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Westfield kindergarten teacher Laura Lipinski is CCSD 89 Educator of the Year

Westfield Elementary School kindergarten teacher Laura Lipinski is the Community Consolidated School District 89 Educator of the Year. At the 60th annual Glen Ellyn Community Awards on March 12, Lipinski will be honored by the Chamber of Commerce for making Glen Ellyn a better place to live, learn, and work.

Lipinski has taught kindergarten at Westfield since the district opened its full-day program. Her class is filled with learning, singing, and the more-than-occasional festive costume. She’s known for helping kids grow academically while preparing them to be lifelong learners.

Laura Lipinski with students“We are so fortunate to have Laura teaching in our district. She is a caring, dedicated, and passionate educator,” said CCSD 89 superintendent Doug Eccarius. “We appreciate all that she does to support our youngest learners, their parents, and her colleagues. Even though this is Laura’s last year before retirement, she has as much passion and energy as a first-year teacher.”

This is Lipinski’s 30th year at CCSD 89. After four years teaching in Chicago, she began her CCSD 89 career as a reading recovery teacher for Arbor View and Westfield elementary schools, while also teaching half-day kindergarten at Park View then Westfield. She then worked as an instructional coach at Westfield. When the district started full-day kindergarten, she knew that she wanted to work with those young learners.

“I love that age group,” Lipinski said. “They love school, they love you, and they love everything in their day. And the families make teaching easy because they’re so supportive.”

Westfield principal Kristen Ulery says many Westfield families have fond memories of their child’s first year in school because they were part of Lipinski’s classroom. But her impact is felt beyond her own class.

“She contributes so much to the staff,” Ulery said. “She’s such a great teacher but she’s also a mentor who has impacted the instruction in so many classrooms.”

Lipinski was shocked to learn she had been selected as Educator of the Year.

“I’m humbled,” she said. “I’ve worked over the last 34 years with so many amazing people and I’ve learned so much from so many of them. There’s so many wonderful people that I feel would deserve something like this.”

Posted: February 26, 2024

 

To see a video of Lipinski being surprised with the Educator of the Year announcement, go here: https://youtu.be/Bt5eoMlIY7c