Meet the 6th Grade Teachers
6th Grade Core Teachers
Number of Years Taught: 7
Teaches: LA, Social Studies
Education: Illinois Wesleyan University,
Masters from Lewis University
Favorite Sport: Soccer
Favorite Place to Travel: Europe
Hobbies: Reading, cooking, traveling
Favorite Book: Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
Favorite Quote: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
Ms. Erika Sajpel
Number of Years Taught: 11
Teaches: Math
Education: Bachelors in Education from University of Illinois @ U-C, working on Masters in Mathematics from University of Illinois @ Chicago
Favorite Sport: Baseball (to watch), Basketball (to play)
Favorite Place to Travel: Amsterdam, Holland
Hobbies: watching the Cubbies and the Illini, playing the piano and learning to play the guitar, photography, pottery, reading
Favorite Book: To Kill A Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye
Favorite Quote: Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference. -Jane Goodall
Number of Years Taught: 8 years,
Teaches: 7th and 8th grade French. 6th grade Language Arts
Education: Masters in French Literature at University of Illinois in Chicago
Favorite Sport: tennis
Favorite Place to Travel: Guadeloupe
Hobbies: traveling, gardening, tennis
Favorite Book: The Perfume by Patrick Suskind
Favorite Quote: Never settle for less than your best
Mrs. Amy Potts-Ostrowski
Number of Years Taught: 8
Teaches: Language Arts, Social Studies
Education: Undergrad at UIC, Graduate at National-Louis
Favorite Sport: Dancing (It's a sport!)
Favorite Place to Travel: Uncle's House in Three Lakes, WI
Hobbies: Reading, Photography
Favorite Book: Too many to choose! One of my favorite's is Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
Favorite Quote: "It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -Albus Dumbledore
Mrs. Kathy Beyer
Number of Years Taught: 21
Teaches: Spanish, French, Middle School Skills
Education: BA (Fontbonne College) MA (Nova Southeastern University)
Favorite Sport: I enjoy watching college football and basketball
Favorite Place to Travel: anywhere that has a beach and palm trees
Hobbies: Reading, gardening
Favorite Book:The Giver
Favorite Quote: Never Give Up
Ms. Erin Kiely
Number of Years Taught: 8th year of teaching,
Teaches: Academic Strategies,
Co-taught language arts
Education: Il State BA in Special Education,
National-Lewis MA in Curriculum & Instruction
Favorite Sport: Football and Baseball
Favorite Place to Travel: Napa Valley
Hobbies: Working out, Biking, traveling,
spending time with friends and family
Favorite Book: Teacher Man
Favorite Quote:
"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing that you will make one."
Mrs. Mary Ellen Kuikman
Number of Years Taught: 27
Teaches: Social Studies and Enriched Language Arts
Education: B.S.Ed., Western Illinois University, M.A., Nova Southeastern University
Favorite Sports Teams: Chicago Bears, Fire, Bulls, Hawks, Sox, Cubs
Favorite Place to Travel: Pentwater, MI
Hobbies: Reading and Cooking
Favorite Book: Love You Forever
Favorite Quote: "Just do it!"
Katie Morris
Number of Years Taught: 9th year at HMS
Teaches: Science and Social Studies
Education: BS in Educations from University of Wisconsin Masters- University of Illinois
Favorite Sport: Tennis
Favorite Place to Travel: Caribbean
Hobbies: I enjoy running, being in the outdoors, gardening, and playing at the park with my two children.
Favorite Book: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Favorite Quote: Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will land among the stars!
Mrs. Mary Kalsbeek
Number of Years Taught:17
Teaches:Language Arts
Education: BA Ohio State Univeristy, MEd Mercer Univeristy:Reading, Curriculum
Favorite Sport:Horseback riding, biking, football
Favorite Place to Travel: Hawaii, Italy, Michigan
Hobbies: Horses, book club, bunko, reading
Favorite Book: My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams
Favorite Quote:
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.
Number of Years Taught: 18
Teaches: Special Education Language Arts and Academic Strategies
Education: B.S Special Ed, Illinois State, Currently working on MA in Reading
Favorite Sport: Tennis
Favorite Place to Travel: Pacific Northwest
Hobbies: Reading, Scrapbooking, family
Favorite Book: Any Jodi Picoult novel or Malcom Gladwell's Tipping Point & Outliers
Favorite Quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
Mr. Andrew Dzija
Number of Years Taught: student taught at East Leyden High School (3.5 months)
Teaches: 6ht grade social studies and Spanish
Education: BA History U of I Champaign, minor secondary ed
Favorite Sport: Basketball, tennis (it's a tie)
Favorite Place to Travel: Cozumel, Mexico. Scuba diving and Spanish practice = Excellent!
Hobbies: basketball, tennis, weight lifting, running, reading, movies
Favorite Book: Blue Beard (Kurt Vonnegut JR.), Steppenwolfe (Herman Hesse)
Favorite Quote: "We do, doodly, doodly do, what me must, muddly must muddly must, until we bust, bodily bust, bodily bust." (Kurt Vonnegut JR.)
Ms. Lea Eliopolus
Number of Years Taught: 7
Teaches: Math
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Masters at National-Louis University
Favorite Sport: Soccer
Favorite Place to Travel: Greece
Hobbies: Reading and spending time with family and friends
Favorite Book: Anything by Jodi Picoult
Favorite Quote:
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Mrs. Jane Herron
Number of Years Taught: 23
Teaches: School Social Worker
Education: AA College of DuPage-Business; BA North Central College-Psychology; MSW Jane Addams College of Social Work UIC-Social Work; MEd. Benedictine University-Educational Leadership and Administration
Favorite Sport: Croquet (I am on the Maple Lawn Team in Lake Geneva) .......and I have a fantasy football team! I love ice hockey and basketball, also. My children have participated in gymnastics, diving, volleyball, soccer, football, baseball, roller and ice hockey, track, and cheerleading. So I feel like a professional spectator!
Favorite Place to Travel: Florida, and anywhere the sun shines and there is a beach.
Hobbies: Reading, Biking, Kayaking, Fitness activities, Music, Concerts (this summer I saw the opening of the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia, Sting, and Carrie Underwood), Theatre, Traveling, Gardening, and spending time with my family and friends.
Favorite Book: The Kite Runner. I love learning about different cultures.
Favorite Quote:“The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.”
Mr. Troy Huber
Number of Years Taught: 12
Teaches: Math and Science
Education: Elmhurst College in Psychology and EIU in Education
Favorite Sport: Tennis
Favorite Place to Travel: Florida Keys
Hobbies: Camping and Hiking
Favorite Book: The Celestine Prophecy
Favorite Quote: "Carpe Diem"
Ms. Danielle Scacco
Years taught: 12
Teaches: 6th and 7th grade ACE Social Studies
Education: B.S. Elementary Education, Northern Illinois University; M.A. Gifted Education, Northeastern Illinois University
Favorite Sport: soccer
Favorite Place to Travel: Vermont
Hobbies: traveling, trivia, watching sports, reading
Favorite Book: A Wrinkle in Time
Favorite Quote: "It is never too late to be what we might have been.” George Elliott
