The Flossmoor District 161 Board of Education #AboveAndBeyond winner for the third quarter of the school year is Mary Ann Crispe, a special education paraprofessional at Western Avenue School.
Crispe was recognized at the school board’s April 21 meeting. She was nominated by her colleague Amy Vitale, a second grade teacher at Western Avenue School. Crispe and Vitale worked together in the same classroom this year.
Grade Teacher Amy Vitale and Western Avenue Paraprofessional
Mary Ann Crispe. Front row, Lindsay Epley, a second grader at
Western Avenue School. (Chris Weber/H-F Chronicle)
“It’s just incredible to see the patience,” Vitale said of Crispe. “Teachers go through their challenges daily, but sometimes we forget the paraprofessionals. They are there seven and a half hours with a child all day long, and sometimes they don’t get credit.”
Vitale looked back at Crispe and said, “Inside and out, you’re an incredible person.”
Crispe thanked the board and Vitale for the recognition. “I guess I’ve been at Western all these years because I absolutely love my job,” she said. “I don’t know if too many people can get up in the morning and be happy to go to work. I love my job; I love the district.”
Crispe has worked as a paraprofessional at Western Avenue for 24 years.
In other news, Superintendent Dana Smith announced that Western Avenue Principal Gina Isabelli will be taking a position in a different district next school year.
“I’m so grateful to Dr. Isabelli for her hard work and her commitment to the students, families and staff members in our school district, and I am very confident that she’ll do great work as she moves forward in her career,” Smith said.
The district plans to fill the vacancy as soon as possible. Multiple rounds of interviews are scheduled to begin in May. Smith said he wants to recommend a potential candidate to the board at the June 9 meeting.