Chamber to honor local teachers
From Staff Reports March 1, 2013 2:32PM
Marge Lakota
Article Extras
Updated: April 4, 2013 6:09AM
Sixteen area teachers will be honored by the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
An awards banquet will be from 5 to 9 p.m. March 14 at the Jacob Henry Mansion, 15 S. Richards St., Joliet.
Teachers to be honored include:
Kelly Pullara
Pullara, of Minooka, is an eighth-grade accelerated communication arts teacher at Troy Middle School. She has taught communication arts at the school to grades 6-8 for 13 years.
A graduate of St. Francis Academy, Pullara has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Lewis University and a master of science degree in teaching and learning from the University of St. Francis.
She is married to Kevin Pullara and has two children, Gianna, 10, and Matteo, 6.
Stephanie M. Adamowski
Adamowski, of Joliet, is a kindergarten teacher at Troy Hofer Elementary School in Shorewood. She has 16 years of experience as a certified K-9 elementary education teacher.
She is married to Kyle and has two children, Ethan, 10, and Sasha, 6.
Adamowski has a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from the College of St. Francis and a masters of science degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St. Francis.
Dee Moore
Moore, of Naperville, is a literacy teacher for special education students at Joliet Central High School. She is in her 19th year of teaching students with disabilities at Central.
She also taught at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Pittsburgh and Hidden Valley Elementary in Houston.
Moore has a bachelor of science degree from Baylor University and a master’s degree in special education from Sam Houston State University.
She is married to Bob and has three children, Beth Moore Tatro of Wheaton, Bill Moore of West New York, N.J., and Tom Moore of Naperville.
Mary LeGrand
LeGrand, of Channahon, has been teaching for 10 years in the Joliet Grade School District. The now teaches the 4/5 split classroom at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.
She and her husband, John, have three sons, Joey, 25, Bobby, 21, and Tommy, 18.
Her parents, Matt and Jo Connor, are both retired teachers.
LeGrand has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree in education from the University of St. Francis.
Lisa Vitas
Vitas, of Joliet, is a kindergarten teacher at Troy Heritage Trail School. She has been teaching for 15 years and also taught at Dirksen Elementary in Joliet.
She is married to Chris and has two children, Ben, 11, and Emma, 8.
Vitas has a bachelor’s degree in education from North Central College and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Lewis.
Kandi Williams
Williams, of Minooka, now teaches third grade in the Troy School District. She has worked at Troy since September 2001 and also served as a teaching associate and taught fourth grade.
She is married to Brendan and has a son, Liam, who is in kindergarten.
Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Lewis and a master’s degree in educational technology from Concordia University.
Emily Beal
Beal, of Joliet, is in her sixth year as a special education teacher at Joliet Central High School. Previously she taught for six years at Plainfield South High School.
She is married to Randy.
A graduate of Joliet Catholic Academy, Beal earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from Illinois State University and master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Olivet Nazarene University.
Angela Kot
Kot, of Lockport, has taught in the Joliet Grade School District for 12 years, including grades K-2. Currently she is teaching at Forest Park Individual Education School, a magnet school that provides a unique educational choice for students.
A graduate of Lewis, she also earned a master’s degree in reading and literacy with a reading specialist endorsement there.
She and husband Bob have two sons, Nicholas, a first-grader at Milne Grove School, and Frankie, at student at Butterly Garden Learning Center.
Theresa Allen
Allen, of Joliet, is the technology teacher/coordinator at Cathedral of St. Raymond School in Joliet. Previously, she taught first grade in Hazel Green, Wis.
She is married to Dan and has three children, Maggie, a senior at JCA, Meghan, a sophomore at JCA, and Danny, a sixth-grader at St. Ray.
Allen graduated from Rockford Boylan, and Loras College with a double major in elementary education and Spanish.
Ashley N. D’Arcy
D’Arcy, of Plainfield, has taught at MJ Cunningham Elementary in Joliet for the past five years. She now teaches fourth grade.
She is married to Christopher.
A graduate of Plainfield Central High School, she earned her associate’s degree from Joliet Junior College. She received a bachelor’s degree at the University of St. Francis and is studying there for a master’s degree in special education.
Soyini Chism
Chism has taught physical education at Joliet Central High School for 10 years. Previously she taught at Lincoln School in Calumet City and at Park School in Riverdale.
She has a bachelor’s degree in education and sports business and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and education supervision and leadership. She also earned certification in website design and development from Moraine Valley Community College.
