News Release
Homer CCSD 33C
Goodings Grove Luther J. Schilling William E. Young William J. Butler
Hadley Middle Homer Jr. High
Contact:
Charla Brautigam, Communications/Public Relations Manager
cbrautigam@homerschools.org
| 708-226-7628
For Immediate Release:
May 16, 2017
Homer 33C Superintendent trades administrative duties for
playground duty
Returns to the classroom to fill in for a teacher who wins
Appreciation Week raffle
It takes a lot of heart, soul and effort to be a teacher.
To show her appreciation, Homer 33C Superintendent Kara Coglianese held
a raffle this month, offering one lucky teacher an opportunity to take the
afternoon off while she filled in for them in the classroom.
“This is just a small gesture to let all of you know how much I appreciate
the hard work that you do every day for our students and families,” she told
teachers as she announced the raffle during Teacher Appreciation Week.
More than 60 teachers took her up on the offer and eagerly entered the
raffle.
On May 5, as Teachers Union Representative Cathy Clayton looked on,
Coglianese drew the winning name using a computerized random number
generator.
It selected Schilling School kindergarten teacher Megan Ondreja, who
surrendered her class of 24 kindergartners (11 boys and 13 girls) to
Coglianese on May 12.
She made sure the class didn’t miss a beat, reviewing detailed lesson plans
with the “substitute” the day before and inviting her to spend time with the
students so that they could become better acquainted with her.
“I know she was very busy,” said Ondreja, “as I left her full detailed plans
(as I would any other substitute in my classroom).”
Coglianese reported to duty shortly after noon on Friday, May 12.
While Ondreja left to enjoy the free afternoon, Coglianese accompanied
students to the lunchroom and then playground.
I
t took no time for the kindergartners to warm up to the Superintendent,
who once taught first, fourth and fifth grade. One youngster asked her to
help him tie his shoe. Another asked her to intervene when a classmate kept
chasing a group of girls.
“If you don’t run, he won’t chase you,” she advised the three girls.
At 12:55 p.m., the group returned to the classroom to resume their
studies, which included a biology lesson on stems and plant growth and a
geometry lesson on three-dimensional shapes and sequencing.
“Be sure to raise your hand,” she told students as they gathered around
her for their first lesson. “I want to hear what you have to say.”
Each time she asked a question about plant stems, leaves or roots, hands
shot up in the air.
The enthusiasm continued as she asked students to identify various
geometrical shapes, including triangles, squares and circles.
“I’m so impressed with what’s going on at the kindergarten level and how
much the children have learned in one year,” she said.
By the end of the day, Coglianese was ready for a little R&R.
“I’m looking forward to going home and putting my feet up,” she
confessed.
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