1 • Wednesday, May 30, 2018 - Shopper’s Guide
Lena Community Park District 609 N. Schuyler St. • Lena
Serving the communities in Stephenson County
Shopper’s Guide
VOL. 80 • NO. 22
YOUR FREE HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
Annual
Catfish Tournament Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Launch from McNeil’s Damascus Landing 4998 W. Cedarville Rd., Lena, IL
Trophies and Prizes Awarded For more information call the LCPD at 815-369-5351 or 815-990-0146
Entry Fe e $20.00 per boa t 317108
WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2018
Lena-Winslow education leader reflects on a full career After 26 years of serving the students of the Lena-Winslow Schools, Principal Mary Gerbode is retiring. She was hired as principal in the year 2000, going on to serve the students at Lena-Winslow Elementary School for the next almost two decades. “I’ve had such a fantastic career, “Gerbode said. “At each of the schools in which I have taught and throughout my time at Lena-Winslow, I’ve been surrounded by outstanding staff, students, and community. I have loved every minute of my time helping students to learn and grow!” Gerbode said that she has dreamed of being a teacher ever since she was a young girl. “My grandmother, Mary Hanora Stayner, was a teacher in the Stockton area. She used to tell me stories of her days teaching in the oneroom school houses. I loved hearing her stories and kept making my sisters play school with me, and always, I got to be the teacher.” Upon graduating from the National College of Education in Evanston, Illinois, in 1981, Mrs. Gerbode was hired to fill a longterm substitute position teaching 6th grade Language Arts at Carl Sandburg School in Freeport. From there, she moved to the Catholic School system in Freeport and taught fifth grade for several years then moved up to teach at multiple grades at Aquin. “It was a lot of fun to revisit students I had taught when they were in 5th grade. I enjoyed seeing how they had matured and, when they tried to tell me they had never been told something important, I could remind them that I knew they had—back in fifth grade!” In 1992, Gerbode returned to her roots and began teaching seventh grade Reading, Language Arts, and Math at Lena-Winslow Junior High School. “I had graduated from Lena-Winslow in 1978. When I returned to Le-Win, twelve of the sixteen teachers at the Junior High School had been my teacher. I was surprised how hard it was (for a while) to look at them and call them by their first name. I had been teaching already for eleven years and considered myself a mature adult, but for a short time I reverted back to those early ingrained habits taught by my parents. It didn’t take long, how-
ever, for me to feel right at home.” A few years later, she began to feel a pull to make a greater difference in education. “I loved being a teacher,” says Gerbode, “but I began to feel I could have more of an impact if I moved beyond the classroom.” She completed coursework for a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from National Louis University and made the move to administration in 2000, being hired as the principal of Lena-Winslow Elementary School. “I remember one of the questions the Board asked me during my interview was, ‘Will you be able to make the tough decisions?’ They were right; there have been many times during my tenure as a principal that I have had to make decisions that I believed were the right move for our District, but that would not be popular with all individuals.” Mrs. Gerbode cites the closing of Winslow Elementary School, and assimilating all of the students, staff, and programs into the Lena building as an example of one of those challenging situations. There have been a lot of changes in education and in society in the almost four decades that Mrs. Gerbode has been working with children. “I think the biggest changes have come about as a result of technology,” Mrs. Gerbode states. “There are so many ways teachers can bring exciting learning opportunities right into the classroom and so many opportunities for students to collaborate in positive ways that were not possible back when I started teaching in the early ‘80’s.” Mrs. Gerbode laughs as she shares the story of one computer on a cart arriving unexpectedly to her classroom back in 1986. “I was told there had been six computers purchased for our school, and that I had been chosen as an innovative teacher who would be given an opportunity to use the computer with my students. I was warned, that if the computer was not put to good use, that it would be moved to another teacher. I was excited by the chance to shine, but I laugh now when I think of one computer for 26 students then compared to the one-to-one initiative so prevalent in most school settings today.” When asked for the greatest chal-
lenges she has faced during her time as an educator, Mrs. Gerbode referenced the challenges related to budgetary needs when seeking to bring the best educational program to students at a time when finances have been tight. She commended the staff at Lena-Winslow as being extremely resourceful in finding ways to make sure every student has all that they need. She also credits the community of the Lena-Winslow Schools for the many ways they have supported the school and the students. “I have
Straight A’s
been blessed to be a part of the Angel Tree program for many years. I cannot say enough about what joy it was each year during the holidays to have the community band together to make sure each child was gifted with the magic of Christmas.” During her tenure, Gerbode has received recognition at each step of her journey. She was honored as the Stephenson County Soil and Water Conservation Teacher of the Year, received the Bulldog Pride award several times, was chosen by the Lena Li-
ons Club as Teacher of the Year, and received accolades as the Region 8 Illinois Principal of the Year. “I have felt so honored each time I received recognition. I love what I do; to have other people recognize this effort is a blessing.” When asked what her greatest career achievement has been, Gerbode answered, “I feel like just being able to make a difference in the lives of children has been a wonderful achievement.”
See LEADER, Page 7
COURTESY PHOTO Shopper’s Guide
Congratulations to all the Lena-Winslow Third Graders that earned straight A’s.
The Lena Community Park District presents . . .
Music in the Park Sunday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m. The Mississippi Man
815-369-5351
All Shows are held in Lions Park in the Mini Golf Parking Lot. In case of rain the shows will be held at St. John’s Church, 625 Country Lane, Lena. 316124
Save the Dates for our Summer Music in the Park Series: June 17, 24, July 15, 29, August 12, 26
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