A passion for literacy could earn statewide recognition for a teacher and a school in Hanover Park.

Renae Kraetsch, a reading recovery teacher at Einstein Elementary School, is one of eight teachers statewide to be named a finalist for the Illinois 2007-08 Teacher of the Year.

Schaumburg Township Consolidated School District 54 staff nominated her in April.

“I’m really honored that the district even felt I’d be a good candidate,” Kraetsch said. “We have a lot of hard-working teachers.”

Terri McHugh, community relations director for the district, said officials thought she’d make a good nominee for the award after she received a district honor recently.

“We already knew Renae was a fantastic teacher,” she added. “It’s great the state of Illinois knows it as well.”

Reading Recovery is a program that helps first-graders who are low-achievers in reading. Kraetsch meets one-on-one with her students for 30 minutes each day for 12 to 20 weeks until they reach grade-level literacy.

“I’ve seen students who have been given better literacy skills, and I know how the improvements have made life easier for these students,” Kraetsch said.

Kraetsch also created a guided-reading book room, which provides resources for teachers throughout Einstein School to use in their classes. The room contains books at various reading levels covering different subjects so teachers can use materials best suited for their students, she added.

“This was based on best practices,” Kraetsch said. “Students learn best at their levels, and we needed more books.”

Kraetsch first organized Einstein School’s book room during the 2004-05 school year, and since then it has continued to grow. She recently was able to expand the room’s Spanish book collection with a $9,000 grant she received from Verizon Wireless Foundation, according to District 54.

This is Kraetsch’s fourth year at Einstein School. Previously she was a special education teacher in Wisconsin.

She lives in Bartlett with her husband, Mark.
“We are looking for teachers who go above and beyond every single day, Teachers who are passionate about what they do.” Illinois Teacher of the Year Program Coordinator Ann Muraro said.

The purpose of the award, which is funded by the state government and run by the Illinois State Board of Education, is to publicly recognize excellence in teaching. The winner serves as an ambassador for teaching, representing teachers all over the state, she added.

Kraetsch traveled to Springfield in August for an interview with Muraro.

A panel of former Teacher of the Year winners will review a video of the all the candidates’ interviews and score each of them.

The finalists with the top three scores will then be reviewed by State Superintendent Christopher Koch, who will choose the winner, said Muraro.
Koch’s decision will be announced Oct. 13, she added.

This is the second time District 54 has had a teacher named as a finalist for the Illinois Teacher of the Year Award, said McHugh.

Mike Coy, a teacher at Mead Junior High School in Elk Grove Village, received the honor for the 2006-07 school year.