Andre Ashley–Para-Professional in the Weight Room

• Motivating and assisting our young student-athletes in our VPE classes.
• Witnessing his actions in teaching our students proper techniques regarding strength training and conditioning type exercises.

Mr. Bell, Safety staff Supervisor

• Mr. Bell brings so much positivity to our school building. He’s very approachable, understanding, and works so well with both the students and staff. He makes a great impact on our students and is not one of many words but his presence is always felt by all. 
• He helped me to navigate the building when I first began.

Mr. Booker, Science teacher

• He is a great teacher, very friendly and is very understanding. 
• He is a positive ball of light!
• Gordon has been an outstanding and talented addition to our department right out of the gate. I was lucky to observe one of his classes and saw firsthand his natural talent as a teacher.
• Gordon is a great colleague and friend who is always willing to lend a helping hand and a listening ear.
• Gordon exudes and spreads joy to everyone. He is such a positive person, and I have also gained valuable investing information from him!

Marlon Felton, Assistant Principal of Operations

• He is always fighting the good fight against the odds (and I mean this on many levels).

Ashley Miller-Berry, Science teacher

• When my son was a Freshman at Niles West, his bio teacher left to become a PAR teacher mid-year. We were lucky to get Ashley, an experienced and talented biology teacher to replace the previous teacher, instead of a series of subs.

La Joyce Morales, Duplicating services

• Ms. Morales is the heart of the school. Her quiet strength and grace radiate out like the glow of the beautiful sun. 
• She is one of the sweetest, gentlest, and hardest working souls I know.
• Any and every time I need something copied (or a book unbound) she exceeds my time requests. To me, she is the definition of classy!

Mr. Murphy

• He’s a sponsor for ping pong club, which is my favorite club
• Whenever we’d get tired from a match, we can just sit down next to him and have a casual conversation.

Mr. GreGory Owens, Safety officer

• Mr. Owens is always friendly to students. He makes Niles North a nicer place to be.

Kia Pickett, School Counselor

• Ms. Pickett is ALWAYS here for her students, whether they’re on her caseload, are members of BSU, or know her another way.  She is both compassionate and honest in her leadership, and she inspires me to be a better teacher and sponsor!
• Kia is super kind and super real – she is more than a counselor and all of my interactions with her are positive and enlightening.
• Ms. Pickett is a well of creative ideas, ideas to help our students and families. A hardworking colleague who is supportive and brings me joy.
• I have loved partnering with Ms. Pickett to take our students on field trips to dance shows, and I can’t wait to do it again soon.

Kareem Timbers, Assistant Dean

• Mr. Timbers has a positive attitude and a great motivation in having to learn how to be an assistant dean so quickly!

Manny Twillie, English teacher

• Mr. Twillie is one of the funniest, smartest, most insightful English teachers I’ve had the pleasure to work with.

La Wanna Wells, Chief Equity Officer

• Because of her strength, courage, and intelligence.
• We worked together on the SRO and safety committee. La Wanna has a way of bringing people together and I always feel like she hears and respects everyone – even those with whom she may disagree – and this is such a rare and impressive quality these days.

Anthony Whyte, Special Education teacher

• Anthony has always been kind, supportive, and welcoming since I began this school year.
• We have shared many conversations about sports and school while in our office. They have been insightful and have continued to challenge me as an educator and coach. He was specifically supportive when I was going through a tough situation with a friend and he was able to listen and relate to the experience. I have appreciated his openness and ability to connect on topics outside of school. He has been a great colleague and I look forward to more positive connections/interactions with him.

Doug Williams, Paraprofessional in the Special Education department

• Mr. Williams has taught me more about how to be a strong and honest person than any other colleague in my career. Although he is currently on a break, the lessons he has taught me about integrity and justice remain.
• His strength and candor.  He is unapologetically fighting for black kids who often do not have enough people in their corner in as real a way as Doug is. 
• Mr. Williams co-led the Authentically Brave Conversations spaces on Thursday nights for two years during COVID. These Zooms, with dozens and dozens of faculty and staff attending, would often go on late into the night, with honest talk about anti-Blackness and racism in our district, yet always with a call to just action. Mr. Williams and his team brought power-house guest speakers to the ABC space, such as educator Jane Elliot and Canadian journalist Bee Quamie and district parents, while at the same time always emphasizing the excellence and brilliance of our own district’s Black and Brown employees.

Josh Yamamoto, Science teacher

• He is an avid chess player who has already surpassed me and is making a positive impact on our award-winning chess team.

To keep the celebrations going, readers are welcome to complete this form.  Additional shoutouts will be published by March 9. Thank you.