Durbin Meets Illinois Teacher Of The Year
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Kimberly Radostits, who was awarded Illinois Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Ms. Radostits is an 8th to 12th grade Spanish teacher at Oregon High School in Oregon, Illinois, where she also leads a freshman mentoring program, Hawks Take Flight, with the goal of keeping students on track for four-year graduation. Hawks Take Flight uses an early warning system to identify students who are struggling to offer them additional assistance as they enter high school. In addition to Hawks Take Flight, Ms. Radostits founded and co-directs a New Teacher Academy, which provides support and professional development to new teachers in her district to promote retention and faculty connection.
Durbin congratulated Ms. Radostits on her achievement, and the two discussed the importance of supporting students as our nation emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, civics education, and the negative effects of social media on students.
“We trust our teachers with the momentous task of educating and shaping the next generation. Ms. Radostits has gone the extra mile to offer support to the students at Oregon High School and the teachers in the Oregon Community Unit School District,” said Durbin. “It was inspiring to meet with her today to talk about her experience in the classroom and how the federal government can offer additional support to teachers and students in Illinois and across the nation.”
A photo of the meeting is available here.
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