Aurora principal top pick at annual Kane educator awards
By Emily McFarlan emcfarlan@stmedianetwork.com May 14, 2012 5:22PM
Updated: June 14, 2012 8:23AM
Top prize at the 37th annual Kane County Educator of the Year Awards Banquet went to Principal Edward W. Brouch of O’Donnell Elementary School in Aurora, part of East Aurora School District 131.
The banquet was held Friday night at the Pheasant Run Resort Mega Center, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles.
Brouch was just one of 32 educators nominated for Kane County Educator of the Year, according to the Kane County Regional Office of Education. All were recognized Friday as Distinguished Educators.
And several local teachers — one from Elgin School District U46 and one from Carpentersville-area Community Unit School District 300 — also were awarded at the dinner, according to a list of winners provided Friday afternoon by the Kane County Regional Office of Education.
Evelyn Gay Rupert, a choral music teacher at Bartlett High School, was named D.L. Hoeft High School Teacher of the Year, alongside Lori A. Drumtra of St. Charles East High School, part of nearby St. Charles Community Unit School District 303. Rupert has 32 years of experience as an educator, the Kane County Office of Education said.
Jill Lorene Fox, a learning disabilities resource teacher at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School, was named R.B. Mades Associate Educator of the Year, alongside Judith D. Donner of the Mades-Johnstone Center in St. Charles.
Fox will retire this month at the end of the school year, according to the District 300 website. Her “positive attitude and willingness to help both students and colleagues will be sorely missed,” the site said.
Other area teachers honored Friday included Zandra McGuire of Central Middle School of Burlington, who was awarded J.L. Hanson Middle School Teacher of the Year. Gail L. Stover of Prairie View Grade School near Elgin, part of Central Community School District 301, won Elementary Teacher of the Year, alongside Nancy Lee Meisenger of Kaneland John Shields Elementary School in Sugar Grove.
In addition, Cynthia Bustos of Bardwell Elementary School in Aurora and Bernard Michels of Batavia High School won the Kane County Support Staff Award. Margarito Valdez of Simmons Middle School in Aurora won the Regional Office of Education Award.
Principal Terrance T. Bleau of Geneva Middle School South was awarded Administrator of the Year.
The banquet is “an evening to celebrate education in Kane County,” the regional office has said.
Teachers and administrators throughout the county nominate educators for the awards.
Those nominated have the respect and admiration of students, parents and co-workers; play active and useful roles in their communities; and often distinguish themselves as leaders, according to the regional office.
