February Spotlight Staff Member

Welcome to February's installment of SLI's Staff Member of the Month!  This month we are featuring an outstanding professional development team manager and facilitator.  She is a former classroom teacher and librarian.  She continues to set the bar amazingly high for all of us. Congratulations to this month's featured staff member: Terezka Jirasek.  Let's get to know a little more about this outstanding woman!

SLI: How did you become involved with SLI?

TJ: I started working for SLI after being a teacher participant in their workshops with the Chicago Learning Collaborative for three years at John Spry Community School.

SLI: Why did you choose to become involved in education?

TJ: I chose to become a teacher after 13 years as a long term care administrator followed by a year working with runaway/throw away kids in Hollywood.  During that very pivotal time, I learned that next to parents, teachers had the greatest impact on their young, challenging lives. With that inspiration, I returned to school and studied for my Master's in Teaching.



SLI: We'd like to get a little silly with you now.  Have you ever been mistaken for a celebrity? If so, who?

TJ: It's never happened to me and I really can't think of anyone.

SLI: What is the best movie you have seen lately?

TJ: Hmmm...Does The Sound of Music count?

SLI: Did your parents ever tell you why they chose your name?

TJ: No, but I think I'll ask my mom!!

SLI: If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

TJ: I'd like to think of myself as yellow: being bright, spreading light, and trying to radiate sunshine.

SLI: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

TJ: Coconut

SLI: Which grade in school was your favorite and why?

TJ: Second grade was awesome! I could read and I had a truly loving, wonderful teacher named Mother Petra. I tried to always remember her unending kindness when I taught 2nd graders.

SLI: Do you have any pets?

TJ: Not currently, but I definitely consider myself to be a dog-person!

Thanks so much to Terezka for taking the time to tell us about herself! Congratulations on being the spotlight staff member of the month!!