Today, I have the privilege of speaking with Rosie Walker, a professional educator who has been making those kinds of differences in individual lives for nearly a quarter of a century. She has taught at the middle school level and now helps to prepare first graders for what lies beyond. As the father of a first grader, myself, I have a profound appreciation for the work Rosie Walker does everyday. Brick by brick, and day by day, she is helping her students lay important foundations in math, reading, communication, kindness, empathy, and so much more. In our discussion, Rosie clearly comes across as someone who has an intellectual understanding of the impact she and her colleagues have on these kids, but what she may not fully appreciate for several more years, is that it is they who will recognize her, with great pride and visceral appreciation on that chance encounter in Walmart 20-years from now.

Today, I get to sit down with Ottawa’s Jen Lawsha, someone who has made a life’s work in Special Education. She is deeply committed to our students, their families, and to her profession. She’s got a great sense of humor and is, frankly, kind of a big deal. The profundity and outright importance of the work educators do on a day-to-day basis is often misunderstood and is, I think, especially so in the realm of Special Education. Without the efforts of strong professional educators like Jen Lawsha, our community would be a very different place. And, to those students she serves—and their families—that is certainly the case. In that respect, Jen and her colleagues are putting a real dent in the universe and we are absolutely cheering them on.

Today, I have the privilege of speaking with a professional educator who has been making those kinds of differences in the lives of students for more than 34-years. She has taught in widely ranging environments, she has served as a groundbreaking administrator, she has simultaneously served two under-resourced Western Illinois districts by filling both superintendencies at the same time, and now she very capably leads Ottawa’s Elementary School District 141. I met Dr. Michelle Lee late last summer and immediately knew that this was someone who knew how to get things done; who had a demonstrable track record for doing so. So, I am very much looking forward to getting to know her better during this discussion and sharing her story with the community. 

Join me in my conversation with Custodian Jerry Castelli, District 141 parent and alumnus, lover of nostalgic Ottawa eateries, mid-80’s guide to historical downtown, and a genuinely nice guy. There are few professional opportunities we have as adults that provide a deeper sense of fulfillment than working with kids. There is something inherently rewarding about knowing you made a difference in the life of a young person. Fred Rogers, longtime host of the public television program, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, was fond of admonishing his young viewers to ‘look for the helpers,’ “they’re always there,’ he’d say. In a world with countless gauntlets to be navigated between childhood and adulthood, it really does take a village, and people like Jerry Castelli are incredibly instrumental in those helper roles far beyond the language in their job descriptions. A simple smile in the morning can change a kid’s day, a little extra guidance in the lunchroom can help establish good habits, and just knowing there are people like Jerry around who are caring, not only for our facilities but for our kids, gives me hope for a positive future.

We chat with Nate Pinter, Principal at Jefferson, and Alecia Ruiz, District Social Worker, about the addition of a very special student this year— Murphy, the Facility Therapy Dog! So often view education through a rather standard lens; perhaps the very lens we looked through during our own time at school. But the truth is, there is no absolute in the approach to the education of a child. Every child is unique and every generation has a different set of environmental backdrops during their time in school. There are as many different kinds of teachable moments as there are children in our schools, and I view the addition of Murphy as a truly wonderful response to that reality. Because, for all our efforts to educate our children, there may be no greater lesson than that of empathy, kindness, compassion, and fair play. And I can think of no greater ambassador of those traits than our new friend, Murphy.