SINES OF SIKORA After teaching math for nearly 30 years, Todd Sikora returns in new role as security substitute
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s students struggle with the last problem of their math homework, frantically rushing to get it done before school begins, they are met by a familiar face in an unfamiliar place. A tall man with glasses and a Cubs baseball cap approaches them and asks if they need any help. Former Stevenson math teacher and current Table Tennis Club spnsor Todd Sikora is ready to help. After teaching math for nearly 30 years and retiring in 2019, he has decided to return to school this year working as a security substitute. “Simply put, I really like Stevenson High School, and I really missed coming to school,” Sikora said. “It has been like home for me. I missed the ‘Hey Mr. Sikora, how’s it going?’ in the hallways. So two weeks after I retired, I went to reapply to work security after being here for almost 30 years.” This sentiment is not surprising to his former student Phil Edat ’22. Edat, Sikora’s former Algebra 2 student, witnessed his connection with the school community firsthand last year. “When he was teaching us, I got a sense that it’s not just that he likes teaching math, but that he likes connecting with students,” Edat said. “I think that’s the key element of why
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February 2020 - Features
he likes Stevenson so much, and especially why he came back as a security guard.” As a security substitute, Sikora roams the hallways at Stevenson, which allows him to continue to interact with former students even after his formal retirement. He goes further by often encouraging a more inclusive environment. “Sometimes I will see a kid sitting by himself, and I’ll talk to some other people at another table and say, ‘How about tomorrow, why don’t you guys ask that kid to sit at your table?’” Sikora said. Though they can be easily overlooked, small things such as this can go a long way in fostering a supportive community at Stevenson. However, students notice Sikora’s actions. “As a security guard, it’s not his job to check up on all the students, but he does it anyway,” Edat said. “It’s not only math though. He asks how I am doing with school in general, with life in general, and even asks me about my family sometimes.” This connection to Sikora is not unique to Edat. Darshan Jain, the Director of Mathematics, had the opportunity to work alongside Sikora. As a colleague, he was also able to experience Sikora’s commitment to the Stevenson community for many years.
Sikora returns an opponent’s shot during a Table Tennis Club meeting after school. He has managed to stay involved in Table Tennis Club after retirement.
“[Mr. Sikora] is green and gold through and through,” Jain said. “He loves Stevenson, he loves the students and [he loves] this community. He was a mentor to many students and a great friend to many colleagues.” In the end, Sikora’s passion has brought him back to school where he is able to maintain these kinds of relationships after retirement. No matter how much he seems to have given this community, Sikora feels that Stevenson has given him so much more. “Stevenson is a professional learning community,” Sikora said. “But more than that, it’s a family where you have people that really care.”
WRITTEN BY: VAASU KAKUTURU DESIGNED BY: MYLES WOODMAN
