Sara Szewczyk Named ISBE’s South Suburbs Regional Teacher of the Year

She is also one of 13 finalists for Illinois Teacher of the Year.

Summit Hill School District 161 teacher Sara Szewczyk has been selected as the 2023 South Suburbs Regional Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), making her one of 13 finalists for the organization’s Illinois Teacher of the Year.

Szewczyk, a 7th grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher at Summit Hill Junior High School, is in her ninth year of teaching in the district.

“I feel so honored that all my dedication, hard work, and intention that I have put into my teaching practices and classroom have been recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education with this incredible award. I am so grateful to even have been nominated, and winning South Suburbs Regional Teacher of the Year is such a huge career milestone and privilege that I am so proud of achieving,” said Szewczyk. “Like so many teachers, I put my heart and soul into my curriculum, instruction, and school to best serve my students, and I am so humbled to join other amazing educators as Teacher of the Year!”

Now in her 12th year of teaching middle school ELA, Szewczyk sits on several building and district committees, working to support state standards, curriculum planning, and rigor across all contents, and leads her ELA department in planning lessons, reviewing data, and incorporating ideas that support students’ emotional well-being. In addition, she is also the faculty sponsor of the school’s Yoga Club and Writers’ Workshop and has coached the school’s Cheerleading and Scholastic Bowl teams.

“Sara exemplifies creativity, positivity, passion and above all, a love for her students and subject content,” said SHJH Principal Laura Goebel. “Sara has a wealth of knowledge in many areas and has provided countless students with impactful experiences.”

“I have visited Sara’s classroom on numerous occasions, so I’ve seen firsthand the things that I read in her nomination letter from Principal Laura Goebel,” said Dr. Paul McDermott, Superintendent of Summit Hill School District 161. ”Sara authentically interacts with her students, leading them in their learning and then offering them the opportunity to lead, taking ownership of what is occurring in the room. Sara is an amazing teacher and a tremendous advocate for her students. We are proud of Sara and are thrilled to celebrate her Teacher of the Year Award.”

Szewczyk, whose maiden name is Pustz, grew up in Tinley Park and graduated from Marist High School. She is also a certified yoga instructor, incorporating practices including mindfulness into her classroom.

"I have a huge passion for yoga – all aspects of yoga – including meditation, lifestyle, mindfulness, and everything that comes with it,” said Szewczyk. “Although I no longer teach in a studio, I still use the training and I’ve infused a lot of the practices into my classroom. We might do some breathing before a test to calm nerves. Or use yoga poses for a movement break. All it takes is a few minutes and then the students are focused.”

Szewczyk also has a great passion for reading and writing, which she loves to pass on to her students. With five bookshelves and more than 500 titles in her classroom library, she promotes literacy by making books easily accessible to her students.

“I try to keep my classroom exciting and lively and feeling like a calming space,” said Szewczyk. “I want everyone to know that they are welcome here when they step into my classroom and that it’s not just my classroom, it’s our classroom. This is their space as much as it is mine – I just happen to spend the most time here!”

Szewczyk, who began her career teaching at Ridgeview Junior High in Colfax, earned her bachelor’s degree in Middle Level Education with endorsements in English Language Arts, Social Studies and Math from Illinois State University. She also has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Chicago, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. In addition, she has post-graduate certificates in Educator Resilience and Student Supports from Augustana College.

“I love being a teacher. I always wanted to be a teacher. I come from a family with a lot of teachers, and I always looked up to those family members,” said Szewczyk. “I am 100% that cliché story. I never seriously considered doing anything else.”

ISBE’s annual Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards celebrate incredible classroom teachers, administrators, teams, volunteers, and school support personnel who have made lasting impacts on the students, families, and fellow educators in their school communities. See the full list of awardees from all seven professional categories.

ISBE received a record number of nominations and applications for the 2023 Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards, and this year’s awardees were selected by a committee of administrators, teachers, educational service personnel, student support personnel, and past Illinois Teachers of the Year. The Illinois state superintendent of education will select the 2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year from the finalists later this spring, and the Illinois Teacher of the Year will represent Illinois in the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year Program. Bios and photos of the 2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year finalists along with more information about the awards can be found on the ISBE website.