The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Ten students, two teachers receive U-46 recognition

By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 recognized 10 high school students and two teachers at its meeting on Monday, March 18.
  The students recognized included eight who were named all-state musicians by the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) and two who were selected to play in the pit orchestra for the Illinois High School Theatre Festival.
  “We offer robust musical programs and opportunities to students in U-46,” Jaimie Giraldo, coordinator of fine arts, said for a district press release. “Our dedicated music teachers provide inspiration and guidance, and these talented students are turning into superior musicians.”
  All-state musicians included senior Kara Hagan (chorus, tenor) of Bartlett High School, seniors Anthony Cortes (future music educators symposium) and Edward Power (future music educators symposium) of Elgin High School, sophomores Ayaka Vieira (orchestra, violin) and Aidan Klapperich (band, trombone) of Larkin High School and seniors Isabella Huynh (chorus, soprano) and Kiera Moore (chorus, alto) as well as junior Ruby Montgomery (chorus, soprano) of South Elgin High School.
  The two selected for the theater festival’s pit orchestra were from Streamwood High School, juniors David Burmann (clarinet and bass clarinet) and Sarah Beth Ballenger (violin).
  The all-state musicians performed in Peoria in January at the ILMEA education conference. The theater festival was also held in January at of Illinois State University in Normal.
  Additionally, two teachers were recognized for either becoming or renewing their National Board Certification.
  “National Board Certification is a self-reflective form of professional learning that defines and recognizes accomplished teaching,” a U-46 release stated. “The initial certification can take a teacher one to three years to complete; a teacher must go through a process to maintain their certificate every five years to keep it active.”
  Brittany Hennessey, a South Elgin High School English teacher, became certified and Gisselle Moreira, a dual language teacher at Elgin’s Hillcrest Elementary School, renewed her certification.
  “I always look for ways to improve my teaching, and I pursued the National Board Certification as a personal challenge for myself,” Hennessey said. “It helped me to be a more reflective teacher and to verbalize the why of what I’m teaching.”