District 161 school board grants tenure to 33 teachers at the March 9 board meeting.

Under new Illinois Board of Education rules, staff hired after July 1, 2023, receive tenure after three years. Previously, tenure was granted after four years. Tenure was awarded to 24 teachers who have successfully completed three years:

• Katie Bernecker, Western Avenue, 3rd Grade.
• Amy Boyd, Western Avenue, 5th Grade.
• Daniel Burke, Flossmoor Hills, Music.
• Mackenzie Cali, Western Avenue, 3rd Grade.
• Jeff Giegoldt, Heather Hill, Special Education.
• Bailey Golliday, Parker Junior High, English Language Arts.
• Patricia Green, Parker Junior High, Special Education.
• Jennifer Hall, Parker Junior High, Art.
• Terri Harrison, Serena Hills, 4th Grade.
• Sineh Joba, Western Avenue, 4th Grade.
• Dana King, Parker Junior High, Social Worker.
• Amber Lewis, Parker Junior High, English Language Arts.
• Andrew Lopez, Parker Junior High, Band.
• Christina Loyd, Serena Hills, 2nd Grade.
• Caitlin McQueen, Serena Hills, 3rd Grade.
• Lauren Newton, Western Avenue, 2nd Grade.
• Abigayle Pedigo, Serena Hills, Music.
• Jacob Pritchard, Parker Junior High, Music.
• Amy Raftery, Serena Hills, Kindergarten.
• Deonna Randle-El Chielo, Parker Junior High, Science.
• Katelyn Rodgers, Serena Hills, 3rd Grade.
• Michael Sheryk, Parker Junior High, Math.
• Melissa Symowicz, Western Avenue, Art.
• Debbie Wirtz, Heather Hill, 4th Grade.

Tenure was granted to teachers hired before July 1, 2023, who have successfully completed four years of probationary service with the district: 

• AJ Diller, Parker Junior High, Orchestra.
• Miesha Hill, Parker Junior High, Social Studies.
• Morgan Meloy, Parker Junior High, Social Studies.
• Chaunteney Pritchett, Parker Junior High, Special Education.
• Toyi Spaulding, Heather Hill, Speech Pathologist.
• Rudolph Tracy, Western Avenue, Physical Education.
• Katie Veit, Western Avenue, 3rd Grade.
• Latanza Waters-Miller, Heather Hill, Reading Specialist.
• Allison Wisniewski, Flossmoor Hills, Social Worker.