GIFTS OF GRATITUDE
Not every teacher worthy of recognition will win an A+ Award, but every teacher can be recognized with a Gift of Gratitude. Through this donation to the IPEF, you express your gratitude to that special teacher or staff member that has gone ‘above and beyond’ for your student. Your honoree receives a personalized certificate with a custom message from you to commemorate your gratitude.
Your tax-deductible Gifts of Gratitude donation supports IPEF’s Teacher Innovation Grants program. Gifts of any size are meaningful, welcome and discreet – donation amounts are not disclosed to the honoree.
Thank you for taking the steps to honor a staff member! Gifts of Gratitude will be available December 1-December 15, 2023.
Note: December Gifts of Gratitude will be distributed before Winter Break.
The A+ Award
The A+ Award is presented each month to an outstanding district teacher or staff member who consistently goes ‘above and beyond’ for their students, often making the difference between a student floundering or flourishing. The award recipients receive $1,000 for their classrooms and well-deserved recognition throughout the district and community.
A+ Award nominations are welcome from parents, alumni, community members and especially students (note that IPSD 204 staff members cannot submit nominations). A nomination includes a brief essay describing how the staff member has positively impacted students.
And your nomination has staying power: if not selected in the month you submit, it’s ‘rolled over’ for consideration each month through the end of the school year.
| September | Laura Cavallaro | Welch Elementary School (1st Grade Teacher) |
| October | James Fox | Neuqua Valley High School (Math Teacher) |
| November | Arjun Gupta | Fry Elementary School (4th Grade Teacher) |
| December | Brenda Grahn | Peterson Elementary School (4th Grade Teacher) |
| January | Jason Schmidtgall | Waubonsie Valley High School (Assistant Principal) |
| February | Michael Sillar | Crone Middle School (Chorus Teacher) |
| March | Kevin Garbis | Metea Valley High School (Special Education Teacher) |
| April | Keith Ferrell | Gombert Elementary School (Project Arrow Teacher) |
| May | Brad Lange | Hill Middle School (Math/Science Teacher) |
| September | LeeAnn Pietryk | McCarty Elementary School (4th Grade Teacher) |
| September | Michele Nowoj | Granger Middle School (6th PA Math Teacher) |
| September | Kathryn Kreutzer | Neuqua Valley High School (PE/Health Teacher) |
| October | Melinda Clawson | Graham Elementary School) (Kindergarten Teacher) |
| October | Dina Esposito | Scullen Middle School (Counselor) |
| October | Kevin Carroll | Waubonsie Valley High School (Marching Band Director) |
| November | Debi Swieter | Longwood Elementary School (4th Grade Teacher) |
| November | Jennifer Coombs | Still Middle School (ELA Teacher) |
| November | Ashley Elder | STEPS (Teacher and Case Manager) |
| December | Kathryn Hillebrand | Cowlishaw Elementary School (1st Grade Teacher) |
| December | Kelly Mulhern | Granger Middle School (6th Grade Social Studies Teacher) |
| December | Kristen Mansmith | Metea Valley High School English Teacher/Coach) |
| January | Jenny Horsey | Kendall Elementary School (Project Arrow Teacher) |
| January | Beth Piccininni | Hill MIddle School (PA Math Teacher) |
| January | David Johnston | Neuqua Valley High School (Math Teacher) |
| February | Jean Domyancic | Owen Elementary School (2nd Grade Teacher) |
| February | Sheila Mertes | Scullen MIddle School (Teaching Assistant) |
| February | Albert Zika | Metea Valley High School (Science Teacher) |
| March | Joyce Louis | Steck Elementary School (1st Grade Teacher) |
| March | Maria Santoyo | Gregory MIddle School (Science Teacher) |
| March | Donald Dvorak | Waubonsie Valley HIgh School (Art Teacher) |
| April | Brooke Falck | Peterson Elementary School (3rd Grade Teacher) |
| April | Terrye Neuenschwander | Fischer Middle School (7th ELA/Geography Teacher) |
| April | Sarah Bien | Neuqua Valley High School (Chinese Teacher) |
| May | Missy Paoletti | Gombert Elementary School (Speech & Language Pathologist) |
| May | Anne O’Neil | Hill Middle School (8th PA ELA/SS Teacher) |
| May | Michael O’Neill | Metea Valley High School (Social Studies Teacher) |
| October | Aileen Hannigan | Clow Elementary School (1st Grade Teacher) |
| October | Stephanie Kuehn | Granger Middle School (6th Grade Math Teacher) |
| October | Jen Kastner | Waubonsie Valley High School (English Teacher) |
| November | Jacki Knowles | Longwood Elementary School (2nd Grade Teacher) |
| November | Ann Ketcherside | Scullen Middle School (6th Grade Science Teacher) |
| November | Alyssa Schneider | Metea Valley High School (Math Teacher) |
| December | Mary Zalabak | Young Elementary School (Special Ed Teacher) |
| December | Patrick Clifford | Hill Middle School (ELA Teacher) |
| December | Erica Pavlik | Neuqua Valley High School (Business Teacher) |
| January | Robert Tesmond | Metea Valley High School (English Teacher) |
| January | Bryan Buss | Crone Middle School (ELA Teacher) |
| January | Megan Federhofer | Brookdale Elementary School (5th Grade Teacher) |
| February | Jason Verdin | Neuqua Valley High School (English Teacher) |
| February | Kathy Abraham | Granger Middle School (French Teacher) |
| February | Courtney Abrahamovich | Patterson Elementary School (5th grade Teacher) |
| March | Karen Kripas | Waubonsie High School (Math Teacher) |
| March | George Vellookunnel | Hill Middle School (ELA/Social Studies Teacher) |
| March | Michael Esser | May Watts Elementary School (Special Ed Teacher Teacher) |
| April | Jennifer Torza | Metea Valley High School (Health/PE Teacher) |
| April | Stephanie Burdiak | Still Middle School (6th grade Teacher) |
| April | Amy Park | Clow Elementary School (3rd grade Teacher) |
| May | Dave Calvert | Waubonsie Valley High School (English Teacher/Theater) |
| May | Caitlin DeBona | Fischer Middle School (8th Grade Teacher) |
| May | Rebeka Rodriguez | Brooks Elementary School (5th Grade Teacher) |
| September | Meghan Van Dorn | Owen Elementary School (Special Ed Teacher) |
| October | Holly Crawford | Brooks Elementary School (First Student School Bus Driver) |
| November | Jimmy Kennedy | Neuqua Valley High School (PE Teacher) |
| December | Eric Williams | Crone Middle School (PE Teacher) |
| January | Amit Vaid | May Watts Elementary School (5th Grade Teacher) |
| February | Kevin Wynard | Metea Valley High School(Social Worker) |
| March | Scott Schaffer | Gregory Middle School (Technology Teacher) |
| April | Michele Savant | Scullen Middle School (Special Education Teacher) |
| May | Matt Cooper | Graham Elementary School (PE Teacher) |
| October | Tony Annarino | Builta Elementary (Evening Custodian) |
| November | Amy Huetson | Granger Middle (PA Science Teacher) |
| December | Alexis Mansfield | Gombert Elementary (4th Grade Teacher) |
| January | Jeannie Dina | IPSD (Registration/Residency) |
| February | John Gelsomino | Neuqua Valley High School (Media Teacher) |
| March | Elaine Archey | Brooks Elementary (Teaching Assistant) |
| April | Colin Rust | Brookdale Elementary (4th Grade Teacher) |
| May | John Gibbs | Still Middle/Prairie Preschool (Coach, Teaching Assistant) |
| September | Jill DeFarno | Builta Elementary School (LMC Director) |
| October | Edgar Stewart | McCarty Elementary School(Crossing Guard) |
| November | Jennifer Rowe | Metea Valley High School(Dean) |
| December | Ryan Henry | Clow Elementary School(Music Teacher) |
| January | Cathie Prochaska | Cowlishaw Elementary Schoo;(2nd Grade Teacher) |
| February | Mariah Reed | Gombert Elementary School (2nd Grade Teacher) |
| March | Amanda Yee | Peterson Elementary School(2nd Grade Teacher) |
| April | Bernadette Jacobs | Fry Elementary School (Kindergarten Teacher) |
| May | Kim Haake | Waubonsie Valley High School (English Teacher) |
| September | Amanda Pyzik | Metea Valley High School (Guidance Counselor) |
| October | Sue Kuhn | Graham Elementary School (Secretary) |
| November | Katie Ammons | Steck Elementary School (Kindergarten Teacher) |
| December | Eugenia Latka | Waubonsie Valley High School (Math Teacher) |
| January | Michael Ackerman | Metea Valley High School (Special Olympics Coach) |
| February | Matt Ragusa | Neuqua Valley High School (Chemistry Teacher, Coach) |
| March | John Fleetwood | Spring Brook Elementary School (Head Custodian) |
| April | Jacki Provis | Indian Plains High School (Secretary) |
| May | Patty McElroy | Patterson Elementary School (Nurse) |
| September | Amanda Pyzik | Metea Valley High School (Guidance Counselor) |
| October | Sue Kuhn | Graham Elementary School (Secretary) |
| November | Katie Ammons | Steck Elementary School (Kindergarten Teacher) |
| December | Eugenia Latka | Waubonsie Valley High School (Math Teacher) |
| January | Michael Ackerman | Metea Valley High School (Special Olympics Coach) |
| February | Matt Ragusa | Neuqua Valley High School (Chemistry Teacher, Coach) |
| March | John Fleetwood | Spring Brook Elementary School (Head Custodian) |
| April | Jacki Provis | Indian Plains High School (Secretary) |
| May | Patty McElroy | Patterson Elementary School (Nurse) |
| October | Skaiste Zinkevicius | Hill Middle School (6th Grade Teacher) |
| November | Debra Crooks | Graham Elementary School (2nd Grade Teacher) |
| December | Megan Marco | Fry Elementary School (Support Teacher) |
| January | Liz Fay | Waubonsie Valley High School (English Teacher) |
| February | Carolyn Hesselink | White Eagle Elementary School (4th Grade Teacher) |
| March | Heidi Provost | Spring Brook Elementary School (5th Grade Teacher) |
| Terence White | Still Middle School (Science Teacher) | |
| Janice Hums | Welch Elementary School (5th Grade Teacher) | |
| Emily Binder | Neuqua Valley High School (Music Teacher) | |
| April | Lynne White | Granger Middle School (LMC Director) |
| May | Kiki Labianca | Gregory Middle School (Project Arrow Teacher) |