District 202’s CAPE parent group recognized outstanding parents, community members, teachers and staff members for their dedication to students, their schools and community at the 40th annual CAPE awards night on March 24 at Plainfield High School – Central Campus.
CAPE is District 202’s committee for the Coordination of Administration and Parent groups for Educational efficiency. It serves as a “bridge” between district leadership and the parent groups for all 30 District 202 schools.
The group presented its “Lifetime Member Award” to PHSCC secretary Pauline Herbst.
She has worked for District 202 for 19 years as both secretary to the assistant principal and to the principal at PHSCC.
Herbst is renowned for her work every year with the Community Homecoming Parade and to coordinate the PHSCC graduation ceremony.
She was also very active with the school’s parent organization when her children were in school and remains active with the group even now.
Herbst also works with St. Mary Immaculate Parish, among other volunteer services.
CAPE presented its 2016 CAPE Award to PHSCC Principal Bob Smith.
Smith has worked in District 202 for 21 years, starting as a dean at Plainfield High School in 1995.
He was named assistant principal in 1999 and then principal in 2008. Smith is retiring in June 2016.
Smith was described as encouraging, influential, active, available and supportive, and as a true advocate for PHSCC students.
He was praised for personally connecting with students in school and at extracurricular events.
He is also active with the Will County Farm Bureau and is a true farming advocate, having taught agriculture in Minooka. Smith has also coached wrestling.
These staff and community members were recognized for their service at the CAPE ceremony:
Bonnie McBeth Learning Center
Katie Arbogast — Teacher of the Year
Jodi Oliver — Support Staffer of the Year
Nicole Urban — Volunteer of the Year
Eagle Pointe Elementary School
Scott Samek — Teacher of the Year
Kim Anderson — Support Staffer of the Year
Donna Williams — Volunteer of the Year
Freedom Elementary School
Kristina Uzzo – Teacher of the Year
Shirley Morris — Support Staffer of the Year
Denise Stephen — Volunteer of the Year
Lincoln Elementary School
Judy Olson – Teacher of the Year
Cathy Husted – Support Staffer of the Year
Matt Mellen – Volunteer of the Year
Walker’s Grove Elementary School
Meaghan Weber – Teacher of the Year
Sandi Ferdon – Support Staffer of the Year
Jenny Bowen – Volunteer of the Year
Heritage Grove Middle School
Faith Whitfield — Teacher of the Year
Angie Person — Support Staffer of the Year
Maria Koziel — Volunteer of the Year
Ira Jones Middle School
Karen Blair – Teacher of the Year.
Loretta Ryan — Support Staffer of the Year
Elaine Clark — Volunteer of the Year
Plainfield North High School
Jason Hawkins – Teacher of the Year
Leslie Goodson — Support Staffer of the Year
Monica Muller — Volunteer of the Year
Creekside Elementary School
Denise Malek – Teacher of the Year
Dana Healy – Support Staffer of the Year
Julia Henderson — Volunteer of the Year
Eichelberger Elementary School
Tim Wilke — Teacher of the Year
Anne Savickas — Support Staf of the Year
Megan Ray — Volunteer of the Year
Lakewood Falls Elementary School
Devon Eich – Teacher of the Year
Kristen Giemzik – Support Staffer of the Year
Susan Pamon – Volunteer of the Year
Liberty Elementary School
Megan Pullos – Teacher of the Year
Sonia Irmune — Support Staffer of the Year
Jacki Bliss – Volunteer of the Year
John F. Kennedy Middle School
Kristin Stratton – Teacher of the Year
Lisa Dunn – Support Staffer of the Year
Sosena Zewidie – Special Award/Student
Plainfield East High School
Lisa Simon – Teacher of the Year
Mary Kerzich – Support Staffer of the Year
Walter Grba – Volunteer of the Year
Charles Reed Elementary School
Danielle Smith — Teacher of the Year
Sherry Unholz — Support Staffer of the Year
Lydia Alfaro — Volunteer of the Year
Meadow View Elementary School
Christine Baumruck — Teacher of the Year
Sherri Gunderson — Support Staffer of the Year
Ann Lambert — Volunteer of the Year
Ridge Elementary School
Ann Smelser — Teacher of the Year
Lisa Burrows — Support Staffer of the Year
Maggie DePrey — Volunteer of the Year
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
Jill Ballas — Teacher of the Year
Bob Reichenbach — Support Staffer of the Year
Melinda Kuzmicki — Volunteer of the Year
Wesmere Elementary School
Jacob Weisbrodt — Teacher of the Year
Christine Kotarba — Support Staffer of the Year
Erin Beu — Volunteer of the Year
Aux Sable Middle School
Karen Bedore — Teacher of the Year
Maria Imburgia — Support Staffer of the Year
Anne O’Leary — Volunteer of the Year
Drauden Point Middle School
Rebecca Vant – Teacher of the Year
Lynn Confiliano – Support Staffer of the Year
Jennifer Haukohl – Volunteer of the Year
Plainfield South High School
Hannah Christie – Teacher of the Year
Barb Kowalski – Support Staffer of the Year
Tom Mulcahy – Volunteer of the Year
Central Elementary School
Melissa Green – Teacher of the Year
Mary Corban — Support Staffer of the Year
Krista Laskowski – Volunteer of the Year
Crystal Lawns Elementary School
Dawn Alexander — Teacher of the Year
Jackie Antos — Support Staffer of the Year
Andrea Wrona – Volunteer of the Year
Grand Prairie Elementary School
Samantha Lauwers — Teacher of the Year
Patti Schwab — Support Staffer of the Year
Melissa Cavenaile – Volunteer of the Year
River View Elementary School
Tasha Nowak — Teacher of the Year
Amy Jaracz — Support Staffer of the Year
Kristie Hanna – Volunteer of the Year
Plainfield Academy
Deb Thorne – Teacher of the Year
Melissa George – Support Staffer of the Year
Paulette Hanton-Brooks – Volunteer of the Year
Indian Trail Middle School
Joy Seput – Teacher of the Year
Kim Kazmirzak – Volunteer of the Year
Rebecca Brannock – Special “Friend of Education” Award
Timber Ridge Middle School
Yolanda Pulido – Teacher of the Year
Angela Townsend – Support Staffer of the Year
Plainfield High School – Central Campus
Debbie Pohlman — Teacher of the Year
Linda Hart — Support Staffer of the Year
Jeff Reach — Volunteer of the Year