St. Joseph School welcomes four new teachers in this 2011-12 school year; Madeline Honn, Chris Tiritilli, Nancy Kluck, and Christina Ziccarelli.

Middle school teacher, Madeline Honn attended Indiana University, she received her Bachelors of Science in Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Sciences. While at Indiana University, Ms. Honn sought out and attained an assistant teaching position. She spent three years in an elementary school as an after-school teaching assistant working daily with 1st through 4th graders on their various homework assignments. As an education major she established a rapport with her mentoring teachers, who gave her additional time and responsibilities with students. She will host a sixth grade homeroom teaching Religion and Vocabulary, while also teaching sixth grade Science, seventh grade Reading and eighth grade U.S. History.

Middle School teacher, Chris Tiritilli received his Bachelors of Arts in Secondary Education from DePaul University with a middle grade endorsement in Social Studies and Physical Education. He carries an ISBE Highly Qualified status for middle school in history and geography, and at the high school level for U.S. & World History, Geography, Political Science/Civic and Economics. Before coming to St. Joseph, Mr. Tiritilli worked as an instructional aide and substitute teacher for several years at O’Neil Junior High in Downers Grove. Mr. Tiritilli will host a sixth grade homeroom teaching Religion and Vocabulary, while also teaching sixth grade Social Studies and Reading, and seventh grade Geography.

Middle School teacher, Mrs. Ziccarelli comes to St. Joseph School with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. Always intrigued with science, the complexity of life and the world that surrounds her, she decided she wanted to share this with children. Continuing her education at UIC, she obtained a Masters of Education in Instructional Leadership. She previously served as an adjunct professor at National Louis University teaching a graduate course in mathematics for teachers of math in the summer months and has served as a science teacher of intermediate grades through the Minooka school system. She was also involved in a UIC summer prep class focusing on math, science and language arts. This program was geared towards the creation of science fair projects. Mrs. Ziccarelli will host a seventh grade homeroom teaching Religion and Vocabulary, while also teaching sixth grade Math and seventh & eighth grade Science.

Reading Specialist, Nancy Kluck will be assisting teachers and individual students with Response to Intervention strategies where needed. With a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University, Kluck completed her Masters of Science in Literacy Education. She explained, "If a child is referred, a parent might think there is something wrong with their child. Literacy education is not special education. I see it as being so much more successful because we are addressing the multiple needs of children. It is learning to read in different ways with a more differentiated, intensive instruction. Some children might be missing a building block or two, and we fill that gap so children don't give up." The goal is to help children become lifelong readers and thinkers. “Reading is social…between the reader, the text and the people you share it with. The stories and riddles at home really help develop oral vocabulary and there is the building block from which it grows.”