better fit for my new major. I graduated from National Louis with my Bachelors of Arts in Early Childhood Education and began working as a preschool teacher at a private school. When the pandemic came, I took a nanny position to be around less people.

Last year I was yearning to be back in a classroom environment and was contemplating getting my Masters in Special Education. I reached out to a friend who has worked at Peterson for years, Ms. Yousif. She was raving about the school, its diversity, friendly staff and supportive administration. I knew this is where I wanted to be, and I took the SECA position to see if special education is what I wanted to continue studying. While in this position, I was approached by Ms. Hurley & Ms. Nieves, to be the lead teacher in the new Kindergarten room. I have enjoyed every moment of this school year. I plan on pursuing my Masters in Primary Education and want to teach at Peterson for many years to come. 

Nací en Bagdad, Irak y después de mi primer cumpleaños mis padres huyeron del país para buscar asilo en Estados Unidos. Mis padres y yo terminamos en un campo de refugiados en Turquía, antes de tomar un barco a Atenas, Grecia. Mientras estaba en Atenas, mi madre dio a luz a mi único hermano, Edwin. Mi hermano y yo somos mejores amigos. Vivimos en Grecia durante aproximadamente un año y medio antes de que nos aprobaran las visas estadounidenses. Nos mudamos a vivir con mi tío en Jacksonville, Florida.

Asistí al jardín de infantes en Jacksonville, FL., no era una escuela muy diversa, yo era la única persona con cabello oscuro en toda mi clase. Después de dos años en Jacksonville, mi madre sintió que Chicago sería un mejor lugar para vivir, así que nos mudamos. Asistí a la escuela primaria Jamieson desde segundo grado hasta que me gradué en 2003. Al igual que Peterson, Jamieson era una escuela diversa con estudiantes de todos los orígenes; fue la primera vez que sentí que encajaba. Después de graduarme, asistí a Northtown Academy, lo cual fue una experiencia única. Era el segundo año que la escuela estaba abierta como escuela autónoma y mixta, antes era una escuela privada solo para niñas. Si bien no teníamos el mejor equipo deportivo ni los bailes escolares más divertidos, teníamos algunos maestros increíbles. El Sr. Chau, mi profesor de inglés de segundo y tercer año, fue el que más me impactó. Sabía mucho sobre todo tipo de temas y siempre hacía que el tema fuera interesante.

Mientras estaba en la escuela secundaria estuve muy involucrado en el consejo estudiantil e incluso fui presidente de la clase en mi segundo año. Destaqué en la clase de español, me salté un año y me uní a la Sociedad de Honor Hispana. En ese momento de mi vida, había decidido que quería seguir la carrera de derecho. Para estar cerca de mi familia, elegí ir a la Universidad de Illinois Chicago (UIC). Aproximadamente dos años después de comenzar la escuela, comencé a trabajar como voluntaria en un centro juvenil y me enamoré de trabajar con niños. Cambié de especialidad la semana siguiente. Si bien la UIC es una escuela increíble, sentí que la Universidad Nacional Louis sería más adecuada para mi nueva especialidad. Me gradué de National Louis con mi Licenciatura en Educación Infantil y comencé a trabajar como maestra de preescolar en una escuela privada. Cuando llegó la pandemia, acepté el puesto de niñera para estar con menos gente.

El año pasado anhelaba volver a un ambiente de aula y estaba contemplando obtener mi Maestría en Educación Especial. Me comuniqué con una amiga que ha trabajado en Peterson durante años, la Sra. Yousif. Estaba entusiasmada con la escuela, su diversidad, su personal amable y su administración solidaria. Sabía que aquí es donde quería estar y acepté el puesto de SECA para ver si educación especial era lo que quería seguir estudiando. Mientras ocupaba este puesto, la Sra. Hurley se acercó a mí para que fuera la maestra principal en el nuevo salón de jardín de infantes. He disfrutado cada momento de este año escolar. Planeo realizar mi Maestría en Educación Primaria y quiero enseñar en Peterson durante muchos años más.

February 24, 2024

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York with my sister and two brothers. My siblings are wonderful people, and we are very close!  In New York City, you attend different elementary, middle, and high schools. My elementary school was diverse and reminded me a lot of Peterson. I remember people speaking so many different languages. 

Growing up, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do for a job. There was a point when I wanted to be a dentist, but then I wanted to be a meteorologist, and then I wanted to be an artist. I also liked working with children, but it took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do as a job. As a kid, I was into art and played soccer. I loved riding my bike and walking in this beautiful big park in Brooklyn called Prospect Park.

I had a lot of teachers who had a big impact on me. One, in particular, is a math teacher I had in high school. I struggled with math, but they helped me find strategies and ways to make sense of the work. The work I dreaded became fun logic puzzles, and I still think of math in that way.

During the pandemic, I decided I wanted to go back to school and become a teacher. After graduating, I started looking at schools that I could work at. I was looking for diverse schools that represented all of the wonderful cultures in big cities like New York and Chicago. Peterson checked that box! I was also charmed by the chickens when I came for my interview. I love my job, but it can be hard sometimes. The hardest part so far has been being a first-year teacher. I am learning and growing every day and becoming better and better at my practice as a teacher. I've been grateful for the support and grace that my colleagues and my students have given me as I have navigated this first year. In terms of growing, I am excited to become better and better as a teacher. Outside of Peterson, I am getting married this summer and very much looking forward to that.

24 de febrero de 2024

Nací y crecí en Brooklyn, Nueva York con mi hermana y mis dos hermanos. ¡Mis hermanos son personas maravillosas y somos muy unidos! En la ciudad de Nueva York, asistes a diferentes escuelas primarias, intermedias y secundarias. Mi escuela primaria era diversa y me recordaba mucho a Peterson. Recuerdo gente hablando tantos idiomas diferentes.

Al crecer, no sabía exactamente qué quería hacer como trabajo. Hubo un momento en el que quise ser dentista, pero luego quise ser meteorólogo y luego quise ser artista. También me gustaba trabajar con niños, pero me llevó mucho tiempo descubrir qué quería hacer como trabajo. Cuando era niño, me gustaba el arte y jugaba fútbol. Me encantaba andar en bicicleta y caminar en este hermoso gran parque en Brooklyn llamado Prospect Park.

Tuve muchos profesores que tuvieron un gran impacto en mí. Uno, en particular, es un profesor de matemáticas que tuve en la escuela secundaria. Tuve dificultades con las matemáticas, pero me ayudaron a encontrar estrategias y formas de darle sentido al trabajo. El trabajo que temía se convirtió en divertidos acertijos de lógica, y todavía pienso en las matemáticas de esa manera.

Durante la pandemia, decidí que quería volver a la escuela y ser maestra. Después de graduarme, comencé a buscar escuelas en las que pudiera trabajar. Buscaba escuelas diversas que representaran todas las maravillosas culturas de las grandes ciudades como Nueva York y Chicago. ¡Peterson marcó esa casilla! También me encantaron las gallinas cuando vine a la entrevista. Amo mi trabajo, pero a veces puede ser difícil. La parte más difícil hasta ahora ha sido ser profesora de primer año. Estoy aprendiendo y creciendo cada día y mejorando cada vez más en mi práctica como docente. He estado agradecido por el apoyo y la gracia que mis colegas y mis estudiantes me han brindado mientras navegaba este primer año. En términos de crecimiento, estoy emocionado de ser cada vez mejor como maestro. Aparte de Peterson, me casaré este verano y tengo muchas ganas de hacerlo.

I spent most of my childhood in Medellin, Colombia, and I loved living on a mountain and I especially loved going to school in a small town. Much like Peterson, my school community in Colombia was very welcoming and inclusive. As students we were in charge of feeding our chickens and serving each other lunch during lunch and recess. This is one of the reasons I love the chicken coop at Peterson! Coming to the U.S as an ELL (English Language Learner) student was definitely impactful to my education. I was lucky enough to have wonderful ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers that had the patience and empathy I needed. After I graduated High School in Waukegan, I attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and got my bachelors in Anthropology and in Gender and Women’s Studies. I was always passionate about social justice topics, so for a few years I worked in an immigration rights law firm as a paralegal. I enjoyed learning about the systemic issues that our immigrant community faced in Chicago.

My journey in education began as a sixth grade teacher in Waukegan. I have since taught and coordinated ELL programs in Waukegan, Zion, and Belmont Cragin. My interest for social emotional learning grew as I coordinated an ELL program in a charter school on the west side of Chicago. In 2017 I went back to school to get my masters in School Counseling. I am very excited to be your new bilingual school counselor and learn about the Peterson Elementary community!

Pasé la mayor parte de mi infancia en Medellín, Colombia, y me encantaba vivir en una montaña y, especialmente, me encantaba ir a la escuela en un pueblo pequeño. Al igual que Peterson, mi comunidad escolar en Colombia fue muy acogedora e inclusiva. Como estudiantes estábamos a cargo de alimentar a nuestras gallinas y de servirnos el almuerzo unos a otros durante el almuerzo y el recreo. ¡Ésta es una de las razones por las que me encanta el gallinero de Peterson! Venir a los EE. UU. como estudiante ELL (estudiante del idioma inglés) definitivamente tuvo un impacto en mi educación. Tuve la suerte de contar con profesores maravillosos de ESL (inglés como segundo idioma) que tenían la paciencia y la empatía que necesitaba. Después de graduarme de la escuela secundaria en Waukegan, asistí a la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago y obtuve mi licenciatura en Antropología y Estudios de Género y Mujeres. Siempre me apasionaron los temas de justicia social, por lo que durante algunos años trabajé en una firma de abogados de derechos de inmigración como asistente legal. Disfruté aprendiendo sobre los problemas sistémicos que enfrentaba nuestra comunidad de inmigrantes en Chicago.

Mi trayectoria en la educación comenzó como maestra de sexto grado en Waukegan. Desde entonces, he enseñado y coordinado programas de ELL en Waukegan, Zion y Belmont Cragin. Mi interés por el aprendizaje socioemocional creció mientras coordinaba un programa de ELL en una escuela autónoma en el lado oeste de Chicago. En 2017 volví a la escuela para obtener mi maestría en Consejería Escolar. ¡Estoy muy emocionada de ser su nueva consejera escolar bilingüe y aprender sobre la comunidad de Peterson Elementary!

I was born and raised in Highland Park, Illinois. I grew up living just a few minutes away from my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins too. My family always seemed to have at least one pet in the house. We started off with two rabbits, worked our way to reptiles (frogs, snakes, a turtle), and finally landed on dogs…three of them! The last unique pet we had was my older brother’s chameleon, named Otto. It was mesmerizing watching him change colors.

I always enjoyed learning and going to school. One of my favorite subjects was math. Outside of the classroom, I played volleyball and water polo throughout high school. In the summers, you could find me lifeguarding at the local pools.

A teacher that had a big impact on me, was my high school Environmental Science teacher. He instilled a great passion for not only sustainable practices, but also an appreciation of nature. We would take walks during class to identify trees and listen to birds. How cool!

I attended college at the University of Illinois, and then graduate school at Rush University. I went into college knowing I wanted to study Speech and Hearing Science. I found the courses very fascinating and was excited to pursue the career. I had originally wanted to work in hospitals with adults, but it wasn’t until my internship at CPS, during graduate school, that I changed my mind. I absolutely loved working with the students and getting to collaborate with so many professionals. I even got to tap into my creative side, planning fun lessons and activities for preschoolers to 8th graders.

This is my second year at Peterson, and I have had such a positive experience working here. I am lucky enough to work with students of all ages, getting to know the different grade level teams. The other clinicians working at Peterson have also been fabulous to work alongside and to collaborate with, but most of all, the students are absolutely incredible. I love learning more about their many different skills and interests. Soccer and Sonic have been very popular this year. One of my favorite moments was watching the literary parade. It was loads of fun seeing the school clap and cheer for each other as we celebrated our favorite books.

As the school year comes to an end, I am most looking forward to meeting the new students I get to work with in the fall. It’s exciting to see how I can best support them to be successful communicators in and out of the classroom. I'm also looking forward to continuing working with my current students, and hearing about their summer adventures.

This summer, I am excited for many bike rides and time spent in my family’s garden growing vegetables. I will also be swimming and running (very slowly) as I train for my first triathlon!

Nací y crecí en Highland Park, Illinois. Crecí viviendo a solo unos minutos de mis abuelos, tías, tíos y primos también. Mi familia siempre parecía tener al menos una mascota en la casa. Comenzamos con dos conejos, nos abrimos camino hacia los reptiles (ranas, serpientes, una tortuga) y finalmente llegamos a los perros... ¡tres de ellos! La última mascota única que tuvimos fue el camaleón de mi hermano mayor, llamado Otto. Fue fascinante verlo cambiar de color.

Siempre me gustó aprender e ir a la escuela. Una de mis materias favoritas era matemáticas. Fuera del salón de clases, jugué voleibol y waterpolo durante toda la escuela secundaria. En los veranos, podrías encontrarme salvavidas en las piscinas locales.

Un maestro que tuvo un gran impacto en mí fue mi maestro de Ciencias Ambientales en la escuela secundaria. Inculcó una gran pasión no solo por las prácticas sostenibles, sino también por la apreciación de la naturaleza. Hacíamos caminatas durante la clase para identificar árboles y escuchar pájaros. ¡Que guay!

Asistí a la universidad en la Universidad de Illinois y luego a la escuela de posgrado en la Universidad Rush. Entré a la universidad sabiendo que quería estudiar Ciencias del Habla y la Audición. Encontré los cursos muy fascinantes y estaba emocionado de seguir la carrera. Originalmente quería trabajar en hospitales con adultos, pero no fue hasta mi pasantía en CPS, durante la escuela de posgrado, que cambié de opinión. Me encantó trabajar con los estudiantes y poder colaborar con tantos profesionales. Incluso pude aprovechar mi lado creativo, planeando lecciones y actividades divertidas para niños de preescolar a octavo grado.

Este es mi segundo año en Peterson y he tenido una experiencia muy positiva trabajando aquí. Tengo la suerte de trabajar con estudiantes de todas las edades y conocer a los diferentes equipos de nivel de grado. Los otros médicos que trabajan en Peterson también han sido fabulosos para trabajar y colaborar, pero sobre todo, los estudiantes son absolutamente increíbles. Me encanta aprender más sobre sus diferentes habilidades e intereses. Soccer y Sonic han sido muy populares este año. Uno de mis momentos favoritos fue ver el desfile literario. Fue muy divertido ver a la escuela aplaudir y animarse unos a otros mientras celebramos nuestros libros favoritos.

A medida que el año escolar llega a su fin, tengo muchas ganas de conocer a los nuevos estudiantes con los que trabajaré en el otoño. Es emocionante ver cómo puedo apoyarlos mejor para que sean comunicadores exitosos dentro y fuera del salón de clases. También espero continuar trabajando con mis estudiantes actuales y escuchar acerca de sus aventuras de verano.

Este verano, estoy emocionada por muchos paseos en bicicleta y el tiempo que pasé en el jardín de mi familia cultivando vegetales. ¡También estaré nadando y corriendo (muy lentamente) mientras entreno para mi primer triatlón!

My name is Ana Cecilia Riaño and I was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. I grew up with my two parents, my father Manuel, my mother Mercedes, and my three siblings Elena, Francisco, and Esperanza. My parents gave us the best life they could with lots of love and values. When I was a child I grew up in a new neighborhood where people just started to construct their houses. My dad helped direct the construction of the houses since he had that knowledge and experience. We developed lovely relationships with our neighbors and became one big family. Our neighborhood was a strong community, and to this day I still keep in touch with all of them. Since our community was newly built, a new elementary school was implemented for all the kids to attend. My experience at Maria Auxiliadora School was my first experience as a young student where I learned values and academics. My siblings and I helped do house chores while my mother worked at home making sweaters for students on the knitting machine. My father worked in construction and he was a dedicated and talented worker. His hard work landed him to become the director for buildings that are landmarks in Bogota.

My parents always forced my siblings and I to study. We were not well-off but we had support to find good schools. The elementary school I attended was called San Pedro Claver, which I graduated from in 1971. Then I went to my high school at Nicolas Esguerra and I graduated in 1978. Afterwards, I was an accounting assistant in a technical college for two years and it was a great opportunity for me because it gave me exposure to the accounting field. I had the opportunity to work with different companies in Colombia. A memorable experience for me was at Coopers & Lybrand Accounting. This company gave me the opportunity to learn how investors from other countries came to Colombia to do research and invested in resources to export globally. One example is “El Cerrejon,” it is a large open-pit coal mine in Northern Colombia. I met different people from many countries, and had the opportunity to work and help account for their companies.

In 1989 my older sister Elena had been living in Chicago for many years and she applied for a resident alien visa for my parents. My mother then came and started her work. Then, after two years she applied for a resident alien, for my sister, Esperanza, and I to come to the United States. My sister and I came in 1992 and then we started to study English as a second language at McCormick Junior College in 1993. I did study for one year and it was not easy because I had to work and study at the same time. My work-life balance schedule was long and I decided to stop for one year. In 1995, I took the GED test, and I applied to study at Northeastern Illinois University that same year. For the next 5 years, I spent most of my time taking night classes, because I had to work during the day. I majored in Liberal Arts and Spanish. By this time I had to take my English competency test and I failed. In 2000-2005 I was working at Sears Roebuck as an Administrative Assistant. It was a good experience for me, but I unfortunately got laid off.  Then I had to work again as a nanny because I needed to help my family. One member of my family got really sick and I had to support them. Time passed and I kept working as a nanny, and three years ago, I decided that I should go back to the university and finish my degree. In 2019, I finished my classes and got my Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Spanish.

When the pandemic started I was looking for a job and my goal was to get something to help my community.  Teaching always called my attention because I had been working with kids of different ages. That is why I started to look for jobs at Chicago Public Schools. Peterson became an opportunity for me, and I received the position to work as a Teacher Assistant. The best part of this job is having the opportunity to work with kids, and helping them grow academically, and as individuals. The hardest part has been starting my experience as an educator, as this is a new profession field for me. I have felt very welcome and grown an affinity with the Peterson community. I look forward to gaining more experiences and continuing to grow professionally as I learn more about being an educator at Peterson.

Mi nombre es Ana Cecilia Riaño y nací y crecí en Bogotá, Colombia. Crecí con mis dos padres, mi padre Manuel, mi madre Mercedes y mis tres hermanos Elena, Francisco y Esperanza. Mis padres nos dieron la mejor vida que pudieron con mucho amor y valores. Cuando era niño, crecí en un nuevo vecindario donde la gente recién comenzaba a construir sus casas. Mi papá ayudó a dirigir la construcción de las casas ya que él tenía ese conocimiento y experiencia. Desarrollamos relaciones encantadoras con nuestros vecinos y nos convertimos en una gran familia. Nuestro vecindario era una comunidad fuerte, y hasta el día de hoy todavía me mantengo en contacto con todos ellos. Dado que nuestra comunidad fue construida recientemente, se implementó una nueva escuela primaria para que asistieran todos los niños. Mi experiencia en el Colegio María Auxiliadora fue mi primera experiencia como joven estudiante donde aprendí valores y académicos. Mis hermanos y yo ayudábamos con las tareas de la casa mientras mi madre trabajaba en casa haciendo suéteres para los estudiantes en la máquina de tejer. Mi padre trabajaba en la construcción y era un trabajador dedicado y talentoso. Su arduo trabajo lo llevó a convertirse en el director de edificios que son hitos en Bogotá.

Mis padres siempre nos obligaron a mis hermanos ya mí a estudiar. No éramos acomodados pero teníamos apoyo para encontrar buenas escuelas. La escuela primaria a la que asistí se llamaba San Pedro Claver, de la cual me gradué en 1971. Luego pasé a mi bachillerato en Nicolás Esguerra y me gradué en 1978. Después, fui auxiliar de contabilidad en un colegio técnico durante dos años y fue fue una gran oportunidad para mí porque me dio exposición al campo de la contabilidad. Tuve la oportunidad de trabajar con diferentes empresas en Colombia. Una experiencia memorable para mí fue en Coopers & Lybrand Accounting. Esta empresa me dio la oportunidad de conocer cómo inversionistas de otros países venían a Colombia a investigar e invertían en recursos para exportar a nivel mundial. Un ejemplo es “El Cerrejón”, es una gran mina de carbón a cielo abierto en el norte de Colombia. Conocí a diferentes personas de muchos países, y tuve la oportunidad de trabajar y ayudar en la contabilidad de sus empresas.

En 1989, mi hermana mayor, Elena, había estado viviendo en Chicago durante muchos años y solicitó una visa de residente extranjero para mis padres. Entonces vino mi madre y empezó su trabajo. Luego, después de dos años, solicitó una residencia extranjera para que mi hermana, Esperanza, y yo viniéramos a los Estados Unidos. Mi hermana y yo vinimos en 1992 y luego comenzamos a estudiar inglés como segundo idioma en McCormick Junior College en 1993. Sí estudié durante un año y no fue fácil porque tenía que trabajar y estudiar al mismo tiempo. Mi horario de equilibrio entre el trabajo y la vida era largo y decidí parar por un año. En 1995, tomé el examen GED y solicité para estudiar en la Universidad Northeastern Illinois ese mismo año. Durante los siguientes 5 años, pasé la mayor parte de mi tiempo tomando clases nocturnas, porque tenía que trabajar durante el día. Me especialicé en Artes Liberales y Español. En ese momento tuve que tomar mi examen de competencia en inglés y reprobé. En 2000-2005 estuve trabajando en Sears Roebuck como asistente administrativo. Fue una buena experiencia para mí, pero desafortunadamente me despidieron. Luego tuve que volver a trabajar como niñera porque necesitaba ayudar a mi familia. Un miembro de mi familia se enfermó mucho y tuve que apoyarlo. Pasó el tiempo y seguí trabajando como niñera, y hace tres años decidí que debía volver a la universidad y terminar la carrera. En 2019, terminé mis clases y obtuve mi licenciatura en artes liberales y español.

Cuando comenzó la pandemia estaba buscando trabajo y mi objetivo era conseguir algo para ayudar a mi comunidad. La docencia siempre me llamó la atención porque venía trabajando con niños de diferentes edades. Por eso comencé a buscar trabajo en las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago. Peterson se convirtió en una oportunidad para mí y recibí el puesto para trabajar como asistente de maestro. La mejor parte de este trabajo es tener la oportunidad de trabajar con niños y ayudarlos a crecer académicamente y como individuos. Lo más difícil ha sido comenzar mi experiencia como educadora, ya que este es un nuevo campo profesional para mí. Me he sentido muy bienvenido y he desarrollado una afinidad con la comunidad de Peterson. Espero obtener más experiencias y seguir creciendo profesionalmente a medida que aprenda más sobre cómo ser un educador en Peterson.

I was born and raised on the northside of Chicago, in this very neighborhood. My mother was a teacher for CPS and my father was an engineer, also working for CPS. I have a younger sister and older brother, both of whom I am very close with. Still to this day, my parents live in my childhood home.  I love being able to take my own two little girls to that house, and watch them play and grow the same way I did.  I attended Peterson rival Jamieson Elementary School, which is located just down the street.  I was always very involved in athletics, playing for a wide variety of leagues, and different sports including football, basketball, and baseball.  I played football through high school while attending Lane, and I still play in men’s softball leagues to this day.

My biggest influences in my life were my parents.  They always taught me to be caring and empathetic towards others.  Being raised in such a way, I knew I always wanted to help my community, which is why it was always my hope to become a Chicago Police Officer.  My first degree, I majored in Criminal Justice, and after graduating, I began applying to various departments and organizations.  While going through the hiring processes, I began working for CPS as a security officer.  It was during this time I discovered a new passion for working with students and children, and helping them learn and grow.  I enrolled at National Louis University and got a second degree in Applied Behavior Science, which allowed me to step into the role that I am in today.

For the past several years I had been working in a high school setting as a Dean of Students, however, it was always my wish to return back to working in an elementary school.  I have always found more happiness working with a younger demographic of students, and being here at Peterson has been all that I have hoped for.  The staff here at Peterson has been extremely welcoming, and a pleasure to work alongside.  The student body brings a smile to my face, and allows me to find joy in my job.  I have found the parents to be appreciative, and very engaged in the wellbeing of their children.  Ideally, I would love to spend the rest of my career here at Peterson, giving back to the community that I was raised in.  I look forward to years of watching these young faces grow into bright young teenagers, who will go on to becoming successful contributing adults. 

Nací y crecí en el lado norte de Chicago, en este mismo vecindario. Mi madre era maestra de CPS y mi padre era ingeniero, él también trabajaba para CPS. Tengo una hermana menor y un hermano mayor, con los cuales soy muy cercano. Hasta hoy día, mis padres viven en la casa de mi infancia. Me encanta poder llevar a mis dos hijas pequeñas a esa casa y verlas jugar y crecer de la misma manera que yo. Asistí a la escuela primaria Jamieson, rival de Peterson, que se encuentra al final de la calle. Siempre estuve muy involucrado en el atletismo, jugando para una amplia variedad de ligas y diferentes deportes, como fútbol, ​​​​baloncesto y béisbol. Jugué fútbol en la escuela secundaria mientras asistía a Lane, y todavía juego en las ligas de softbol masculino hasta el día de hoy.

Mis mayores influencias en mi vida han sido mis padres. Siempre me han enseñado a ser cariñoso y empático con los demás. Al ser criado de esta manera supe que siempre quise ayudar a mi comunidad, por lo que siempre tuve la esperanza de convertirme en oficial de policía de Chicago. Mi primer título, me especialicé en Justicia Criminal, y después de graduarme comencé a aplicar a varios departamentos y organizaciones. Mientras realizaba los procesos de contratación, comencé a trabajar para CPS como oficial de seguridad. Fue durante este tiempo que descubrí una nueva pasión por trabajar con estudiantes y niños, y ayudarlos a aprender y crecer. Me inscribí en la Universidad Nacional de Louis y obtuve un segundo título en Ciencias Aplicadas del Comportamiento, lo que me permitió asumir el rol que tengo hoy.

Durante los últimos años había estado trabajando en una escuela secundaria como Decano de Estudiantes, sin embargo, siempre fue mi deseo volver a trabajar en una escuela primaria. Siempre he encontrado más felicidad trabajando con un grupo demográfico de estudiantes más jóvenes, y estar aquí en Peterson ha sido todo lo que esperaba. El personal de Peterson ha sido muy acogedor y ha sido un placer trabajar con él. El cuerpo estudiantil trae una sonrisa a mi rostro y me permite encontrar alegría en mi trabajo. He encontrado que los padres son agradecidos y muy comprometidos con el bienestar de sus hijos. Idealmente, me encantaría pasar el resto de mi carrera aquí en Peterson, retribuyendo a la comunidad en la que me crié. Espero ver a estos rostros jóvenes crecer hasta convertirse en jóvenes adolescentes brillantes, que se convertirán en exitosos. adultos contribuyentes.

My name is Nicolas Cima, but I go by Nick, Nicky, and sometimes Nico. I was born and raised in Mount Prospect, a northwest suburb of Chicago. I am grateful to have been raised by my two loving parents alongside my 3 brothers. Over the years, my family has adopted many dogs who I’d consider family members just as much as my brothers. As for school, I attended public schools in the suburbs. I continued my education at Illinois State University, where I earned a Bachelors of Education in Special Education, and an Italian Studies Minor. 

My Italian-American heritage has shaped my lived experiences. In conversation, my heritage always seems to come up on my own accord, but I must admit that talking about my Italian-American upbringing is one of my favorite activities on any given day! For this reason, I love to learn about cultures outside of my own. Growing up, I learned how my grandparents immigrated to Chicago during a war-torn Italy. I learned about how they would tend to olive fields in rural parts of Italy, and how they’d jar enough tomato sauce for an entire year. My parents grew up in an Italian neighborhood on Harlem and Addison. They moved out to the suburbs later in life to raise my brothers and I. My Italian-speaking nonna lived with us, and some of my fondest memories are rooted in my relationship with her. Family is incredibly important to me. Growing up in a bilingual household has greatly contributed to my teaching practices, as I have learned that many of the students at Peterson speak two languages, too. 

I have always wanted to be a teacher. Growing up, I used to give spelling tests to my little brother and grade them with flair pens. There is something about the way those pens work that has always drawn me to the teaching profession. In all realness, I love to learn. I recognize that learning does not stop when you graduate from school. It is a day to day experience that I am so grateful to facilitate in my career. My many teachers over the years have taught me this. I decided to teach diverse learners based on my years of experience as a camp counselor. I used to spend two weeks each summer at a camp for kids with varying abilities and disabilities. My campers taught me so much about people. I believe everyone has needs. It is my job as a Diverse Learner Specialist to accommodate specific needs. I believe in inclusion, not only in the classroom, but also in my daily interaction. Everyone has a right to feel included and have their voice heard. Everyone always has something to bring to the table, and I believe it is my job to bring the best out in people.

My experience at Peterson began as a student teacher. The first time I walked through Peterson’s doors, I noticed the tall ceilings embellished with flags of different cultures. As I began to build relationships with students, we would often reference these in conversation while walking through the halls. “That’s my flag!” a student would say to me. I am so grateful to be at a school where our student population represents so many cultures, and where students can see their cultural upbringing reflected back at them. On top of this, the supportive community was a significant reason for my interest in teaching at Peterson. When I learned of a position opening, I applied immediately and began the interview process. I cannot imagine myself anywhere else. The people I have met have shaped me in ways I cannot express.

Beyond Peterson, I grew up with opportunities to sing, dance, play sports, play video games, and step outside of my comfort zone. I like to consider myself well-rounded, as I will try anything at least once. I love to hike and to travel. Each weekend, I look forward to spending time with my family, friends, and dogs. 

It is my hope that you have learned a bit about my values, my background, and my experiences. Thank you for taking the time to learn about this member of your community. 

Mi nombre es Nicolás Cima, pero me hago llamar Nick, Nicky y, a veces, Nico. Nací y crecí en Mount Prospect, un suburbio al noroeste de Chicago. Estoy agradecido de haber sido criado por mis dos amados padres junto a mis 3 hermanos. A lo largo de los años, mi familia ha adoptado muchos perros a los que consideraría miembros de la familia tanto como a mis hermanos. En cuanto a la escuela, asistí a escuelas públicas en los suburbios. Continué mi educación en la Universidad Estatal de Illinois, donde obtuve una Licenciatura en Educación Especial y una Especialización en Estudios Italianos.

Mi herencia italoamericana ha dado forma a mis experiencias vividas. En una conversación, mi herencia siempre parece surgir por mi propia voluntad, pero debo admitir que hablar sobre mi educación italoamericana es una de mis actividades favoritas en un día cualquiera. Por esta razón, me encanta aprender sobre culturas fuera de la mía. Al crecer, aprendí cómo mis abuelos emigraron a Chicago durante una Italia devastada por la guerra. Aprendí cómo cuidaban los campos de olivos en las zonas rurales de Italia y cómo envasaban suficiente salsa de tomate para todo un año. Mis padres crecieron en un barrio italiano en Harlem y Addison. Se mudaron a los suburbios más tarde para criar a mis hermanos ya mí. Mi abuela, que hablaba italiano, vivía con nosotros, y algunos de mis mejores recuerdos están enraizados en mi relación con ella. La familia es increíblemente importante para mí. Crecer en un hogar bilingüe ha contribuido en gran medida a mis prácticas docentes, ya que he aprendido que muchos de los estudiantes de Peterson también hablan dos idiomas.

Siempre he querido ser maestra. Al crecer, solía dar pruebas de ortografía a mi hermano pequeño y calificarlas con bolígrafos Flair. Hay algo en la forma en que funcionan esos bolígrafos que siempre me ha atraído a la profesión docente. En realidad, me encanta aprender. Reconozco que el aprendizaje no se detiene cuando te gradúas de la escuela. Es una experiencia del día a día que estoy muy agradecida de facilitar en mi carrera. Mis muchos maestros a lo largo de los años me han enseñado esto. Decidí enseñar a estudiantes diversos en base a mis años de experiencia como consejero de campamento. Solía ​​pasar dos semanas cada verano en un campamento para niños con diferentes capacidades y discapacidades. Mis campistas me enseñaron mucho sobre las personas. Creo que todo el mundo tiene necesidades. Mi trabajo como especialista en aprendizaje diverso es adaptarme a necesidades específicas. Creo en la inclusión, no solo en el salón de clases, sino también en mi interacción diaria. Todos tienen derecho a sentirse incluidos y a que se escuche su voz. Todos siempre tienen algo que aportar, y creo que es mi trabajo sacar lo mejor de las personas.

Mi experiencia en Peterson comenzó como estudiante de magisterio. La primera vez que crucé las puertas de Peterson, noté los techos altos adornados con banderas de diferentes culturas. A medida que comencé a construir relaciones con los estudiantes, a menudo los mencionamos en conversaciones mientras caminábamos por los pasillos. “¡Esa es mi bandera!” me diría un estudiante. Estoy muy agradecida de estar en una escuela donde nuestra población estudiantil representa tantas culturas y donde los estudiantes pueden ver reflejada su educación cultural. Además de esto, el apoyo de la comunidad fue una razón importante de mi interés en enseñar en Peterson. Cuando me enteré de la vacante de un puesto, apliqué de inmediato y comencé el proceso de entrevista. No puedo imaginarme en ningún otro lugar. Las personas que he conocido me han moldeado de maneras que no puedo expresar.

Más allá de Peterson, crecí con oportunidades para cantar, bailar, practicar deportes, jugar videojuegos y salir de mi zona de confort. Me gusta considerarme completo, ya que probaré cualquier cosa al menos una vez. Me encanta caminar y viajar. Cada fin de semana, espero pasar tiempo con mi familia, amigos y perros.

Espero que hayas aprendido un poco sobre mis valores, mis antecedentes y mis experiencias. Gracias por tomarse el tiempo para aprender acerca de este miembro de su comunidad.

I was born and raised in Wilmette and I have four siblings, an older brother and three younger sisters. Growing up in the North Shore was an amazing opportunity, I was very fortunate to have the educational experience that I had; resources were easily available and the classes I took followed the understanding that every person learns in their own unique ways. My schools were always inclusive and advocated for children with different abilities. I can remember that even in kindergarten I was drawn to helping friends who had differing abilities. I loved how my community fostered opportunities for inclusion through the schools and extracurricular activities such as dance, choir, and soccer. It taught me that a community included all members, regardless of a person's differences.

My mom always said that I was born to be a teacher. Growing up with three younger sisters I would often "teach" lessons to them and now I proudly take credit for their achievements. When I wasn’t teaching my siblings, I was dancing. I was a dancer all through school, I started with classic ballet, then in middle school I explored hip-hop, and I started choreographing modern dance in junior high. By the time I was in high school, I was a member of the Northfield Dance Ensemble where I would perform pieces that were choreographed by me and by other dancers in the ensemble. I love dancing, singing, and performing! I was also in choir all through my schoolings and played the lead "Mother Goose" in my first grade school play.

I had no idea what I wanted to do when I first went to college. I started out at University of Missouri but quickly discovered that cornfields and small towns can be very constricting. I then moved into the city and attended Columbia College Chicago thinking that I would take some classes and figure out my degree later. I ended up falling in love with learning about disabilities through a childhood brain development class and started my journey to be a special education teacher. I graduated from Columbia with a BA in Early Childhood Education with a Learning Behavior Specialist Endorsement. I then continued my education at UIC and earned my Masters of Education with endorsements in Behavior Intervention, Curriculum Adaptation, and Transition Specialist. I also received a second masters from UIC in Masters of Education in Instructional Leadership, and completed my Special Education Administrator endorsement last summer at National Louis. You could say that I am a lifelong learner; my parents always said that your education is like a band of gold around your wrist, something no one could ever take from you and even if you don't use it, you have it. 

I first started teaching at Powell Academy which was a CPS school in Chicago's Jackson Park neighborhood. I was a resource teacher there for 4 years and loved my children and the experience. I worked with primary aged children who had pretty intense behavioral needs due to childhood trauma as well as students with autism and other health impairments. While I loved my students and the teachers I worked with, the children I worked with did not have as many opportunities for inclusion as we would have hoped; it was quite a shock for me as I grew up in a community that prided themselves in inclusive practices- it was a reminder of how fortunate I was growing up where I did. After that experience, I discovered that my personal philosophy of education is that diverse learners need opportunities to learn among peers of the same age and in settings that support their individual needs; Least Restrictive Environments is not a "life sentence" it is  something that grows and changes as the child does.  

My grandfather is someone who I always looked up to; he always said that all great things start with an idea and everything else will fall into place- I think about those words frequently. My grandfather also attended Peterson when he was a kid and so when there was a job opening I felt connected to apply! I loved how the resource team at Peterson had a similar philosophy to mine and is dedicated to providing  students at a young age with the resources they need so that they can advocate for themselves in the future. One of the most challenging parts of being a teacher is ensuring that the diverse learners have access to materials and opportunities similar to their general education classmates; I am an advocate first and foremost and I want my students to feel like their needs are valued and equally as important as others- comparing my own educational experience to my teaching experiences definitely impacts this challenge because I grew up very fortunate. Regardless of the hard times, when you see a child master a concept that was so difficult to learn and all of a sudden it  *clicks* it honestly brings me to tears and makes the whole job worth it!

At Peterson I am excited to see how our resource team continues to grow and develop the tools needed to support teachers and students access the diverse needs of special education. Outside of Peterson, I am always looking forward to hearing live music!

I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up with my mom in the suburbs just south of the city. I always enjoyed school through my middle and elementary years because I liked the chance to be social while learning as much as I could. Throughout middle school, I developed some really positive relationships with my teachers who always encouraged me in different ways. My middle school experience was an important part of helping me to excel academically and is ultimately what led me to pursue a career in education; it was also where I found more opportunities to pursue athletics and developed a passion for competitive swimming. High school brought its own challenges as the work began to get harder, but I continued to focus on my love for swimming, which in turn helped me advance through my academics.

After high school, I moved to Erie in Northwestern Pennsylvania to pursue my undergraduate degree at Gannon University while competing on a four-year swimming scholarship. I knew from the moment I started college that I would enter the field of education. I graduated with my bachelor’s in secondary education and secured my teaching license shortly after. I also earned a master’s degree in educational technology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and completed post-master’s programs for both my administration and technology specialist certifications.

As my career began, I taught high school English and journalism in Pennsylvania for five years. Throughout that time, I developed a passion for educational technology and working with teachers to refine their skills to help meet students’ current needs. During my time in the classroom, I’ve found that the best part of being a teacher is developing relationships with students as you help prepare them for high school and beyond. My main area of focus is creating safe and welcoming learning environments for all students, especially those who identify with the LGBTQ+ community, as I believe it is imperative for students to feel supported and represented each day. In contrast, the hardest part of teaching is the continued scrutiny of schools from both the general public and our elected officials who remain detached from the reality of our country’s current education system.

After my time in Pennsylvania, I relocated and came to Chicago Public Schools in 2018, where I have since taught middle school ELA and science while continuing to work on additional projects like presenting and writing for publication. I then found Peterson through my CPS network and knew that the STEAM Instructional Coach position would be a great fit for me.

I’m excited to learn from the entire school community and connect with the students and families of Peterson. The school’s reputation is that of continuing success, and I’m drawn to the focus of both SEL and STEAM. I think that everyone’s role is essential for creating transformational learning experiences for our students, and I look forward to continuing that purpose here at Peterson.

Nací en Pittsburgh, Pensilvania y crecí con mi madre en los suburbios al sur de la ciudad. Siempre disfruté la escuela durante mis años de secundaria y primaria porque me gustaba la oportunidad de socializar mientras aprendía todo lo que podía. A lo largo de la escuela secundaria, desarrollé algunas relaciones realmente positivas con mis maestros, quienes siempre me alentaron de diferentes maneras. Mi experiencia en la escuela intermedia fue una parte importante para ayudarme a sobresalir académicamente y, en última instancia, es lo que me llevó a seguir una carrera en educación; también fue donde encontré más oportunidades para dedicarme al atletismo y desarrollé una pasión por la natación competitiva. La escuela secundaria trajo sus propios desafíos a medida que el trabajo comenzó a ser más difícil, pero continué enfocándome en mi amor por la natación, lo que a su vez me ayudó a avanzar en mis estudios.

Después de la secundaria, me mudé a Erie en el noroeste de Pensilvania para obtener mi título universitario en la Universidad de Gannon mientras competía con una beca de natación de cuatro años. Supe desde el momento en que comencé la universidad que entraría en el campo de la educación. Me gradué con mi licenciatura en educación secundaria y obtuve mi licencia de enseñanza poco después. También obtuve una maestría en tecnología educativa de la Universidad Clarion de Pensilvania y completé programas de posgrado para mis certificaciones de administración y especialista en tecnología.

Cuando comenzó mi carrera, enseñé inglés y periodismo en la escuela secundaria en Pensilvania durante cinco años. A lo largo de ese tiempo, desarrollé una pasión por la tecnología educativa y por trabajar con maestros para perfeccionar sus habilidades y ayudar a satisfacer las necesidades actuales de los estudiantes. Durante mi tiempo en el salón de clases, descubrí que la mejor parte de ser maestro es desarrollar relaciones con los estudiantes mientras los ayuda a prepararse para la escuela secundaria y más allá. Mi área principal de enfoque es crear entornos de aprendizaje seguros y acogedores para todos los estudiantes, especialmente para aquellos que se identifican con la comunidad LGBTQ+, ya que creo que es imperativo que los estudiantes se sientan apoyados y representados todos los días. Por el contrario, la parte más difícil de la enseñanza es el escrutinio continuo de las escuelas tanto por parte del público en general como de nuestros funcionarios electos, quienes permanecen desconectados de la realidad del sistema educativo actual de nuestro país.

Después de mi tiempo en Pensilvania, me mudé y vine a las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago en 2018, donde desde entonces he enseñado ELA y ciencias en la escuela intermedia mientras continúo trabajando en proyectos adicionales como presentar y escribir para publicación. Luego encontré a Peterson a través de mi red de CPS y supe que el puesto de Entrenador de instrucción de STEAM sería ideal para mí.

Estoy emocionado de aprender de toda la comunidad escolar y conectarme con los estudiantes y las familias de Peterson. La reputación de la escuela es la de un éxito continuo, y me atrae el enfoque tanto de SEL como de STEAM. Creo que el papel de todos es esencial para crear experiencias de aprendizaje transformadoras para nuestros estudiantes, y espero continuar con ese propósito aquí en Peterson.

“I was born in Michoacan, Mexico, and came to Chicago, IL, with my mother at the age of 5. It was challenging to live in a new country where I did not know the language and culture. As the years went by, I loved going to school even though I struggled academically because of the language barrier and lack of support and resources. It was not until I attended Schurz High School that I finally felt equal to my peers. I took many AP classes, free college courses at Wright College, completed over 400 hours of community service with buildOn, and was the Vice President of the National Honors Society. I always pushed myself because I knew I wanted to go to college to become a Psychologist, but because I am Undocumented, I did not know if it would be possible for me. In my senior year of high school, my stepfather was deported to Mexico, leaving my mother, my two younger sisters, and me alone. While my peers talked about going far away to their dream university, I gave up on the thought of going to college. I was in the process of obtaining my DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) for the first time to begin working to help support my mother and two younger sisters.

If it was not for Arrupe College of Loyola University, I do not think I would be where I am today. I went to Arrupe College to obtain my Associate's degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences. I received a full-ride scholarship to obtain my Bachelor's degree at Loyola University Chicago; I majored in Psychology with a minor in Woman and Gender Studies. In 2019, I was accepted to the CPS Teacher Residency Program and obtained my Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from National Louis University.

The CPS Teacher Residency Program placed me at Mary Gage Peterson Elementary to complete my residency year. I learned so much about what it means to be an educator at CPS from Ms. Flores. She is a great mentor, a fantastic educator, and someone I can go to for support. I am back at Peterson Elementary as a first-year 2nd-grade educator, and I am learning so much from the 2nd-grade team. They have been so patient and understanding towards me. It has not been easy being a first-year teacher, but I am thankful and happy to have this experience at Peterson. I never thought I would become an educator, but I truly enjoy it and I hope to continue to make a positive impact on the lives of many children.”

“Nací en Michoacán, México, y vine a Chicago, IL, con mi madre a la edad de 5 años. Fue un desafío vivir en un nuevo país donde no conocía el idioma y la cultura. A medida que pasaban los años, me encantaba ir a la escuela a pesar de que tenía dificultades académicas debido a la barrera del idioma y la falta de apoyo y recursos. No fue hasta que asistí a la Escuela secundaria Schurz que finalmente me sentí igual a mis compañeros. Tomé muchas clases avanzadas, cursos universitarios gratuitos en Wright College, completé más de 400 horas de servicio comunitario con buildOn y fui Vicepresidente de la Sociedad Nacional de Honores. Siempre me esforcé porque sabía que quería ir a la universidad para convertirme en psicóloga, pero como soy indocumentada, no sabía si sería posible para mí. En mi último año de secundaria, mi padrastro fue deportado a México, dejándome a mi madre, a mis dos hermanas menores y a mí solos. Mientras mis compañeros hablaban de irse lejos a la universidad de sus sueños, dejé de pensar en ir a la universidad. Estaba en el proceso de obtener mi DACA (Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia) por primera vez para comenzar a trabajar para ayudar a mantener a mi madre y dos hermanas menores.

“I was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina with my two brothers. Growing up I had a beautiful childhood, although we didn't have much, we had happiness. The war started in 1993 and everything changed.

My husband lost his leg when he stepped on a bomb. To get treatment and to avoid the war, we stayed in Abu Dhabi for two years while he recovered. We then had to go back to Bosnia to get paperwork in order so we could move to the United States.

We finally moved to Chicago in 1996, but it was a
hard transition because we didn't speak English and
we had two young children. It was tough but
somehow we made it. I don't have much family
here, but when I came to Peterson ten years ago it
became my home. Everyone welcomed me with
open arms when I started and treated me like
family. They respect and appreciate the hard work that I
put into this school and that is what makes me strive to do
even better. I look at Peterson staff and students as my
family, so honestly there is nothing hard about it because I work hard from my heart; it isn't just a job for me.

After having lost a lot of family and friends in the war, I really look forward to my two weeks of vacation to go back to my hometown to see my mom and brothers.”

“Nací y crecí en Bosnia y Herzegovina con mis dos hermanos. Al crecer tuve una infancia hermosa, aunque no tuvimos mucho, tuvimos felicidad. La guerra empezó en 1993 y todo cambió.

“I was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina with my two brothers. Growing up I had a beautiful childhood, although we didn't have much, we had happiness. The war started in 1993 and everything changed.

My husband lost his leg when he stepped on a bomb. To get treatment and to avoid the war, we stayed in Abu Dhabi for two years while he recovered. We then had to go back to Bosnia to get paperwork in order so we could move to the United States.

We finally moved to Chicago in 1996, but it was a hard transition because we didn't speak English and we had two young children. It was tough but somehow we made it. I don't have much family here, but when I came to Peterson ten years ago it became my home. Everyone welcomed me with open arms when I started and treated me like family. They respect and appreciate the hard work that I put into this school and that is what makes me strive to do even better. I look at Peterson staff and students as my family, so honestly there is nothing hard about it because I work hard from my heart; it isn't just a job for me.

After having lost a lot of family and friends in the war, I really look forward to my two weeks of vacation to go back to my hometown to see my mom and brothers.”

¡Hola familias de Peterson!
Esta semana, nos gustaría que conociera a Ramiza Zulovic, una de los conserjes de Peterson.

“Nací y crecí en Bosnia y Herzegovina con mis dos hermanos. Al crecer tuve una infancia hermosa, aunque no tuvimos mucho, tuvimos felicidad. La guerra empezó en 1993 y todo cambió.

“I was born in Rogers Park and moved to the suburb of Mt. Prospect when I was 3 years old. I I moved back to the city in 2019, but I do consider myself a suburbanite at heart. It’s
definitely been an adjustment living in the city. I have one sister that is 4 years younger than
me, who also happens to be my roommate. Growing up in the suburbs, I attended St.

Raymond school in Mt. Prospect and St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights. I tried out almost every sport as a kid but the only ones that stuck were soccer and ballet. I played soccer for about 10 years and did ballet for 12 years.

When looking into colleges, I knew I wanted to attend a school that would be close enough
to commute to. With my parent’s full support, I was the first in my family to pursue a college
degree. I graduated with a Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies and minor in Child
Advocacy Studies from Northeastern Illinois University. I was very indecisive with my major and
decided to go with Interdisciplinary Studies. I knew I wanted to work with children but was
intimidated by being in a classroom. However, my minor required that I complete hours in a
child serving institution. I had no idea where to even begin looking for a placement so I reached out to a professor and she recommended Peterson Elementary. I was placed in Mrs. Rivas's first grade class, and I really enjoyed it! So when I was told about an opening at Peterson, I knew this was my chance to see how I felt about being in a classroom setting long term. I am now in my second school year at Peterson. I plan on going to grad school soon, I hope to start in 2022!”

“Nací en Rogers Park y me mudé al suburbio de Mt. Prospect cuando tenía 3 años. Regresé a la ciudad en 2019, pero me considero una suburbana de corazón. Definitivamente ha sido un ajuste vivir en la ciudad. Tengo una hermana que es 4 años menor que yo, que también es mi compañera de cuarto. Al crecer en los suburbios, asistí a la escuela St. Raymond en Mt. Prospect y St. Viator High

School en Arlington Heights. Probé casi todos los deportes cuando era niña, pero los únicos que se mantuvieron fueron el fútbol y el ballet. Jugué al fútbol durante unos 10 años e hice ballet durante 12 años.

Al buscar universidades, supe que quería asistir a una escuela que estuviera lo suficientemente cerca para viajar diariamente. Con el apoyo total de mis padres, fui la primera en mi familia en obtener un título universitario. Me gradué con una licenciatura en estudios interdisciplinarios y una especialización en estudios de defensa infantil de la Universidad Northeastern de Illinois. Estaba muy indecisa con mi especialidad y decidí ir con Estudios Interdisciplinarios. Sabía que quería trabajar con niños, pero me intimidaba estar en una aula. Mi especialización menor requeria que complete horas en una institución que atiende a niños. No tenía ni idea de dónde empezar a buscar una ubicación, así que me comuniqué con una profesora y me recomendó la escuela Peterson. ¡Me colocaron en la clase de primer grado de la Sra. Rivas y realmente lo disfruté! Entonces, cuando me dijeron sobre una vacante en Peterson, supe que esta era mi oportunidad de ver cómo me sentía al estar en un salón de clases. Ahora estoy en mi segundo año escolar en Peterson. Planeo ir a la escuela de posgrado pronto, ¡espero comenzar en 2022!”

I was born in India and lived there until I was 12 years old. My family moved to the US so that my siblings and I could have a better future. I attended Peterson Elementary when we moved here and because of the language barrier, I struggled a lot in the beginning. Luckily, I had an awesome ESL teacher and because of my experience at Peterson, I adjusted well in high school. After high school, I attended Northeastern for a year before moving to the UK. After meeting my husband, we moved back here because I always considered Chicago to be my home. 

I love that Peterson is so diverse and I want my son to understand people of different backgrounds while learning tolerance and understanding. I love to volunteer at Peterson because it gives me an opportunity to give back to the community and to also empower the parents to participate in their kid’s education and their well-being. Being involved and attending parent meetings helps you meet more families, keeps you informed about what’s going on, and helps you develop relationships with teachers and administrators.

I was born in El Salvador in a Town called Usulutan. My family immigrated to the United States in 1980 when I was 2 years old, fleeing Civil war. My parents later filed and received U.S. Residency, and I became a U.S. Citizen during my freshman year at Roosevelt High School.

I originally wanted to be a Diverse Learner Teacher. I wanted to help children realize that there was nothing in this world they could not accomplish. After working at a school I realized that I wanted to be a psychologist. I wanted to help these same children overcome the emotional and physical trauma that they are sometimes forced to encounter due to their different abilities.

I hoped to continue reaching my dream of becoming a psychologist by pursuing my master's degree. I currently have a B. A. in Psychology and I'm a State Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counselor, but due to my daughter's health, I decided to work at my family's dental lab. I could work from the office and from home, allowing me to take my daughter Margo with me to work, and to her many doctor appointments.

During my free time I love reading and cooking. I just started baking and decorating cakes with Margo. In the future I look forward to accomplishing my goals and being able to help as many children and families as I can.

I was in an ESL class when I first started school because Spanish was my first language. I had a hard time adjusting and understanding what my teachers wanted me to do. My teacher, Mrs. Class, worked with me every day to help me break my language barriers. As a parent, I joined the Bilingual Advisory Council (BAC) because I wanted to give back to a program that helped me achieve many of the accomplishments I have today. I am a prime example of what a child can accomplish when they are provided with the support they need to succeed.

Having parents involved in BAC allows parents to know what programs are available for children at our school. It offers workshops and activities that can help parents advocate for their students to ensure that students receive all the help they need so they can also break the language barrier. As parents, it's our job to make sure that our children receive the best education, and it's our job to advocate for our kids since they may not know how to advocate for themselves. Please don't hesitate to join! We meet once a month and have interpreters. If you are unsure of what you can add to the group, you have your life experience to offer, and you have that desire to make a difference in our children's lives.

My family and I lived in Rogers Park until I was about four years old, which is when we moved to Skokie. As long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a teacher and I loved to play school as a child with my sisters. When I was ten my younger sister was born and she had some speech delays and anxiety issues. When I was in eight grade, she started early intervention at the Molloy Education Center so they could support her needs and I learned that you could volunteer there over the summers.

I started volunteering that summer and I was amazed at all of the individuals helping the very high needs population at the school. It was so motivating to see the progress of the students as the summer progressed. I saw a child who couldn't walk up a step begin to climb stairs, and non-verbal students saying words by the end of summer. These were accomplishments that most people take for granted in their daily life. I found it fascinating and amazing to see the impact each individual staff member was having on every child and young adult.

I continued to volunteer during my summers throughout high school. My high school also had an early childhood career program. I began taking child development classes, and during my junior and senior year I got to work in the preschool. I observed and planned lessons for half my day, and we would also play with the kids and take them on field trips. It was a great experience!

I went to the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and got my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, with a minor in Sociology, and my Learning Behavior Specialist endorsement. I went on to continue here to get my Masters in Special Education. UIC has a great College of Education where they emphasize urban education and advocate to put their students in schools with high needs. I student taught a first grade class, where it was normal for the six year old children to experience daily lockdowns due to violence in the neighborhood. It was hard to see the social and mental impact it had on the children, but I also saw how resilient and determined these young kids were. The teachers at the school were amazing individuals and my mentor teacher had me be her co-teacher from the start.

After college, I taught middle school resource at Shields Elementary for three years. It was a great neighborhood school where all of the teachers had to work together to help students succeed. I then worked at Hawthorne, a magnet school, for the past nine years with a great team and co-teachers, but I really missed the neighborhood school environment and felt it was time to move on.

My husband worked at Peterson already and we recently bought a house in the neighborhood. Once I moved into the neighborhood and saw the close community and all the kids and parents that would say hi as we were on neighborhood walks, it brought back the feeling of working at a neighborhood school. Also, now that we have a son, Peterson will be his future school and it’ll be great to be able to take him to his first day of school and attend all of his events.

Working at Peterson has been great, even with the current virtual environment, it still feels like such a close knit community. I’ve really enjoyed working with my team and collaborating with them. I love getting to know the kids and I can’t wait to someday meet them all in person! It will also be great to attend International Night or Unity Through the Arts and Science, I’ve heard such great things!

“I grew up on the South side of Chicago, the youngest of eight children. I went to St. Walter
Elementary School, then to Mother McAuley High School. I attended the Illinois Institute of Technology for college where I received a BA in Industrial Management.

Right out of college, I managed buildings at the University of Chicago for several years. I then worked in building management for CPS for a couple years. Eventually, I did construction management for CPS on their Capital Improvement Projects Program. I am pretty sure I previously worked in some capacity at Peterson. It was all a lot of fun since every day was different, I enjoyed the projects and I didn’t work in an office.

I then started a family with my husband and quit the construction job. After a couple years, my husband started his own company, and I worked there for the last fifteen years doing administrative work from home. We have four kids and live in the Old Irving Park neighborhood.

Working from home provided me with time to volunteer at my children’s school. I worked a couple days a week with all grades supporting with math and reading centers. I think every teacher wishes they had someone they could have for an extra 30 minutes during the day, and it was fulfilling for me. Although volunteering was fulfilling, I was ready to start working again.

This position at Peterson has been a great fit! I really like working with the little ones, and I feel my background and experience has been helpful. The teachers helped me jump right in with support and guidance, so it only took a couple of days to be fully comfortable in the classroom. I also am working with 5th grade which I love! It is such a different dynamic than the little ones, I really look forward to seeing them in the afternoon. Working in a school allows me to have the same schedule as my children. The job, the people and the atmosphere at the school have all been very positive.

“I was born in Italy, about thirty minutes northeast of Venice. But, I grew up in both Italy and Germany since my parents owned restaurants and gelaterias in Germany. I would stay in Germany with my parents during the summer and in Italy with my grandparents during the winter. This meant I traveled a lot as a child, but I really missed my parents when I was not with them.

In Italy, I went to high school to learn foreign languages. Then I decided not to take on the family business. I continued to learn languages, specifically for business, and to study European trade laws. I was hired by a German cosmetics company that had a branch in Italy which allowed my travel a lot. I then met my future husband who worked at the U.S. Air Force base near my hometown. After a few years, I moved the United States with my husband. We now have 2 handsome boys, a 13 and an 8 year-old.

It was hard to move to Chicago, especially since I didn’t get to see my parents and friends anymore. Getting a job was also difficult, but I eventually got a position in sales and later went on to run an amateur radio company here in Chicago before it moved out of state. At that point, I started volunteering at my children’s school. I was on the BAC and PAC, and now I’m the PTA president.

I found out I love working directly with children after supporting classroom teachers. I enjoy seeing children finally be able to read and understand a book, especially when English is not their first language. Because of this experience, I decided I wanted to be a paraprofessional and came to Peterson. Peterson has a very positive and welcoming vibe, which is very uplifting.

When I have free time, I’m involved in my church and my community. When time allows, I’m also a personal shopper and a professional organizer! This summer, I’m really looking forward to visiting my parents back in Italy. I haven’t seen them for two years, and I really miss them.

“I grew up in Antioch, Illinois with a passion for acting. Growing up, I would make stuff up and would act it out. This eventually led me to write and to perform my own shows and to do school and community theater.

One of the best teachers I ever had was my theater teacher. He pushed me to my limits while helping me to reflect. He was a very inspirational person, and he would do anything to help me succeed.

I went to Western Illinois University and got my bachelors degree in theater. In 2001, I moved to Chicago with a group of my friends who also wanted to do theater. We created our own theater company, but I didn’t stay in it long because I really wanted to focus more on comedy. I wanted to become rich and famous doing comedy, but after doing that for about fourteen years, I decided I wanted a more stable job.

I then transitioned from comedy to teaching. I’m a big science advocate, and I enjoy explaining scientific topics to people and answering their questions. It worked out that I got to teach high school astronomy and geology. My first teaching experience was the most nerve wracking experience I’ve had in my entire life, and I have become a lot more humble from it.

I love teaching! Every day and class is different. I applied to teach STEM at Peterson this past summer. When I walked into the building for the first time, I fell in love with the place. Teaching elementary is a lot different from high school. I remember doing a presentation on planets that I thought was really exciting only to turn around and see that I lost everyone. I found the material very interesting, but I was talking way beyond their knowledge base. The fun and the challenge of teaching is breaking the subject down to where students will understand it.

I’m looking forward to helping out with the musical! My four year old daughter is already excited to come and see Beauty and the Beast!

I still do comedy today. I really like the challenge of getting in front people you don’t know, to get them all to shout out loud laughing. Also, when I get people to laugh, I help them forget about the stresses of life. It’s very rewarding to be able to that.”

“I grew up in Caledonia, MI, a suburb of Grand Rapids. My mom adopted my sister, Alexa, and I from China. She also had friends who adopted children around the same time I was adopted. It turns out we all came from the same orphanage! We all ended up growing up together and joke that we know each other longer than our own families!

I knew I wanted to be a teacher at an early age. We had a playroom in our basement, and I always wanted to play teacher. I loved all my teachers. My mom also had a big influence on me. She was a speech pathologist, and she worked in schools my whole life. It was always my favorite day when I got to go to school with her. Sometimes I’d have snow days in my school district, but her district wouldn’t. She would bring me along, and I’d sit on the floor and play while she saw students.

I really thought I wanted to be a general education teacher, but my mom suggested I do early childhood since I really like little kids. After doing my student teaching and experiencing a diverse learner early childhood class, I knew being an early childhood diverse learner teacher was exactly what I wanted to do.

I graduated last December and worked at an early childhood classroom with diverse learners. I then came to Peterson where I am working in a blended classroom, a classroom that combines general education students and diverse learners. It has been a fun change to be in this style of classroom!

It has also being great to move to Chicago. I moved to this city because I wanted to move to a bigger and more diverse area than where I grew up. Chicago is only three and a half hours from where I grew up, so I can still drive home. It’s been a great transition because I also got to move in with my best friend from home!

Working at Peterson has been completely different. I have a lot of support from Ms. Marion and Ms. Patel who have so much knowledge and experience. Everyone has been so nice at Peterson, and I look forward to getting to know more of my colleagues.”

“During most of my childhood, I grew up in several different parts of Michigan, from Flint and Ann Arbor. I then lived in a suburb of Detroit for middle school and high school.

When I was really little, I was definitely going to be a marine biologist. My mom bought me a marine biology anatomy coloring book which was intended for adults, and I loved it!

After high school, I went to the University of Michigan. I took a lot of history and classics classes and fell in love with medieval history. After graduating, I decided to enroll in a PhD program at the University of Notre Dame where I focused on the medieval history of Italy. While there, I also served as a teaching assistant, and I eventually got a position to teach my own class for a full term. I taught Dante’s Inferno, and it was one of the most fun experiences I’ve had!

Near the end of my graduate education, I realized that I really enjoyed the teaching I was doing more than the research. So, I left the graduate program to pursue teaching.

I joined Teach for America and thought I’d teach in high school, but I was placed in a Chicago middle school. Even though I knew it was going to be challenging, the first year was tougher than I expected! For the first time in my life, I had to think about how I made sense of a text and see how I could help a child to do the same. Luckily, I also thought teaching would be fun, and it turned out to be more fun than I expected!

After my first year of teaching, I did a master's program which helped me catch up to other teachers. Then, I got a reading specialist certificate. I finally felt like I was a getting a clearer picture of what it meant to be a teacher. I realized that middle school teachers don’t receive much training on how students learn to read in the primary grades. I had originally assumed that because a student can pronounce all of the words, they can understand the text. That’s not necessarily the case. Once I realized this, I knew I needed to help students learn and use strategies to make sense of the words that they were saying--this process of making meaning IS reading.

One of the things that really impressed me about Peterson was the school’s commitment to the social and emotional development of students. I also love that we have children from all over the place, and I love getting to work with them in the Literacy Lab!”

Fourteen years ago, I came to the United States from Pakistan after I got married to my husband who is a U.S. citizen. I don’t really miss it because I actually grew up in Dubai, which is where I was born. Growing up in Dubai was fun, it’s where my childhood memories and friends were. This made it hard to move to Pakistan.

I was really into sports in elementary school. I especially liked Throw Ball, which is very similar to volleyball. In high school, I was more into my studies. Initially, I wanted to be a doctor. Later in high school and then college, I decided to follow in my mother’s footsteps and become a teacher. She taught Arabic in an elementary school.

I got my masters in English literature, and I became a high school literacy teacher in Pakistan. I did that for four years while waiting for my U.S. immigration application to get processed. Teaching is very different in Pakistan compared to the U.S. In Pakistan, they just want the kids to study and learn the prescribed content. In the U.S. children are taught to think outside the box and use more critical thinking skills.

I’ve taken many steps to get to know the U.S. education system. I started by first volunteering at my son’s school when he was in pre-school. I was a very active volunteer, and got to see how teachers manage classrooms. I then started subbing at the schools in the area, and I really loved subbing at Peterson. I love how the administration gives so much respect and importance to subs. Everything is very organized at Peterson, there are always sub-plans which some schools don’t make available.

I subbed for about four years which gave me a lot of experience and opportunity to work with diverse students. I got a position at Peterson this year, and it’s been great! Working at Peterson, I have even more support than I did as a sub; this means a lot to me. The Peterson Support Team is very supportive as well as appreciative of all the hard work of teachers and staff.

My goal as a Peterson educator is to support my students to reach their goals. We’re getting their bit by bit, and the new sensory room has been helping a lot. It’s very rare to find it in schools, and it’s a huge achievement. I always wanted to be a part of the Peterson family, and I’m hoping to transfer my kids to Peterson next year.

“I was born and raised in Chicago, in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. My mom and dad are both from Macedonia, and we only spoke Macedonian at home. I didn’t speak English when I started school at Budlong Elementary, and probably didn’t become fluent until 1st grade. I then went to Lane Tech High School, but after a few weeks of being there, I realized it wasn’t a place I wanted to be. It didn’t have the diversity that Budlong had, and it was just really big. I transferred to Amundsen, and it was the right choice for me.

I went to college at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In my first semester, I took a chemistry class and psychology class. I loved my psychology class, but failed my chemistry class. I subsequently then changed my major to psychology. My senior year, I did an internship at Tuesday’s Child and it confirmed that I wanted to work with kids. After graduating, I saved up for a year to go to graduate school at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

After finishing graduate school, I started working at Swedish Covenant Hospital as a crisis worker in the emergency department. While working there, I fell in love with doing short term therapy. After about two years at the hospital, I wanted to work with children. I went back to school at Northeastern Illinois University and got my school counseling endorsement. It was a two year program including an internship I completed at Peterson which then led to being hired here.

My favorite part about being at Peterson is that everyone in this building is like a huge family. Everyone looks out not just for themselves, but other staffmembers and especially for the children. Walking in the hallway always provides moments of someone smiling or saying hi to you. It’s an awesome feeling to be part of this amazing family.”

“I grew up in Skokie, IL, with my older sister. My dad was a news editor and cameraman for NBC for forty years, and my mom taught fourth grade in Skokie for over twenty years. My dad's job afforded me a lot of cool opportunities like meeting Michael Jordan and Nelson Mandela!

I loved my education growing up. I was very fortunate because of the diverse culture I grew up with, but it wasn’t until college that I realized that. I remember going into my friend’s homes and experiencing different traditions and foods. Now, I often equate my experience in the Skokie school district to Peterson.

I always knew I wanted to work with kids. I took a psychology class in high school, and it peaked my interest. I had always been fascinated by human behavior, and I wanted to help others. I majored in psychology at North Park University and went to Minnesota to work as a career counselor with welfare recipients and youth with disabilities. My husband and I then came back to Chicago to both attend graduate school.

I ran a teen parenting program and then a child care center for the children of those teen parents as well as my own kids. My jobs have always centered around my children, and I’ve always tried to find jobs that work with what my kids’ needs are. I currently manage the operations for a nanny agency which lets me work remotely. It gives me the opportunity as a parent to be in the school, which I know is not possible for a lot of parents, and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Having attended North Park University, I knew the great reputation of Peterson from being in the area, and my husband’s mom had also attended Peterson. We then decided to move into the area, so we could send our kids here. I started as a volunteer at Peterson in 2012 when my oldest daughter was in kindergarten. Then, I would volunteer in her class once a week. Volunteering has allowed me to get to know the staff as well as the kids. It has also deepened my understanding of the school culture. I think people might be afraid to ask if they can help, but a lot of what I do for the teachers I do at home, whether it’s small or big. I grew up in a family of educators, and my husband is an educator; I have a deep respect for teachers and the importance of what they do.

Currently, I’m on the board of Friends of Peterson, I am the secretary of the PTA, and I am also the room parent for two of my kids’ classrooms. I really feel that in any community you get out what you put in, and I truly think Peterson cares about all children at this school [as both a community and as individuals]. I get to see it in all the conversations I have with the students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Peterson also cares about students’ social and emotional needs, which is really important to me.

Summer is coming up, and we’re really lucky that my husband is a CPS teacher. So, we get to spend our summers together as a family in the Northwoods of Wisconsin at our cabin!”

“I grew up in Chicago Ridge with my little brother. My grandpa had a piano store where my dad also worked. I loved helping my dad with the various projects he had, especially restoration projects. My dad often tuned pianos. He would even tune pianos for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra! I have memories of hanging out in the auditorium while my dad worked. My family’s business has been around for over 50 years. My family taught me the value of working hard. Despite my family's love for the piano, I was more interested in visual arts.

Growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian, but then I really got into art. I went to school at DePaul University, and I studied archaeology and art. After graduating, I spent a summer on an archaeological dig in Sicily and saw someone restoring a mosaic tile floor. The work they were doing inspired me to work in the field of art restoration and conservation. After pursuing my masters in Historic Preservation at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I worked on restoring paintings, a globe from WWII, and some books from the Holocaust that are now in the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Despite the importance of the work and loving what I did, it paid minimum wage, and it wasn’t financially viable.

I knew I didn’t want to work in a cubicle, and I really wanted to do something that helped people. I then decided to be a Diverse Learner Teacher because I appreciate that everyone is different, and I've always loved learning and being in school.

I went to Northeastern University for my teaching degree. Weeks after graduating, I met a group of people from Peterson that had come into the restaurant I worked at. I started talking to them, and everyone was so nice that I had a gut feeling I was going to work with these people at some point. My gut was right. I interviewed at Peterson, got the job, and I really did get to work with those kind and collaborative people!

It’s really wonderful how diverse Peterson is and how we celebrate that. I was just in Milwaukee, and I was so proud to see a H ate H as no H ome H ere sign! It’s the epitome of who we are as a community, and it’s refreshing to know you’re amongst good people. I love co-teaching with Ms. Platt and working with the Peterson team! Going back to my love for animals, I’m really excited that all summer I’ll get to hang out with foster dogs since I just became a dog foster mom!”

“I was born in Virginia, but I grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. My grandfather was a diplomat at the Pakistani embassy, and my father, who was a teenager at the time, came from Pakistan with them. My mom came from Pakistan after they got married.

Because I grew up in the Washington, DC area, I was really lucky to go to school with a really diverse population since many of the other students were children of diplomats. I was surrounded by a variety of languages, and I wanted my children to also have that cultural experience.

I went to Boston University where I got my marketing degree. From that, I worked for my dad for a short period, but I then got into early childhood education. I was a director of a non-profit childcare center for preschoolers and school-age children.

In an interesting story, my aunt's hobby is match making, and that is how I met my husband. There’s even an interview on NPR's Weekend Edition about our story! My husband is from Chicago, which is why I moved here twelve years ago. Once in Chicago, I started teaching preschool. I took a hiatus when I had my children, but I’m back now at Unity Preschool in Evanston, and I really enjoy it. I think it’s really important work since we’re planting seeds for curious and authentic human beings. It's a privilege to witness and be a part of all the growth that happens during this time.

We came to Peterson site unseen. We had heard really great things about Peterson, especially regarding the social and emotional aspects as well as the curriculum. We knew we made the right decision when Ms. Patel helped my crying son transition into his first days of school; I can’t say I love her enough.

My kids have been here since kindergarten and we’re hardcore “Golub-ites!"

My first time really volunteering was in Mr. Golub’s class. Mr. Golub was awesome, and I asked if it would be okay if I came in and helped in class. He said, “Sure!”, which then led to me volunteering every Friday in the classroom. That’s really how I started my involvement in Peterson. I then attended some PTA meetings and met people that gave me the opportunity to be involved. From there it becomes easier to find opportunities.

What I really love about Peterson is how comfortable the kids are here. It really is their second home, and even though they may complain about being at school, they really do love it. Peterson lets the children be themselves; they know they’re okay here!

“I grew in the Irving Park neighborhood with my brother and sister where we went to Grover Cleveland Elementary School. Throughout middle school and high school, I really wanted to be a writer. Then, in my junior year of high school at Lane Tech, I started doing tutoring after school at the Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club for my service hours.

Tutoring took me in the direction to become a teacher, and I tutored for the rest of high school. Then, I became a reading tutor in college at Western Illinois University. This is when I decided to study elementary education.

I was placed at Peterson for student teaching with Sandy Saucedo, who was the same mentor teacher my sister student taught with! After graduating, I came back to Peterson to cover a maternity leave teaching fourth grade math. The following year, I started as a sub at Peterson, and I then worked at other schools in the area. In January 2016, a fourth grade reading teaching position opened up, and I got it. I have been loving it ever since then!

Teaching at Peterson has been a great experience. I get to teach my favorite grade and favorite subject, and I get to share my passion for reading with the kids. The first book we do together, The T ales of a Fourth Grade N othing, is so fun, and it’s how we get our kids excited for the year since they can easily relate to it. It’s great to see kids who hadn’t had much interest in reading go and pick up another book in the series once we are finished.

I’ve come to realize that being a teacher never ends. If we’re not teaching, we’re planning or we’re learning how to be better teachers. Luckily, I have a great team in fourth grade to work with. Mr. Jedrzejczak and I started teaching at the same time, and it’s been a great co-teaching experience!”

“I grew up in the city in Jefferson Park. I went to St. Cornelius Elementary and then Regina Catholic High School.

My mom is from Scotland, and my dad is from Ireland. My dad’s family immigrated to Canada when he was twelve before moving to the U.S. My mom reluctantly moved here when she was seventeen when her mom sent her to live with her sister's family.

I remember really liking my teachers when I was growing up. At a garage sale, my mom picked up a teachers edition spelling book, and I would use it to teach my cousins when we played. By the time I went to college, Western Illinois, my thinking was more influenced by financial prospects, and there wasn’t much money in teaching. I decided to major in business marketing, but near the end of college, I started realizing that most marketing jobs were in sales. Right after graduating, I enrolled at Northeastern University to get my master’s degree to teach students with learning disabilities. I completed observations at a high school, and I definitely thought high school would be for me. I then got placed to student-teach in a third and fourth grade class, and it completely changed my mind.

My first job out of school was at Prussing Elementary in a resource class. My first year teaching was overwhelming, and I didn’t have many resources. I would go to the local library every day and pick out books to use in my class. I slowly learned that I could actually ask for supplies. My second school was Dever Elementary. My principal, Dr. Millar, was the one who truly empowered me as a teacher and gave me the confidence to work with challenging students.

I have been at Peterson since 2008, and the focus on inclusion is what has differentiated it from other schools. Inclusion provides a great environment for students, but it also allows for co-teaching in the classroom which greatly helps both teachers grow their craft.

Having grown up in a neighborhood where many people had a similar background as me, Irish Catholic, I assumed most of the world was Catholic. Then, a college professor awakened me to the realities of the world. Being at Peterson has helped me learn more about Islam and has provided me with great relationships with students and parents that have taught me so much about other cultures and faiths, and I am very grateful for it!

“I grew up with my older sister in Munster, Indiana. Teaching was always in the back of my mind, especially since my mom was a teacher. I was also really interested politics. In high school, I was on the debate and constitutional teams. I became an Eagle Scout and did a lot of volunteer projects such as helping at nursing homes. All of these interests motivated me to work to earn three Congressional Awards and corresponding medals. Indiana Senator Richard Lugar presented me a silver medal and that’s how I was able to apply to be a Senate Page for him.

Being a Senate Page for Lugar was my first job. I went to Washington, D.C. for the summer and worked on the Senate floor for the senators. While there, I fell down the stairs and broke my foot. I ended having to use crutches which became an issue when we were evacuated from the Capitol. All the senators were in the Chamber ready to take a vote and a plane entered the no-fly zone around the Capitol causing an evacuation. Since I couldn’t move very well, two people picked me up and carried me down the stairs of the Capitol. Senator Jack Reed of Rhodes Island grabbed a water of bottle for me and walked with me, keeping me calm. 2005 was a fascinating time to work in the Senate. The Chamber was full of many famous people at that point including Ted Kennedy, John McCain, Barrack Obama, and Hillary Clinton. It was great to get to know the senators first hand and see history happen before my eyes!

During college, I returned to the Capitol where I got an internship working for Senator Bayh of Indiana. Working as an intern in D.C. was like any other office job; I answered phones and e-mails, and I felt that that wasn’t for me.

After college, it was difficult finding jobs since the economy was in a recession. It gave me the opportunity to pursue teaching, which I always wanted to do. I thought I would teach high school history and applied to the Chicago Teaching Fellows. However, I only qualified as a Special Education applicant. I then found out my godmother was a case manager, so I went and worked with her, and I absolutely loved it! I ended up getting the fellowship and attended National LouisUniversity to become certified. I got my first teaching job at the same school as Mr. Elmasri, where I taught 3rd, 4th and 5th grade Resource.

I always loved teaching fourth grade. Once I found out there was an opening in fourth grade at Peterson, I jumped at the opportunity. Peterson has an amazing community and I'm honored to be a part of it!

I’m really looking forward to Spring. I’m a gardener and love getting outside and growing flowers and vegetables. The vegetables taste so much better when you grow them yourself!
”

“I grew up in both Lake Villa and Chicago. I went to school in Lake Villa, and I spent my summers in Chicago with my grandparents who still live in the same home where my mom grew up. We’re definitely a close family because my mom now lives with my grandma. My sister and I live four doors down, and we eat dinner with my mom and grandma once a week.

I always wanted to be a teacher, but it took awhile to get there. I worked really hard in high school and went to Western Illinois for my undergrad in elementary education. I had a tough time in my first two years and then decided to come home for a semester to figure things out. I then thought I wanted to go into event planning. I went back to school and changed my major to communications with a minor in marketing and management, and I did an internship at Western during the summer.

I then moved back to Chicago and worked for a couple years at a restaurant. Afterwards, I started working in an office and realized that it wasn't what I wanted to do. I looked into graduate programs for teaching and went to National-Louis for a daytime accelerated program, which meant I could still work at night. I finished in two years and started teaching shortly after that. I’m glad I found my career the way I did because I don’t think I was ready to make a decision about my career when I was eighteen. I was far more prepared in my life when I went to get my masters.

After college, I worked at a charter school in the Austin community for three years. It was good a learning experience. I then went to Sherman Elementary in Englewood where I also learned as I completed the New Leaders for New Schools’ Emerging Leaders program and taught second and third graders.

I decided I needed to move on, and I came to Peterson. At Peterson, people are happy to come to work! Here, I’ve had a lot of leadership roles that have helped me grow as an educator. I also really enjoyed co-teaching with Ms. Barnes. Our administration and the parental support are fantastic and make a huge difference. Teachers at other schools don’t believe me when I tell them that my principal got us substitutes for two days so our team could do planning. Our time is valued, and Ms. Kane wants us to do what’s best for kids.

I’m really looking forward to ending physical therapy in April, which I’ve been doing since June after my knee needed medical attention. I am also looking forward to going to Belize, especially after being in this frozen tundra!”

“I was born in Amman, Jordan, the middle child of three. I played a lot of sports growing up, but soccer was the sport I really pursued. I was on the Jordanian National Soccer Team, and we traveled a lot. We went to Dubai and Lebanon a few times.

I moved to Chicago in 2008 to be with my future husband, George, whom I met in Jordan. I came to the United States with a fiancé VISA, and I became a citizen in about four years. The move was hard at first but I was busy with school and work. Fortunately, I was able to go back home every summer to visit my family.

After I got married, I went to Oakton Community College. There, I played soccer for a semester, but it was too much traveling, and I had to focus on school. While at Oakton, I almost became a dental hygienist, but my husband convinced me to teach. That was the right decision! Growing up, I always liked to play teacher and tutored my brother in English, but I never thought about being a teacher. After Oakton, I went to Northeastern Illinois University where I then finished my bachelor’s degree in education. Since I love biology and math, I got my minor in math and science.

Peterson is my first and only job as a teacher. I love the people here; everyone is so supportive! I’m very lucky to have worked at different grade levels. I initially worked in sixth grade, and it was a great experience with a great team. Additionally, Mr. Reynolds was a great math coach, and I still go to him for advice. I was at first sad to move from sixth grade, but I discovered with that came a very welcoming and supportive team in fourth grade. They did everything they could to help me transition, and then Ms. Zodo joined and completed our team!

Now, I have a son who is a kindergartener at Peterson, and I just had my second son in October! It’s very comforting to have my son here at Peterson since I know everyone here. The hard part is getting anything done in the morning since he is very inquisitive about everything and likes to ask questions. He also won’t let me take him to his class until 8:35, which doesn’t leave a lot of time to prep in the morning!

“I grew up in Butler, Pennsylvania, a small town outside of Pittsburg. I was involved in dance a lot growing up which gave me the opportunity to travel around the country. My plan was to be a professional dancer. Throughout high school, I trained in classical ballet, and when I went to college I transitioned to doing contemporary dance.

I completed my undergraduate degree at Utah University where I double majored in dance and biology with the idea that I could do physical therapy once my dancing career was done. I decided not to get my biology degree, but instead pursued a degree in Art History and Performance Studies. Changing to Art History was the first time I really enjoyed being in school. After graduation, my goal was to seek employment in a museum.

I went back home to Butler after finishing college, and I started looking for a job. However, it was 2010, and jobs were hard to come by, especially in museums. I ended up getting a job teaching for Head Start. This is when I realized that I liked teaching. I found that I was really passionate about social justice education and creating equitable education experiences for all kids. After five years, I decided to enroll in the University of Chicago’s urban education program to focus on social justice.

Peterson is my second school in Chicago. I loved my kids at my previous school who celebrated a common heritage, but one of the beautiful things about Peterson is the diversity. When we came together at the beginning of the year to talk about who we are, there were so many different experiences shared, and I really valued this.

I stand by my desire to be a social justice teacher, and I talk to my kids about being advocates for what they want. Being a teacher is my way of being an advocate for what I believe. I really look forward to seeing where my kids are at the end of the year. We talk a lot about social justice in the classroom, and I’m excited to see that their empathy and their desire to help others continues to grow.

“I was born in Alaska along with my brother and sister. My dad was in the Air Force, and he was stationed in Alaska until I was about five. After that, we moved to New Hampshire because of my dad’s job. I loved growing up in New Hampshire; it’s definitely always going to be home to me. In fact, my parents still live there.

I grew up knowing I was going to be a teacher—I always played school at home. My mom was a school aide, and she’d bring home leftover worksheets. I’d love to grade them! When I got older, I would teach preschoolers at a Christian summer camp, and in high school, Amy Almer’s sister would let me help out in her classroom during my open period.

I came to Chicago to go to North Park University for my teaching degree, and it was a huge change for me. We had lived in the wooded part of New Hampshire where there were dirt roads that didn’t get plowed when the snow fell. Chicago was very overwhelming for me, to the point that I would spend most of my time on campus, and if I did leave, I’d make sure I was near a blue emergency call box at all times!

After a semester, I went home to Keene State College and continued my education. After graduating, I went to Florida for a while, and it turned out to be the wrong choice for me. I then moved in with my friend in Chicago who lived near Peterson. I went to a job fair and saw that Peterson had a stand. Fortunately, I got hired for Rachel Bramley’s maternity leave. I bounced around on maternity leaves for my first year, and then they opened a first grade position. I have been teaching primary ever since. Carrie Martens was a huge part of my success in primary. She was always willing to help me figure things out and was a mentor in those early years.

I married my husband, Joey, whom I met at Peterson. We now have two daughters, a five-month old and a kindergartener who attends Peterson. The reason I’m so willing to send my child to Peterson is that I know that my colleagues want to teach kids and continue to push them to be the best person they can be. I didn’t get to grow up with diversity around me, and I love that Peterson provides that for my daughter. “

“I was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, and I am the youngest of four. Our family moved to New Hampshire when I was six years old because my dad changed careers. He became a counselor who helped people with disabilities transition back into the workforce. My mom ran a daycare in our home; I couldn’t wait to get home from school each day to play with the kids.

Growing up, I wanted to be an engineer or a nurse, but then my sister, who is ten years older than me, moved back to New Hampshire after college to teach at the same elementary school I had attended. I started helping her out which is when I realized that I really enjoyed working with kids and wanted to be a teacher.

My mom is from Chicago, and she met my dad at North Park University. Because of this tie to Chicago, we would come and visit every year. I followed in my dad’s footsteps and attended North Park University as well. I obtained my teaching degree along with a major in Spanish. I was able live abroad in Morelia, Mexico, while I studied Spanish. It was one of the best experiences of my life!

After college, I worked in an office at North Park, and I got word that Peterson had a teacher on a leave of absence. I was recommended for the position, and I landed my first teaching job as a second grade teacher. I hadn’t worked with primary grades before, and I’m so grateful that Wendy Chung supported me through it. Eventually I started teaching fourth and then fifth grade, and I have enjoyed it ever since. I love the team I teach with. I feel supported, and I think we make a dynamic team.

I met my husband Erik here in Chicago, and he always loved helping out at Peterson. He’d help any way he could, from coaching basketball to making gingerbread houses for the kids to decorate. It eventually led to him getting his teaching degree and teaching at another CPS school.

I love camping, specifically at different national parks. I’ve been to Acadia National Park many times with my husband and six year old son, Oskar. This summer we’re traveling west and going to the Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, Mt. Rushmore, and Badlands. Besides camping, we love seeing anything historical!”

“I grew up in Lincoln Square with my younger brother and sister, and I attended Saint Matthias School. We then moved to Norridge, and I attended Saint Patrick High School. Unknown to my teachers then, I had dyslexia. I found this out about 10 years ago. I have to read a sentence 4 or 5 times just to figure out what it’s saying.

My dad was a building engineer who also worked side jobs all the time. At 8 years of age, I was cleaning factory toilettes and resurfacing floors. We did janitor jobs at churches, synagogues, homes, and businesses. We’d go to hotels to gather the garbage and burn it. While going to grammar school, my siblings and I would wake up at 3:30 am and would go to work with my dad on one of his side jobs. We’d then go to school afterwards. It was a family operation, so I didn’t get paid for any of it.

Right after high school, my first job was at the Divine Savior School in Norridge. I got fired 9 months later for shoveling a path in the snow for the nuns before the priests’ path got shoveled. The priests felt they deserved to be shoveled first; we disagreed on that.

I’ve been in CPS since 1981, and I started as a custodian. I really wanted to be an engineer, but it involved a lot of tests. In order to study for them, I would take the book and handwrite everything that was in it. It was the only way I could learn what was in the book. It took me about a year to prepare for the engineer test, but I passed the first time! I wasn’t assigned to a school, but to a section of the city. I worked at about seventy schools before I got to Peterson in 1993.

Before 1995, CPS’s budget for upkeep was not what it is today. We would have to keep buckets in classrooms for rainy days and make sure to turn the lights off so they didn’t blow out. When I got to Peterson, it was not top shape physically. The first summer I was here, I had my parents and siblings help me remove all of the furniture and clean up. It took four years to finally get Peterson all cleaned up!

I have a daughter and son, and my son is the engineer over at Taft High School. After getting two kidneys implants, my goal right now is to be able to get up the next day and get to work!”

“I was born and raised in Highwood, Illinois, and I wanted to be a teacher as far as I can remember. I used to play teacher every day at home. Sometimes my mom would move my piles of papers, and of course I’d get really upset with her. I even started babysitting when I was nine years old and loved it!

I always loved being in a school. In high school, I worked for Lincoln Park Prep, and taught pre-school during the summers when I was off. While in college, I worked at a Montessori school.

I knew I wanted to work in Chicago, and my first teaching experience was in Garfield Park, doing clinicals. Having grown up in such privileged circumstances, going to the West side, I was taken aback. I loved the school and the kids so much that I talked to the assistant principal and told him that I would contact him for a job after I graduated. After graduating, I got the job and dedicated my whole day to the kids. It was a hard experience, and I learned so much from it. I loved working there, but after five years, it was time for a change.

When I started at Peterson, I worked in fourth grade and slowly worked my way to first grade. Teaching primary is where my heart is the happiest. I love seeing kids become readers and reaching their goals. There is such a supportive community and staff at Peterson, which is the reason why it’s so great! We work together as a team to help kids.

This is my fourteenth year as a teacher, and I’ve evolved a lot. When I started teaching I struggled because I did not have the support. Now being at Peterson, I can’t imagine doing it without all of the supports we have. I love co-teaching with Ms. Ortigara and working together as a team has helped me evolve as a teacher.

When I am not teaching, I love spending time with my husband and my two children. I have a three year old son and a six year old daughter who always keep me busy.”

“Growing up, I moved almost every year of my life; my parents were consistently switching careers. My dad came to the US when he was 16, and he grew up in Garfield Park. He then joined the US Army when he was 18 and was stationed at the DMZ in South Korea. He met my mom while he was there, and they came back to the USA together. They did everything they could to achieve the American dream. For them, that meant working at a cleaners. We struggled financially until my dad was able to get his military benefits recently.

I thought all the moving was exciting until high school when I started understanding why were moving, which was to find work. I was already working at the age of twelve, which was cool at first, but then I realized that I was working to support our family. After my dad received his military benefits, I didn't have to help support them anymore which has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.

I never thought I’d be a teacher. I never behaved well in school and was removed from two different ones. Besides seeing my friends and going to gym and art class, I disliked school. I didn’t have big goals growing up, and many adults in my life didn't believe I could be successful, particularly teachers.

My senior year of high school, I got a part time job as a paraprofessional, working with kids with autism. I immediately wanted to become a teacher after that experience. I could see how much potential students with autism had.

I graduated high school with a 1.8 GPA, so I knew I had a lot of catching up to do! I went to College of DuPage while working three jobs. I then transferred to Illinois State University, which I graduated from with a 4.0 GPA!

My first job as a teacher was working in Humboldt Park at Funston Elementary. My big goal while there was to help the kids that truly felt they had no one else. I was there for three years. I learned so much, but I also took on too much, so I needed a change. I worked at a couple of more schools and found out what I wanted from a school. After doing a lot research, I came across Peterson, a school that shares a lot of the values I hold true as an educator.”

"I was born and raised in Summit, Illinois, with five other siblings. My parents came here from Mexico, so we’re first generation Americans. I went to Graves Elementary School and Argo Community High School in my neighborhood, and they were both great experiences.

Argo was a good environment with good teachers and coaches. If anything, that experience led me to the teaching path. A lot of those teachers helped guide me into my career and were just great role models. Coach Murray, Coach Jankowicz, and my Spanish teacher, Ms. Macedo, are the teachers that really impacted me and my future.

I was an honor roll student in high school, but I didn’t do well on my ACT exam. After high school, I didn’t get into the colleges I wanted to, and I felt like I was all over the place. I thought about joining the armed forces, but decided to go to a community college. I took my methods classes and went back to observe my teachers. I realized at that point that teaching was what wanted to do. I then went to Chicago State University, and I got my teaching degree there. The staffthere always did everything they could to help, especially when it came to books. If I couldn’t afford a book, they share them or would find them online for us. They definitely helped me succeed.

My first teaching job was part time, and I was just as much of a security guard as I was teacher. It was a school that didn’t have resources, and the class sizes were usually forty students. Children weren’t learning in that environment.

Coming to Peterson has been an amazing experience. The staff and parents have been great, and the students are a lot fun. I’m learning a lot from Mr. Spy; he’s a good colleague, and co-teaching with him helps us work through any bumps in the classroom. I look forward to getting to know the students more and to helping make our students lifelong learners. I have also really enjoyed coaching cross country with Coach Mac, and we’re really proud of our runners!"

“I grew up with my sister on the south side of Chicago, in Roseland. I mostly went to a Catholic school until 7th grade when I told my parents they were wasting their money, so I went to public school after that. I then went to Corliss High School. My most memorable teachers are the ones that I ended up working with. Mrs. Randolph was my 7th grade teacher and then in 1992, I worked at the school where she was the principal.

I had to go straight to work out of high School. I had my first child when I was seventeen and needed to provide for her. My daughter now works as a clerk at a school, my middle child is a teacher assistant, and my son owns his own retail business. My first job was at White Castle, and then I worked for a company that made steel frames for cars before I got to work for CPS in 1989.

My first school was Coleman Elementary school; I was put in a school where there were a lot of challenges. I then transferred to King High School, but the teachers kept thinking I was student and would have me go to class. I decided I’d only work in elementary schools after that point.

I hopped around different schools until I worked at Lawrence Elementary for seventeen years, and I eventually got to Peterson Elementary. I really like it here since everyone is really nice. This is where I plan to retire. I travel a lot on my breaks and that’s what I plan to do in retirement. My first road trip was when I sixteen, when I went to my grandparent’s 500 acre farm in Alabama. I loved it and ever since then, I have been taking road trips all over the U.S. and Canada. If you ever have questions about traveling, feel free to ask!”

It takes a community of committed individuals to make sure that kids are successful, and Peterson is so very fortunate to have a group of volunteers who repeatedly and tirelessly give of their time to support the young people at Peterson to become college graduates, community leaders, and cultural ambassadors. THANK YOU Peterson volunteers for all you do for kids.

I would also like to specifically recognize the officers of FoP (Friends of Peterson), the LSC (Local School Council), the PAC (Parent Advisory Council), and the PTA (Parent Teacher Association). Thank you Catherine Korda, Stephen Johnson, Chuck Deters, Barbara Nordlund, and Rachel Bramley for raising funds to support Peterson Elementary through your work on FoP. Thank you Lloy Johnston, Kim Schiller, Leslie Combs, Fady Sharshar, Karla Holcomb, Aaron Olson, Naseem Azizuddin, Marti Hindaileh, Tom Ruby, Brian Bochenek, and Chuck Deters for spending many long evenings working on the budget and the strategic plan as part of the Local School Council. Thank you Catherine Korda, Jessica Espinosa, Lynda Gibson, and Anita Gabor for providing opportunities to learn about mathematics, literacy, social-emotional learning and more as a part of the Peterson Parent Advisory Council. Finally, thank you Megan Trinter, Sarah Ahmad-Myers, Carmen Karnuth, Barbara Nordlund, and Maria Ciccone for organizing so many wonderful community events as a part of the Peterson Parent-Teacher Association.

Thank you again to our extraordinary Peterson community for the collective work to give rise to college graduates, community leaders and cultural ambassadors.

“I was born in Chicago. I have an older brother and a half-sister and half-brother who are much older than I am. My dad was a city planner who has a PhD in history. My mother went to school for textiles, and I had the best Halloween costumes ever made. Interestingly, the reason I am in technology is because my mother and I used to build computers together when I was younger. Sadly, my mother passed away in 2012 from breast cancer. I am now on the board of a non-profit called Theresa’s Research Foundation, and organization committed to raising funds for metastatic breast cancer research.

I went to St. James Luthern School, Von Steuben High School, and Loyola where I studied history. Before coming to Peterson, I had a cubical job that was not very fulfilling. I was going to leave the job to join the Navy, but I was unable to pass the eye exam. Fortunately, I started at Peterson in November of 2011 as a paraprofessional, and shortly afterwards, I was asked to be the technology coordinator.

The best about Peterson is that I get to see everyone teach. I get to walk through classes and kids know who I am. I am sort of like the mini-Caban. I also get to capture what is happening through photography and film. I am always trying new things, or flapping my wings as they say.

Apart from my official role at Peterson, I am also on the FoP board and the LSC. I know that schools are not treated equitably financially, and I want to do what I can to change that. I have always wanted to be in public service, which I get from my mom, because she was always doing the right thing.

In 2017, I married Anna Garcia who is now Anna Deters. She is a SpEd teacher at Hawthorne. Anna and I both love to see the world, and recently we went to Hawaii and loved it.”

 “I was born in the Philippines and my parents brought me to the United States when I was two. They wanted a better life for us. I grew up in Albany Park and went to Haugan Elementary and then Lane Tech.

I started off  studying marine biology at Hawai’i Pacific University, but then I changed my major to psychology. I moved back to Chicago and went tocNortheastern Illinois to finish my degree in psychology with the hope of eventually getting my doctorate. I realized, though, that psychology was not for me. Knowing that I wanted to work with kids, I eventually settled on Early Childhood Education and worked in daycare at Northeastern after I graduated.

After working at the daycare for a couple of years, I decided to go to culinary school. I have always loved cooking! Growing up, you either cooked or cleaned, and I hated cleaning. I thought I could work at a restaurant and eventually open my own place. I then actually worked in a restaurant for 16 hour days, 6 days aweek and there was no letup. I did finish my culinary degree, but then went back to the daycare system as their cook, and the workday was a regular Monday through Friday.

My kids started at Peterson when my oldest was in kindergarten. When we toured Peterson as parents, we walked in, and it felt welcoming. We didn’t feel that at other schools. We also really appreciated that the seventh graders gave us the tour, and they knew the answer to all of our questions. Fortunately, a paraprofessional position then opened up at the school.

I started working with fifth grade and was terrified. After working with the fifth grade team, I became inspired to pursue my teaching degree. I was always an active part of their classroom, and it showed me that I could be a teacher too. Now, I’m going back to school to get my Masters in Teaching. I also currently cater on the side for parties. I started my own company and do cooking classes for kids. I go to parties and classes at daycares, and this lets me work with kids and cook.”

 “I was born in Panama, and my family moved to Chicago when I was twelve years old. 

hen my family got to Chicago, I was enrolled in sixth grade at the neighborhood elementary school. I was then put into the bilingual program. After two years of bilingual education, my teacher recommended that I transfer out of the bilingual program so that I could practice more English and have a better chance of going to Lane Tech. Through hard work and with the help of my teachers and my mother, I graduated valedictorian and went to Lane Tech.

I initially went to Wright College, but once my family became residents, I started going to Northeastern to get a degree in education. I wanted to provide students with the education that my teachers gave me. I wanted to become a Spanish teacher, and I initially started working with adults at Daley Community College, teaching ESL.

In the process of trying to become a U.S. citizen, I realized there was so much I didn’t know about the country that gave me so many opportunities. I felt that to really be a part of the country I needed to understand its history. I decided to go to Loyola to get a masters in history, and it made me a stronger educator overall.

I came to CPS in 2011 and taught history at Wells High School. I eventually became the co- chair of the history program, where my focus had been to identify the right support to help children thrive as well as develop teacher capacity.

While at Wells, I applied for the New Leaders for New Schools Aspiring Principals Program, and I came to Peterson as the Resident Principal. Peterson has such a strong social and emotional component, I instantly wanted to be a part of what educators and the community were doing here. Social and emotional learning is essential in a child’s development, and I knew I was at the right place. I am excited to continue to work with kids coming from other countries and who need that additional support and connection to succeed.”

"I was born in Chicago but raised in Mount Prospect with my two older sisters. Growing up, I always knew  that I wanted to be an architect.  

In high school, I ran cross country and track and was also on the cross country team in college. I started running marathons a lot after college but got injured and took some time off.  After high school, I went to Monmouth College, a small liberal arts school with only 500 students--my high school had 3,000.  Since I was debating if I wanted to go into advertising and be a copywriter, I decided to get a degree in business administration. 

While pursuing my degree, I also drove for my dad’s limousine company, did demo construction, and worked at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a pit clerk, which led me to become a trader.  One day, a colleague of mine who knew I was a runner, asked if I was interested in coaching. 

I coached three seasons of track starting in 2004.  I ended up becoming conference director and really loved it. I then decided to quit my job as a broker and went back to school at National-Louis University to pursue my degree in education. I student taught in a kindergarten class and have loved it ever since!

I didn’t have the best experience at my first school. Soon after I arrived, I realized that the administration wasn’t leading with the interest of the students and community in mind. Since I knew I could do a better job, I was motivated to go back to school and received a masters degree in School  Leadership.

Since I didn’t want to return to my previous school's hostile environment, I decided to take a position at Peterson where I worked as the bilingual coordinator, which was challenging at first since I hadn’t worked with any grade other than kindergarten. We have students at Peterson that come from very difficult backgrounds, and I can’t fathom what they’ve been through.  I had a student who just wanted to stay after school since the building was air conditioned, unlike where he came from. In his home country, he was also forced to run around the school building until he was sick with exhaustion. Meeting these children has helped me empathize with people and the circumstances of where they come from.

In kindergarten, students do not understand social constructs, which makes it a free and open environment where we’re all equal. I read a story about parents' jobs, and it mentioned people having two moms or two dads, and everyone was fine with it.

Schools tend to be very top down, so when Ms. Kane came back to Peterson, asked the staff about what was going well and what needed improvement, and then worked with us to implement those improvements it felt like a tremendous team effort which gave teachers a great deal of voice. This helped to solidify that  kindergarten at Peterson is the place for me."

"I was born in Guanajuato, Mexico and lived there until I was thirteen. My mom had just passed away and my dad, as well as some of my siblings, were living in Chicago trying to support us from there. The brothers that were still with me in Mexico acted as father figures for the time being, and I can’t be more thankful to them. After my mom's passing, we all reunited in Chicago to do our best to establish a better life and pursue the American dream.

It was hard coming to Chicago, and not knowing the English language was very difficult. I only knew how to write, read, and speak Spanish. I started going to Foreman High School where it was very much a "sink or swim" environment.  Thankfully, I had an awesome teacher, Ms. Hernandez, who was my ESL teacher. She was encouraging and patient with all of the ESL students, and she definitely inspired me to become a teacher later in life. I knew the only way to open doors for my future was to get good grades, so I did everything I needed to in order to focus on my academics. I ended up getting straight A’s and learned English in the process. 

Before college, I worked on getting my citizenship. It was a great feeling to finally be a citizen. Citizenship meant that I was able to start a new life without being afraid. I could control my future without fear. My goal was to get a higher education and become somebody. 

I wanted to become a doctor, so I went to Northeastern University and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Biology and Chemistry. I realized soon after that becoming a doctor wasn’t my calling. I wasn’t as strong as I believed I was when it came to having someone’s life in my hands, and I also wasn’t fond of blood!  I then went to Colombia College and got a Masters Degree in Education. I do believe that becoming a teacher was a natural transition for me. We have these kids lives in our hands and they’ll only be in first grade one time, so I know I need to do a great job for them.

My first teaching job was at Travis Elementary in the Back of the Yards. I taught there for four years and have been teaching at Peterson for twelve years. Peterson is awesome since you get to hear all of the different languages and see people from all over the world interact with one another. 

I see students facing the same struggles that I did in school, so I do my best to encourage them and reiterate that everything is going to be okay.  With the right approach to each of the students, I know that they will make it. Soon enough they’ll be changing the lives of others!

The most rewarding part of my day is getting hugs from my students. They’re showing how much they care about you and love you. Even after they graduate my class, I sometimes get hugs from middle-school students that remember me. It’s so rewarding to me knowing that I was able to make a difference in their lives!"

Marti Hindaileh - Community Representative
As a former parent, LSC member, and staff member, I am a firm supporter of the Peterson community. I want all students to know they are supported by all.

Naseem Azizuddin - Parent Representative
I joined the LSC to serve the community and represent the parents who cannot voice their thoughts out of their homes. I also love the diversity in our community which can be seen here.

Chuck Deters - Staff Representative
I have been a staff member at Peterson since 2010, and have had the pleasure to see Peterson grow academically and collectively. As the newest member of the LSC, I’m excited to be a part of the continual growth and inclusion.

Leslie Combs - Community Representative
I was excited to join the LSC because good neighborhood schools are essential to the strength of communities and our education system, and community and parent involvement is an important factor in the success of a school. Peterson benefits from committed parents, teachers, administrators and community members who work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive and positive experience for students. 

Karla Holcomb - Parent Representative
I'm a parent of a 7th grader and two other Peterson graduates.  I joined the LSC because I wanted to know more about what was happening at Peterson and to help make it a better place.  Peterson has a fairly unique population within CPS and it's been an honor to see all the ways in which staff and students have made it the best neighborhood school in Chicago!

Lloy Johnston - Parent Representative
I am a parent of three children. Two are currently at Peterson, and one alumni.  I have been an active volunteer at Peterson for seven years. Currently, I volunteer as the LSC Chairperson, help out in classrooms, and assist with PTA events. I joined the LSC because I believe strong and bright individuals are supported by strong families. And, I believe families are supported by strong communities. Peterson is an important part of my family’s community; therefore, I am thrilled to support Peterson and help to make it stronger.

Fady Sharshar - Parent Representative
I am a father of 3 children; 2 are Peterson Alumni and 1 is currently a student.  My wife Lana and I are both active volunteers at Peterson. I have been a volunteer for the Local School Council for 4 years. I joined the LSC to support the good work that Peterson is doing for the children in our community.

Kim Schiller - Parent Representative
I am the proud parent of current, (Tobin, 7th) and former (Lena, 9th) Peterson students. My husband and I both attended Peterson School for some of our elementary school. I wanted to be a part of the LSC so that I had an opportunity to give to Peterson what it gave to me, a place to learn, rich curriculum, teachers who deeply care for students and respect each other. Peterson is a community and I am proud to serve the community in this way.  Thank you to the community for your trust.

Aaron Olson - Parent Representative
I’m the father of Grace who is in the sixth grade at Peterson.  I was born in the North Park neighborhood and have lived here for most of the last twenty-five years.  I joined the LSC to support our fantastic staff and teachers and to do everything I can to make sure we maintain our focus on providing all kids with a quality education and strong community.

Tom Ruby - Teacher Representative
I’m a returning member of the LSC and I enjoy the opportunity to engage in all aspects of our learning community. It’s fun to see through the eyes of different aspects of our Peterson family. I love the challenge of finding innovative ways to help our students give rise to their efforts of becoming college graduates, community leaders and cultural ambassadors.

Brian Bochenek - Teacher Representative
I had never seen myself involved in local government prior to joining the extraordinary team at Peterson.  The daunting tasks facing our city have always seemed so overwhelming; I felt my voice would never be able to affect change outside of the classroom.  Once I began teaching, it became quickly apparent that the collective efforts of our learning community could extend into the our neighborhoods as well.  As a lifelong learner, the enthusiasm for strengthening our community and the opportunity to collaborate with a forward thinking group of individuals was too much to pass by.  I'm incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this motivated group of individuals dedicated to Peterson.

"The oldest of three, I was born and raised in the Albany Park area of Chicago. I went to St. John's Lutheran Elementary School and then on to North Side College Prep High School.

Growing up, I wanted to be a veterinarian. My mom and I have always had a great love for animals--so my siblings and I could basically get any pet we wanted!  Having so many pets taught me how to be responsible from an early age. I took great pride in caring for my animals.  On the other hand, my long-time dream of becoming a veterinarian vanished as soon as I realized how much I didn’t like seeing blood.

In elementary school, my 7th grade English teacher had a significant impact on my life. I remember when she taught A Murder on the Orient Express and how excited I got about it. It was the first time we really got into a novel and it drove my passion for reading and writing. She was also a really caring person, and if I ever needed help outside of school, she was always available.

After high school I went to Northeastern not knowing what I wanted to do. I had an advisor that helped me out by suggesting I take a class geared towards teachers. I then found out how much I liked it!

My first teaching job was a maternity leave position at Sauganash Elementary.  Once that teacher returned I needed to find a new school. One of my colleagues suggested Peterson, and it was clearly a great choice. I love how much Peterson celebrates diversity every day. We also don’t focus too heavily on test scores, but instead on the health and well being of the whole student.

I’ve learned a lot in the past two years. My favorite part of teaching has been getting to know the students as people--especially in third grade when their personalities are really starting to emerge. My advice for new teachers is to accept that every day is not going to be perfect.  Also, enjoy your time with the kids as I’m realizing how much I miss some of my students that I had last year. It’s been hard to manage all of the different aspects of teaching, especially all of the planning that goes on behind the scenes--I would certainly advise new teachers to buy a planner! Teaching is exhausting, but it’s completely offset by how fulfilling it is. I have friends that work downtown and might get paid very well, but they don’t particularly like their jobs very much, while I love mine!

"I was born and raised in Jefferson Park where I went to Oriole Park elementary school. I graduated from Taft High School and graduated from Northeastern Illinois University. Northeastern is also where I met my friend Ms. Sanchez who would later introduce me to Peterson!

I started thinking about becoming a teacher when I was in middle school. My math teacher, Ms. Esposito, was very passionate about teaching students math. Her passion rubbed off on me and I began to think that I should go to school to learn how to teach math. My family is made up of teachers and police officers, which led to me volunteering in elementary classrooms throughout my years in high school. Over time, the volunteering made me realize I really wanted to be a teacher. I made sure to go back to Ms. Esposito to express how much she inspired me!

After college, I did my student teaching at Thorpe Elementary, where I worked as an interventionist for a year.  I then went to Italy for the summer where I worked as a nanny for a family while they traveled around Europe. I loved it so much I started applying for teaching jobs and eventually a found kindergarten position at an international school.

After teaching in Italy for a year, I realized I missed home too much and decided to look for a position in Chicago. Fortunately, I was hired at Peterson within a week of getting back from Italy! 

I really like Peterson. Everyone I come across is very kind and helpful to me. The support at Peterson is great and I always feel comfortable asking for help.

I’m really looking forward to my grandparents coming to Chicago from Puerto Rico. After the hurricane hit, my grandma decided she couldn’t live there anymore. They came out of the storm in better shape than others, but they certainly don’t want to endure an event like that again. I’m so excited to see them in the next couple weeks!"

"I was born in Lebanon, raised in Abu Dhabi and finished high school in Montreal. I then went to Virginia to do my undergrad in Interior Design.

For the next 15 years, I worked as an interior designer. I designed the original theater room for the Atlantis Hotel in the Caribbean. My pride and joy though is the Hampton Inn and Suites in Deer Park, I designed the entire interior of that building!

When the design company I was working for decided not to do interior design anymore, I decided I wanted to teach design in college. A friend made the suggestion that since I was already trilingual and understood a lot about different cultures I should pursue a degree in education and bilingual bicultural studies,  I was apprehensive about working with kids as it wasn’t what I had ever imagined doing, but I went for it!

I completed my student teaching at Peterson with Angie Taggart.  I then transitioned to Sauganash (although my heart was still at Peterson).  Thankfully I was offered a job here as a bilingual educator and the bilingual coordinator.

Living in different countries has given me a unique perspective that helps me to relate to parents who struggle to keep their cultural identity while also trying to assimilate. One way I try to help is to ask families to donate any books referencing their home culture.  I love giving our students opportunities to learn about all the different cultures here at Peterson.

I’m now the 4th grade writing teacher and I love it even more! The transition has its challenges, but the kids have been so supportive. I tell them that they’re helping me as much as I’m helping them, and their eyes light up when they see that adults need help sometimes too!"

"I mostly grew up on the Northwest side of Chicago. My brother is a diverse learner, so we moved around frequently in order to find the best educational fit for him. I went to Our Lady of Victory Grammar School and then on to Norte Dame College Prep. 

I always saw myself as owning my own business, so I decided to pursue a business degree at Saint Norbert in De Pere, Wisconsin. After college, I worked in sales, but I wasn’t really happy, so I took a job with the Cook County Sheriffs' Department.  I was later promoted to the rank of sergeant, which was a great experience that helped me to develop my leadership skills.

I also coached football while working as a police officer, which is when I began to see myself having a future in education.  I wanted to be a teacher because I began to realize how important mentorship is for teenagers as they transition into adulthood.

Dan Defranza was a big role model for me. I played for him in high school and then coached with him.  He had transitioned from being a stock trader to a teacher and with his guidance I began to see that a successful career change is possible.  He saw how well I worked with young people and encouraged me to make the change as well.

I never envisioned myself teaching at an elementary school, but I love it. I’ve had so much fun working with first grade and it’s actually helped me in my work with the eight graders. Teaching is teaching, whether it’s a sport or a class, and the skills you pickup will translate to other scenarios.

I feel very lucky to be here at Peterson. There is a very strong structure in place to support new teachers, whether it’s Teach Like a Champion or having a team I can get advice from. It’s a great place to learn for everyone."

"I was born and raised in Southeastern Ohio on my parents’ farm. They mostly grew soybeans, hay, and corn, but we also had cows, pigs, chickens--and I even got to raise rabbits!

My parents are both educators. My dad is still a school psychologist, having worked in schools for the past 45 years, and my mom was a K-5 educator and gifted coordinator for 30 years. I was raised to understand the importance of education from an early age. 

I’ve had an interest in science from an early age as well. Ms. Hildebrandt, our awesome 8th grade science teacher, was very influential. Her way of teaching important concepts like the scientific method made me realize that although the pursuit of science may always lead to more questions and frustrations that is part of what makes science exciting as well! 

Based on this experience, my brother’s interest in chemistry, and my leadership experiences in 4-H while in high school, I decided to complete my undergrad at the University of Cincinnati in nutrition. I started looking into the school lunch program and was intrigued by what we were feeding students in college. I figured that if I wanted to work for the USDA, I should at least know what they were feeding the students.

I then heard of Teach for America from friends and decided I wanted to do it. I have loved being an educator since I started, and I don’t ever plan on getting out of it. This is my fourth year at Peterson and, even though I didn’t plan on teaching STEM, it turned out to be a perfect fit.  I love that the curriculum mixes science and problem solving and constantly keeps evolving.   I also love the Peterson community and the relationships I’ve formed with students, parents and community members.  In fact, I’m really looking forward to our next 'Robot Day' at Von Steuben and the opportunity to make more connections between our students and other schools in the neighborhood."

 "I grew up a couple blocks away from Peterson, on Drake and Foster. I had gone to North Park Covenant school until 4th grade, which is when I started attending Peterson.

Having transferred schools at an older age, I feel like I can empathize with Peterson students who have made similar transitions. It was scary to come from such a small school, and I remember the halls of Peterson feeling so large!

Peterson has changed a lot since I attended. We would sit at desks and read out of a Basal Reader and answer questions from the text. Education has changed so much for the better since then!

I graduated from Peterson in 1992 and went a few blocks south to Von Steuben, where I played soccer and loved my experience. I then went a few hundred feet east to North Park University-- my whole educational experience has been within a one mile radius! I loved writing so I got my degree in Education and Literature.

This is my 17th year at Peterson and it’s the only school I have ever taught at, including student teaching. When I first started here, there were still several teachers on staffwho taught me when I attended. It's funny how diffi cult it was for me to call them by their first name, since I was so used to saying, “Ms. Thomas" and “Mr. Beucher." Having changed rolls and being on the other side of the desk, I appreciated my new colleagues so much more. Being a new teacher, they were extremely helpful and supportive of me.

My husband and I send our children to Peterson, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We love this school because of its diversity and because of the commitment staffshow to ensuring that everyone receives a quality education. We want our children to be in a school where they’re not like everyone else.

I love teaching with my team. We’re all very supportive of each other and can bounce ideas back and forth. I’m also extremely lucky that I get to work with one of my best friends, Mrs. Almer, who I have worked with for 15 years.

When I’m not at Peterson I love to travel with my family, read books to my kids at night, and plan new projects around the house-- much to the dismay of my husband!”

I was born and raised in the suburb of Homer Glen (on the same street as Mr. Topel!) with my younger brother and sister. My brother was born with an ear infection which prevented him from speaking until he was four. My mother and I would sit with him through many speech therapy sessions as he learned to talk--an experience that had a significant influence in becoming a teacher later on.

Growing up, I always wanted to be a graphic designer. Discovering that people would actually buy my work only inspired me more. During my senior year at Lockport Township High School I would spend half the day commissioning jobs from teachers around the school. After high school I went to Columbia College for two years, but then dropped out to work as a lead designer for an internet auction company. Unfortunately, the company folded only six months later and I had a hard time finding work since I had not completed college. I was able to get a job as a paralegal, doing research for attorneys. It wasn’t a job I felt good about, but I also didn’t know what to do next.

In addition to graphic design, I’ve always had a passion for playing music. I’ve been playing in bands since 1996, which I still do today. While playing in a band I actually met my future wife, Rosie, who convinced me to be a lifelong learner and become a teacher. I had tried going back to college several times in the past, but this time I took things very seriously because of my love for learning. I knew I had to graduate magna cum laude!

After college, I had a really hard time my first year of teaching. It took me time to realize that I’m not the only driving force in my students’ lives and that many different factors have an impact on their success. Fortunately, I had great support from friends, family, and staff to help me get through the first year. I love the diversity we have here at Peterson. I’ve learned so much from these children who come from so many diverse backgrounds and I’ve really enjoyed sharing my passions for music, drawing, video games and comics. These days, I can’t even imagine working somewhere where everyone has the same background and life experiences as me.”

"Born and raised on the northwest side of Chicago, I was raised as an only child after the death of my younger brother in second grade. I attended Kelvyn Park High School, where I fell in love with coaching basketball, and coached at St. Philomena--which was also my former elementary school. Before the school closed, I was running a league with over 400 kids from schools in the neighborhood! I've been coaching in some capacity ever since.

After high school I attended Northeastern Illinois University. Shortly after enrolling I found out that I was going to be a father. Realizing that I would need to get a job, I reached out to my elementary school gym teacher, Ms. Yankowski--who I still talk to today! She helped me find work at American Airlines where I worked as a baggage handler for a total of 23 years before retiring in 2014. One of the big perks of being an airline employee is that you can hop on any flight as long as it has room. I’ve been to a lot of islands and even went to Boston for lunch one day!

This is my third year at Peterson and I love working and coaching here. It’s very important to me that I help kids to find the right path. Before working at Peterson I worked with a young man who really liked to keep score for me at our basketball games. We tried to keep him on the right path, but despite our efforts he found new "friends" and ended up in a gang. Sadly those same friends were the ones who ended up killing him. I really miss him.

It’s easy to see that Peterson is a special place. The staff is great, and our school is run very well. The teachers here remind me of Ms. Yankowski who had such a big influence on me. All of the kids respected her, and I see this at Peterson with our teachers. Her influence is why I would love to go back to school to be a Physical Education teacher someday. For now though, between work, coaching and being a grandpa I've got my hands full!

"I was born and raised in East Lansing, Michigan. I attended Northern Michigan University on a tennis scholarship where I graduated with a degree in English Literature with an emphasis in the poet John Milton. After college, I worked small office jobs and traveled often. I worked at Mount Rushmore for a summer and even had a job in Galway, Ireland!

I then decided to go back to school to get an Associates in Computer Programming, studying programming languages like Java and C++. I moved to Chicago in 2001 to get a job in computer programming, but then 9/11 happened. As a result, there was a hiring freeze and no one was interviewing.

I eventually got a job working at a non-profit in Rogers Park, overseeing their computer network and backing up their server. It turned into a fulltime job with half of my job being an Administrative Assistant. While working at the non-profit, I began volunteering as a tutor for a young girl. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to look into a career in education, which led to two teaching degrees from DePaul University. To this day, I continue to keep in touch with the girl I tutored--she was in 2nd grade when I began tutoring her and today she’s a college graduate!

After DePaul, I found a job at Peterson in 2006--and I've been here ever since. I love the diverse group of staff and students I've worked with over the years. In fact, I've co-taught classes from Kindergarten through 7th grade. Through these experiences, I’ve learned many different management and collaboration skills, all of which have really shaped me as an educator. Over the past two years, it’s been really great to co-teach with Ms. Thill! We're able to bounce ideas off of each other, collaborate on great lesson plans and be flexible enough to make adaptations when necessary."

As a young child growing up in the Albany Park neighborhood I always felt that my life-long destiny was to be a dolphin trainer. However, all of this changed once I began attending kindergarten--I fell in love with my teacher and knew that I wanted to be just like her someday. I continued my education in Chicago and graduated from Lane Tech High School. I then went on to the Indiana Institute of Technology on a lacrosse scholarship before coming back home, enrolling in Northeastern University and graduating in December of 2017.

It's been a long road from my kindergarten class to my first year as a teacher, but I'm loving it here at Peterson! I’m already looking forward to having students return to see how they’ve grown and to hear about how their high school career is going.

For me, the most challenging--and rewarding--part of teaching is building relationships with others. Thankfully, the relationships I have established thus far with students have flourished. I feel like my efforts to get to know and understand my students has really paid off. A brief conversation with a student having a bad day can have a significant positive impact on their ability to focus for the rest of the day.

I've also been impressed with how many students have become increasingly invested in their work and, in turn, have shown a willingness to advocate for the support that they need.

Thinking back to my days as a young camp counselor, I realize I’ve always enjoyed enjoyed helping children learn about themselves and the world around them. This early experience--along with the influence of my aunt and mother who were both educators themselves--are likely the key factors in my becoming an educator.

I grew up in West Rogers Park, and attended Chicago Public Schools. Right out of college, my husband and I found jobs in the Sycamore school district. We enjoyed Sycamore but soon missed the diversity and excitement of living and working in the city--we decided to move back after only one year.

Upon returning to Chicago, I noticed that Peterson was looking for a kindergarten teacher. When I was first hired we taught in the gym, which was a real challenge due to the fact that we shared the space with another kindergarten class. Whenever the other kindergarten class in the gym sang a song the echo in the gym became so loud that we just stopped what we were doing and sang too! Despite this initial challenge, I loved how supportive the families and the teachers were at the school and how everyone embraced and celebrated the diversity of the school.

I’ve now been at Peterson for 15 years and I still love watching the children grow up. I love watching the annual 8th grade graduation parade and seeing the faces of children who I taught in kindergarten. My husband, who teaches at Mather now, even has students that I’ve had!

"I was born and raised in Canada to a very relaxed family of six. Looking back now, my family had a huge influence on me and my career. My dad was a chemical engineer and we would go rock hunting . Eventually this would lead to my love of teaching science. As a child however, I grew up wanting to be a modern dancer and never dreamed of being a teacher. Looking back though, I realize I’ve been teaching ever since I was teenager when I started teaching ballet to smaller kids. I continued to teach ballet and modern dance, which is what brought me to the United States.

When my late husband passed away, I was left with a two year old who wouldn’t stop crying, and so I decided to take parenting class. I took the class and fell in love with the place so much that I asked them for a job. My career to become a teacher took off from there! I continued working at the parenting center for five years. I then went back to school and received my education degree started working for Gladstone Elementary in 1999.

I came to Peterson after 4 years at Gladstone and I immediately fell in love with it. I taught Special Education here for several years, and then transitioned into teaching science. I love this community, I love these kids, and I just love the diversity. As a teacher, I strive to get the kids to constructively take over the classroom, think for themselves, and to get excited about life!"

This is my 23rd year of teaching, and Peterson is my first and only school. I grew up in Edison Park, and went to Notre Dame High School where Dave Beucher taught me.  This is also where I also student taught. A friend of mine recommended me for a job at Peterson, and that’s how I was able to be a sub for a year and then get my job here. I’ve mostly taught language arts but also social studies along the way.

My style of teaching has become more fluid since I started, and it has a lot to do with the use of technology. Instead of always asking, 'Where is your book?', we’re able to explore different ways of learning and communicate much easier than ever before.

Despite all of these modern changes, books like To Kill A Mockingbird still really connect with how multicultural Peterson is--the kids just understand it. The story also connects to the Civil Rights Movement and to the importance of recognizing others. The students immediately start to enjoy it whereas with other books, I have often have to sell their value. I’ve changed every other book in the last ten years, but To Kill a Mockingbird has always been there!

After 23 years, society has changed a lot, but Peterson has remained a solid structure through leadership, families, and the teachers. While the kids might change with current events and technology, we still have the same struggles such as, How do we get these kids to be life long learners?  When you succeed and see it first hand, it’s extremely rewarding. Awhile back, Tom Ruby and I had a student who was causing trouble on a daily basis. I then ran into him at Northeastern where he was finishing up his teaching degree, and currently he teaches at a high school for high risk students. We still talk to this day, and he’s doing great!

I’ve been at Peterson for 16 years, I started here in 2000 after 2 years of being a sub in CPS. I moved to Chicago from Mississippi, where I worked in the cotton fields, chopping the cotton and getting the weeds out. Our momma raised us and I’m the oldest of six. My dad came and got me from Mississippi and I lived with him for a year in Chicago, and then I got my own place with my kids.

Unfortunately I didn’t finish high school in Mississippi, but when I got to Chicago, I got my GED. I was working 3 jobs since I was raising my 4 kids by myself. I now have 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. My eldest son is a minister and does heating and cooling. My second oldest is an electrician. My daughter works for Kindred Hospital as a CNA and is going to school to be a nurse, and my youngest daughter doesn't want to leave Walgreens. My youngest son is in school to be mechanic.

I started on a school bus as a Child Welfare Attendant. I’m a SECA now and just love it. I love this school and wouldn’t dare go anywhere else, I just love Peterson! In high school, my summer job was working with special needs kids and that's where I needed to be. It’s so gratifying knowing that I am able to help, even if it’s just a little bit. Last year, I had a student who had been struggling to recognize numbers. He then started being able to say the numbers and being able write them, and I was just in tears seeing how far he came. My favorite part is being able to see how the support, from the teachers and I, can really help a student!

Outside of Peterson I am a busy woman! My husband and I have been married 13 years this February 7th. I take care of him since he was diagnosed with colon cancer, which may have spread to his liver. I go to church a lot, and spend a lot of time there. I’m a Sunday School teacher, I lead the prayer group, and go to biblical school. I help take care of my granddaughter, pick her up and drop her off from school, since her mother works.

I just love the Peterson! I tell all the kids that they’re my grandkids. One of the kids started calling me Christmas Grandma, and I started calling him grandson! I consider all these children and staff as part of my family. This is my other home. There’s no sense in being at a place where you can’t just spread the love.

"I’ve been a Peterson parent since 1985 and working here since 2000. Since then, Peterson is much better! We have nice parents, a good community, wonderful principals, and good staff! I love everything about Peterson, but I love working with the kids, especially the pre-k and kindergarten. The kids are why I keep coming back every year. I have so many great memories. I remember one of the parents, my best friend, had left the school after her kids graduated, but now I get to see her again because her grandkids go here! It makes me so happy to see her again! All five of my daughters graduated from Peterson. My twins are 36 years old and my baby is 27, and one of my daughters just turned 30!"