An English language arts teacher from Central District 301, has been named the 2019 Kane County Educator of the Year.

Tina Scruggs, who teaches at Prairie Knolls Middle School, received the award Friday, May 3, during a ceremony at the Q Center in St. Charles.

“Teachers are in a position to do such great things and to help our students,” she said in an earlier interview. “It’s a very powerful position as we are responsibly for giving them the tools to be successful throughout not only in the classroom but in the real world.”

The Kane County Regional Office of Education holds the event annually. The the 44^th Educator of the Year Ceremony had a superhero theme, with promotion and ceremony that rivaled the Avenger’s Endgame.

The event honored 36 distinguished educators who were nominated by local committees and are seen as having the respect and admiration of students, parents, co-workers, and community members, who play active and useful roles in their communities and in their schools, and who distinguishing themselves as leaders.

“Tonight, we celebrate the years of education, leadership, assistance, and inspiration in our schools and for our students,” Regional Superintendent Pat Dal Santo said during the event. “We honor the hours spent dedicated to engaging students and inspiring the young minds of the future.”

The award winners included:

Regional Superintendent Award

Rachel Rodriguez, Central High School, District 301

“A great day for me would involve a student who normally struggles to get to school show up for class,” Rodriguez states. “That’s a success for me. We came up with a plan and sat down and was able to get them into school.”

Private/Parochial Teacher Award

James Kidston, Elgin Academy

“I’m proud every single time one of my students figure something out which they do regularly.” he said. “I figure the more the students figure out for themselves the better which is why my teaching method is to give them the bare minimum and work for it themselves.”

Educational Service Personnel Award

Susan Sensor, Blackberry Creek Elementary, District 302

“The first kid I ever worked with was in first grade (at the time), and he just graduated from high school,” she said. “I know that he’s doing very well on his own and is very successful, so for me, I feel a satisfaction in being a part of his journey to help get him where he is today.”

Student Support Personnel Award

Karen Osborne, Fox Meadow Elementary, District U-46

“The first kid I ever worked with was in first grade (at the time), and he just graduated from high school,” she said. “I know that he’s doing very well on his own and is very successful, so for me, I feel a satisfaction in being a part of his journey to help get him where he is today.”

Early Career Educator Award

Kevin Ryan Ongtengco, West Aurora High School, District 129

“The first kid I ever worked with was in first grade (at the time), and he just graduated from high school,” she said. “I know that he’s doing very well on his own and is very successful, so for me, I feel a satisfaction in being a part of his journey to help get him where he is today.”

Preschool Teacher of the Year

Denise Halleran, O’Donnell Elementary, District 131

“I think, as a teacher, our ultimate goal is to help the students become completely self actualized,” she said. “You want them to love school. When they’re confident and they love school — that is what we want as educators.”

Elementary School Teacher of the Year

Christine Purnell, Kaneland John Stewart Elementary, District 302

“Of course the teachers are expected to teach and help the students learn,” she said. “But I think at the end of the day, what is most important is making sure the kids take away a social component. No matter their grades or where they end up, I want them to feel safe and secure in my classroom.”

Middle School Teacher of the Year

Katherine White-Seydel, Carpentersville Middle School, District 300

“The creative types draw their energy from the kids and watching them get really involved in my projects,” White-Seydel said. “I was doing a demonstration and all this kids said it was magic, and I thought to myself: It is.”

High School Teacher of the Year

Derek Sutor, Geneva High School, District 304

“I got help through elementary school, middle school, high school, and college,” Sutor said. “I’ve always had help through my struggles, and I thought: What better of a way to give back than to help students who also need it? If I can give someone hope, then this is worth it.”

School Administrator of the Year

Stephen Morrill, Thompson Middle School, District 303

“Middle School is a societal secret because if you’re not here, people in the real work think there is no way I would want to spend time at that level,” he said. “More times than not, Middle School (years) were the most challenging times in your life, and we help grow their freedom and give them a longer leash. The teachers here really help facilitate that.”

For more information on the event or access to photos and various media used throughout the night, please contact Matthew Muntner at 630-675-4446 or mmuntner@kaneroe.org.

Meet The Other Nominees

• Week 1: #EOTY44 Week 1: Meet 12 Inspiring Educators from D-303 and District U-46!
• Week 2: #EOTY44 Week 2: Meet 12 Amazing Educators from D-303, Central 301 and Kaneland!
  
• Week 3: #EOTY44 Week 3: Meet 12 Brilliant Educators from Batavia 101, West Aurora 129, and East Aurora 131!

About The Regional Office of Education

The Kane County ROE is located in Geneva and serves nine school districts. From teacher licensure assistance to professional development, the ROE’s mission is to advocate for education, provide leadership and perform regulatory functions. Learn more about the ROE’s offerings on Facebook, Twitter and by signing up for the semimonthly newsletter.