One of our new “old” additions is Social Studies teacher Ms. Eve Winiarski who previously worked at Lemont as a teacher and LRC intern. She graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with an undergrad in History and Education along with a Masters in Liberal Arts: Culture and Society from North Central College. When she’s not teaching, she spends her time traveling. “I spent three months last year living and volunteering in Africa,” said Winiarski. There, she was able to experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like taking a stroll with lions, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, swimming with sharks, and teaching local children. Her advice to all students is to study abroad and, while in high school, try taking an AP class. “You may struggle in (a) class, but it is the best way to prepare yourself for the rigors of college while still being with the students and teachers you feel comfortable with in high school,” said Winiarski, also mentioning that  AP classes look great on transcripts. Her one goal for this school year is to help her students do well on the upcoming AP exams.

Joining the FACS department is Ms. Meghan Klein who was previously a student teacher here under the guidance of recent retiree Mrs. Kathy Nollinger. She has an undergrad in Secondary Education alongside Family and Consumer Sciences from Eastern Illinois University. She also received her Masters from Governors State University in Educational Administration. “Lemont has always proudly displayed a sense of school pride. Whether it be in academics, clubs, sports, or teams… I have always loved how dedicated the community is towards LHS and all of their achievements,” said Klein who hopes to get heavily involved in activities here at Lemont. Klein can also be spotted on the field; she is the Assistant Cheerleading Coach. However, next school year, she will no longer be ‘Ms. Klein’ because she is due to be married on July 7th, 2017 after being proposed to at the 50-yard line on her previous high school’s field. This will be Klein’s eighth year teaching.

Also joining the FACS department is Mrs. Marcy Paddock. Before teaching math at Reavis High School, she graduated from the University of Illinois and Saint Xavier University. In her free time, she is a visiting professor at DeVry University teaching math, nutrition, health, and wellness while also working at Excel Edge test prep. At Lemont, “We have so much time to prepare the different recipes and have time to try it too,” said Paddock, explaining that the block schedule is beneficial for teaching and learning. Her goal for this year is to show students that cooking nutritious meals can be fun and easy. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys traveling, doing yoga, and spending time with her children.

A big ‘Hallo’ to new German teacher, Mr. Peter Blank, who has very unique transcripts. He attended Tabor High School in the Netherlands and graduated from both the University of Amsterdam and Indiana University. While getting to know the teaching community here at LHS, he hopes to “Open doors and worlds for students (and to) bring closer what may seem out of reach,” said Blank. This past summer, his daughter – Eleanor – was born which he said caused his Goldendoodle, Henry, to get jealous and eat all of his shoes. Also, he shared that in Europe, Tom-Tom means a GPS. His goal for this year is to help students “Discover the fun of language and German,” said Blank.

Returning to the Lemont High School scene is Mrs. Janet Frano. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University and a Masters from Northern Illinois University before teaching and counseling at Downers Grove for 11 years. Frano was influenced by her high school English teachers and her father who was also a teacher. “We are very much alike in our philosophy of helping kids succeed,” said Frano, describing how although he taught math, he was still a big inspiration. Upon arriving at Lemont, she noticed right away the friendliness of the students and staff on campus. Her goal for this year is to be involved in school events and introduce technology to the learning environment. Aside from teaching, Frano enjoys reading, watching scary movies, and spending time with her two sport-loving kids.

Joining the Physical Education department is Ms. Tracy Rainey. After graduating from Lake Forest College and receiving a Masters degree from Northern Illinois University, Rainey found herself in Lemont as a softball coach for three years before becoming a gym teacher. “During that time, I was able to see how special Lemont really is. There is a sense of pride, tradition, and positive learning environment that is unlike any high school I have been a part of,” said Rainey. “One goal I have for this year is to teach the importance of physical activity, overall fitness, and wellness to my freshman and sophomore classes,” said Rainey. A unique thing about this sport-lover is that she has a twin sister.

Along with a new course, there is a new teacher in the Business Department: Mr. Matthew Jordan. He graduated from Illinois State University in 1986 and was an employee of accounting, treasury, and finance companies throughout the Chicagoland area for 20 years. However, in 2011 Jordan began to substitute teach for fourteen high schools. “When I decided that 20 years of numbers was enough, I went back to school to pursue a teaching degree,” said Jordan who came to Lemont to teach Sports and Entertainment Marketing. He has two children, one in college and the other in high school. “I constantly poll my high school aged daughter to get ideas for the classroom. She hates it, but until she starts paying rent, she has to put up with it,” said Jordan. His goal for this year is to get as many kids as possible interesting in Sports and Entertainment Marketing.

The newest addition to the Math Department is Mrs. Hasitha Pieters. After receiving an undergrad from the University of Illinois-Chicago, she attended both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Concordia University for graduate school. Her college experience led her to want to be a teacher; “I love the ability to create lessons and connect with students,” said Pieters. She spends her time gardening and being with her three kids and two dogs that just moved with her and her husband from Indiana. Upon finding Lemont, Pieters said that she “was really hoping for a school with a ‘small town feel’ where (she) could get to know the staff and students,” explaining that she was seeking a town to grow roots in. “I love coming to work every day and I don’t think many can say that,” said Pieters whose one goal is to use her school time wisely and be involved in various school events.