Monday, April 28, 2014

Train Safety Week Starts Monday in Plainfield

Train Safety Week Starts Monday in Plainfield

Police will crack down on railroad crossing safety violators.
Plainfield Patch
patch
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo
Submitted by the Plainfield Police Department:
Along with the CN Railroad and Illinois Operation Lifesaver, the Plainfield Police Department will conduct its annual Train Safety Week from April 28 to May 4 to promote vehicle and pedestrian safety around railroad tracks and trains.  
In Illinois during 2013, there were 125 crossing collisions involving motor vehicles, which resulted in 39 injuries and 16 fatalities. In addition, 28 injuries and 26 fatalities occurred when people trespassed onto railroad property. In fact, Illinois ranked third in the nation for grade crossing fatalities and 2nd in the nation for trespass fatalities for 2013.
To promote awareness and education, informational press releases will be issued throughout next week and enforcement details will be conducted at various railroad grade crossings within the Village of Plainfield to cite both drivers and pedestrians who disobey the laws associated with railroad grade crossings and railroad property.  In addition, posters and educational materials will be distributed throughout the community at various events. 
Please remember, not only is it against the law to stop your vehicle on the railroad tracks, it is against the law to stop your vehicle anywhere within the highway-rail grade crossing.      
Highway-rail grade crossings are typically marked by white stop lines located on the pavement in advance of the crossing, and if not marked by white stop lines, the highway-rail grade crossing extends from protective gate arm to protective gate arm.
A motor vehicle’s failure to stop is the contributing factor in more than 70 percent of all crossing accidents, and more than 50 percent of all collisions occur at locations with flashing lights and ringing bells.
When crossing railroad tracks, you must always obey the law and be aware of your surroundings.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is April 26

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is April 26

Plainfield police, Will County Sheriff taking part in the program.
patch
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo
Saturday, April 26 is National Prescription Drug Takeback Day, and several area police departments are taking part by collecting unwanted prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sponsored by the DEA, the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

Area dropoff sites include:
  • Plainfield Police Department, 14300 S. Coil Plus Dr.
  • Bolingbrook Police Department, 375 W. Briarcliff Dr.
  • Will County Sheriff's Department, 14 W. Jefferson St., Joliet

The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps — only pills and patches.

To find a nearby collection site, please click here.

Home values in 20 percent of US housing markets headed for record highs within a year

Home values in 20 percent of US housing markets headed for record highs within a year

Teke Wiggin Staff Writer Inman News
Growth in real estate image via Shutterstock.

Growth in real estate image via Shutterstock.
 
Home values in almost 20 percent of all U.S. metros will surpass their housing boom peaks over the next year, and affordability problems that have begun to affect a fraction of markets may spread to others over the next few years, Zillow reported.

“The lows of the housing recession are becoming an increasingly distant memory as home values reach new highs and homes become more expensive than ever in many areas,” said Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries in a statement. “This is a remarkable milestone coming only two and a half years after the end of the worst housing recession since the Great Depression.”

Home values nationwide were up 0.5 percent from the fourth quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of 2014, and were up 5.7 percent from the same time a year ago, according to the latest Zillow Real Estate Market Report.

Over the next year, Zillow forecasts that national home prices will appreciate by an additional 3.3 percent.

Price gains have already pushed values close to or above their housing boom peak in about 12 percent of the 8,700 markets tracked by Zillow.

Among the more than 300 metros tracked by Zillow, home values in nearly 20 percent of them have already passed or are expected to pass their prerecession peaks over the next year. Those fully or almost fully recovered metros include Dallas, Houston, Denver, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, Texas, San Jose, Calif., and Austin, Texas.
 
- See more at: http://www.inman.com/2014/04/22/home-values-in-20-percent-of-u-s-housing-markets-will-be-more-expensive-than-ever-within-a-year/#sthash.f8BuXvzy.dpuf

Monday, April 21, 2014

What first-time buyers should know about an open house

What first-time buyers should know about an open house

If you're heading to your first open house this weekend, arrive with a plan in mind.

By MSN Real Estate partner Fri 9:43 AM
 
 
There's more that goes into buying a home for the first time besides shopping online for mortgage rates. To find the perfect home, you have to log off of the computer, get in your car and see homes for yourself. One way to do that is visiting open houses.
 
First-time homebuyers might naturally be reluctant to attend an open house held by a real estate agent. After all, no one likes to be hassled by a pushy salesperson. But in fact, open houses can be a good opportunity.
 
As Ken Pozek, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty in Northville, Mich., says, "It's a cool idea."
 

Instead of calling around to find a real estate agent you like, you can go out on your own, see some of the homes that are for sale and meet the agents in person.
"You don't have to be nervous," Pozek says. "It can be fun. If there is a sign there, they want you to go in and they expect you to look around."
 
The best way to find out about open houses is to search real estate listing websites. You can also get this information from real estate websites, newspaper ads or by driving around your target neighborhood any weekend.
Sign in
Even though the house is open to the public, you'll still probably have to give the agent your name and contact information to be allowed inside, says Wendy English, sales manager at Century 21 Commonwealth in Medfield, Mass.
 
"We have a responsibility to know who was in the house for the security of the seller's property," she says.
 
Some agents use a guest book or sheet of paper as a sign-in system. Others, such as Ed Finlan, managing broker at Keller Williams Western Realty in Burlington, Wash., use an electronic device.
"I have an open house app on my iPad," Finlan says. "People who are techie want to do it themselves. For the ones that aren't, I'll do it for them. They have to put in their name, email and phone number. That goes into our database, and the app will follow up for me, too."
 
Do's and don'ts
An open house is "your time to look at the property," says Renee White, a broker associate at Keller Williams Realty East Bay in Walnut Creek, Calif.
 
That means it's fine to walk into all the rooms, open closets or even take a seat and stay a while if you're genuinely interested.
It's not OK to snoop.
 
"Sellers are advised to put away valuables and medications. You don't want to be opening their furnishings, wardrobe or drawers. Kitchen cabinets, closets -- it's expected that people will look there," English says.
 
Nor is it OK to let your children smear cookie on the walls or touch toys that belong to the seller's children.
 
That, English warns, "is a definite no-no."
 
If you want to take pictures, you should get permission from the agent first.
And don't block a neighbor's driveway when you park your car.
 
A super-busy open house "can get a little annoying for the neighbors," English says. "Those people could be your future neighbors, so you want to be respectful."
 
Sometimes houses that were scheduled to be open aren't, English adds. That happens because some houses sell quickly and the information posted online isn't always current.
If you're disappointed about a particular house, that might be a sign you're ready to commit to a real estate agent so you'll be able to get the most up-to-date information, she suggests.
 
What to ask
A good agent should be knowledgeable about much more than the color of carpeting.
 
  • Here are some questions White suggests you should ask at an open house:
  • Have the sellers received any offers?
  • How well is this home priced?
  • What are the comps —  prices of similar homes recently sold in the area?
  • What are the schools?
  • Are there any disclosures?
  • What other for-sale homes should I see besides this one?
  • Who do you recommend for a lender?
 
Finlan says he gives buyers a hot sheet of more than a dozen bank-owned, newly built and resale homes for sale in the area along with information about the purchase process.
 
Motivated buyers
Agents hold open houses not only to market homes but also to meet people who are ready, willing and well-qualified to buy, says Shantee Haynes, a real estate agent at Prudential PenFed Realty in Washington, D.C.
"The agent tries to get to know people and figure out what their motivation is not just for being there, but whether they have the motivation to buy at all," she says.
 
If you're open to buying a house, a house that's open might be a grand place to start.
 
A tip for homeowners
With prescription-drug abuse on the rise, real estate agents have reported that drug abusers are unfortunately posing as potential homebuyers and targeting open houses as sources of prescription medication. Homeowners are advised to collect their prescription medications in plastic bags and take it with them before their open house begins.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

10 Quick and Budget-Friendly Projects to Remake Your Space This Spring

10 Quick and Budget-Friendly Projects to Remake Your Space This Spring

Huff Post Real Estate news
Most of the country is digging out from underneath snow and ice brought on by the tail end of winter, but no matter what climate you live in, your thoughts are likely turning to spring! The first tastes of warmer weather also brings thoughts of spring cleaning and freshening up your home.
If you don't have the time or money to do a lot of significant upgrades, but you want to give your home a fast and inexpensive face lift, here are 10 things you can do in one day or one weekend for under $200 dollars!
Save it, Sell It, Chuck it!This is my first step to give a home fast face lift. Decluttering is free and will only cost you time. Taking a close, hard look at what needs to really be in a room and what can go will change the entire look of a space. Less "stuff" will open up your existing space and give a "lift" faster than you can say "yard sale!" Yes, you might even MAKE money if any items you discard have resale value!
Corbettspring
Tackle The ClosetsFling open the doors to those stuffed clothes closets -- and get organized. Start by getting rid of your mis-matched hangers. Stop by a place like Bed, Bath & Beyond or Home Goods and buy 100 matching hangers for cheap. They'll look nicer and save you space, and you will be able to toss old unwanted fashions as your rehang each item. An inexpensive way to breathe new life into your closet and wardrobe.
Paint It OverAn accent color wall or an interior room repaint will liven up a home. With little money and just a day or a weekend, your house can have new a new look and a new life. Be adventurous -- it is the easiest renovation to "do-over" if you don't like it!
Deep Clean Those CarpetsIf you have wall-to-wall carpet or large area rugs spread throughout your home, rent a carpet cleaner and give those carpets a deep clean. You can rent these at most local grocery or hardware stores. I invested the money up front and bought a good carpet shampooer for about $200, and I use it once a month -- it is shocking how much extra dirt that machine pulls up each time. And if you have pets... this is one spring facelift you can't live without!
Throw In Some ColorThrow pillows are no brainers when it comes to creating a fresh new look on the cheap. Bring your living with you into the new season by throwing in some bright colors, and put the old pillows away for later. Store your other pillows away, and then swap them out whenever there is a change of season.
A Hotel Right in Your Own HomeI'll let you in on a luxury hotel secret: they dress their beds with white sheets, white pillow cases and crisp white duvet covers. It's a standard for a reason -- it's fresh and light, and looks very high-end. You might cringe at the thought of how dirty all white can get, but it's actually much easier to clean -- throw it all in the wash with your other whites and some bleach and your are ready for a mini 'five-star' vacation in your own home.
Turn Down the HeatDuring this past season of wild temperature swings, your thermostat has been one of the most utilized devices in you home. It is time to give it a lift and an upgrade at the same time. The new breed of "smart" thermostats are fantastic.Venstar and Nest are two I love. They are easily programmable from both the control panel and directly from your mobile device too. Bonus - they look stylish and they save you money, too!
A Brand New Faucet
shutterstock_75536902
Something new, shiny and functional will reinvigorate a tired kitchen counter! And it will add in some functionality as well. Those great goose neck or sprayers look fantastic and will cost you under $200.
Front Entrance MakeoverA new bright color for the front door in a high gloss paint, a shiny kick-plate, new house numbers, new doormat -- it will all make a big impression on the outside!
Outdoor PopWhat spring face lift would be complete without some new spring flowers? Freshen up your curb appeal by planting pops of color and seasonally appropriate flowers that will look great for months to come.
HOMEOWNERS & RENTERS: What are the things you are doing to your house or apartment this spring? Are you planning to sell the home after renovations?
ALL: You can get more information on my books here, follow me on Twitter @1MichaelCorbett and like me on Facebook!
Follow Michael Corbett on Twitter: www.twitter.com/1michaelcorbett

District 202 Students to Take Part in Arbor Day Celebration

District 202 Students to Take Part in Arbor Day Celebration

Students at Wesmere also won honors in Joliet's "Trees are Terrific" poster contest.
Joliet will keep its "Tree City USA" designation for the 23rd consecutive year.

The National Arbor Day Foundation recently recognized the City of Joliet for achieving the designation, along with receiving a Growth Award, which recognizes communities with "higher levels of tree care," according to a press release from Joliet City Manager James Hock.

Although Arbor Day is April 25, a celebration is scheduled for Monday, April 21, at Wesmere Elementary School, 2001 Wesmere Parkway, Plainfield. Fifth-graders in teacher Tracy Hood's class will take part in a tree-planting ceremony.

Winners of the "Trees Are Terrific" Arbor Day poster contest from Hood's class are:
  • First Place – Maya Ordaz 
  • Second Place – Anicka Anderson 
  • Third Place – Brianna June Harris 
  • Honorable Mention – Hannah Faragoi

The winning posters will be on display in the lobby at Joliet City Hall, 150 W. Jefferson St., through April 25.

For more information on Tree City USA, visitwww.arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Report: Exterior Remodeling Offers Largest Return on Investment

Report: Exterior Remodeling Offers Largest Return on Investment

The report, an annual collaboration between Remodeling magazine and REALTOR Magazine, compares the average cost for 35 popular remodeling projects with the value those projects retain at resale in 101 U.S. cities.
Eight of the top 10 most cost-effective projects nationally, in terms of value recouped, are exterior projects.
"With many factors to consider such as cost and time, deciding what remodeling projects to undertake can be a difficult decision for homeowners," said National Association of Realtors President Steve Brown, co-owner of Irongate, Inc. Realtors in Dayton, Ohio. "Realtors know what home features are important to buyers in their area, but a home's curb appeal is always critical since it's the first impression for potential buyers."
A steel entry door replacement was deemed the project expected to have the biggest return on investment, with an estimated 96.6 percent of costs recouped upon resale. This particular remodel project is consistently the least expensive in the annual Cost vs. Value Report, at around $1,100 on average.
Excited to dive in? Here are the top 10 cost-effective improvements from this year's report:
1. Replace Your Front Door: 97% ROI
2. Add a Deck or Patio: 87% ROI
3. Add Space/Attic Bedroom: 84% ROI
4. Replace Your Garage Door: 83% ROI
5. Remodel Your Kitchen: 82% ROI on a minor remodel; 74% ROI on a major remodel
6. Replace Your Windows: 79% ROI
7. Replace Your Siding: 78% ROI for replace vinyl siding; 87% ROI to replace siding with a fiber-cement mix
8. Basement Remodel: 78% ROI
9. Update Your Bathroom: 73% ROI
10. Two-Story Addition: 72% ROI
See more about the top 10 home improvement projects to tackle this year, or visit NAR's consumer website to explore the "Best Bets for Remodeling Your Home in 2014" slideshow. The site also provides information and advice on various home improvement projects, including a guide to kitchen remodeling with the best payback and dozens of exterior replacement projects.
Follow realtor.com on Twitter: www.twitter.com/realtordotcom

Monday, April 14, 2014

Forest Preserve District Hosts Community Volunteer Workday

Forest Preserve District Hosts Community Volunteer Workday

Plainfield Patch
Celebrate Earth Day with a cleanup event at Whalon Lake Preserve.
Volunteer workers chip in their services by shoveling mulch during the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Community Volunteer Workday in 2013. This year’s event will be held on April 26 at Whalon Lake. Credit: Submitted photo
Volunteer workers chip in their services by shoveling mulch during the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Community Volunteer Workday in 2013. This year’s event will be held on April 26 at Whalon Lake. Credit: Submitted photo
Submitted by the Forest Preserve District of Will County:
Help make a difference on Earth Day weekend by volunteering to clean and improve a preserve during the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s “Community Volunteer Workday.”
This year’s workday will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 26, at Whalon Lake preserve, which is located in Naperville and Bolingbrook. Businesses and individuals are invited to participate. Volunteers will assist with trail maintenance, brush clearing, rubbish removal and wood chipping. The work will benefit native plants, wildlife and the community.
Join employees from Comcast, JULIE Inc., Saratoga Food Specialties, Bill Jacobs Auto Group, BMO Harris Bank, Enbridge Energy, CITGO Lemont Refinery, CARCARE Collision Centers, Exelon Generation, ExxonMobil Pipeline, TransCanada and Homer Tree Service, along with other volunteers.
Participants will contribute time and effort toward improving the preserve in celebration of Earth Day, Comcast Cares Day and JULIE's Safe Digging Month. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served to all volunteers courtesy of Comcast.
Pre-registration is recommended, but day-of registration will be available beginning at7:45 a.m. To pre-register or get more information about the volunteer workday, call815-722-9387 or e-mail kmuentnich@fpdwc.org. Whalon Lake preserve is located on Royce Road, west of Route 53.
For more information about the workday and other volunteer opportunities, visitReconnectWithNature.org. The Forest Preserve will make reasonable modifications to ensure that all people have an equal opportunity to enjoy District offerings. For more information or to request accommodations, visit ReconnectWithNature.org/ADA.

Friday, April 11, 2014

3 Reasons to Sell Your Home This Spring

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 04:00 AM PDT
4.8 Visual
The KCM Blog

Many sellers are still hesitant about putting their house up for sale. Where are prices headed? Where are interest rates headed? These are all valid questions. However, there are several reasons to sell your home sooner rather than later. Here are three of those reasons.

1. Demand is about to skyrocket

Most people realize that the housing market is hottest from April through June. The most serious buyers are well aware of this and, for that reason, come out in early spring in order to beat the heavy competition. We also have a pent-up demand as many buyers pushed off their home search this winter because of extreme weather. Sellers in markets where seasonal weather is never an issue must realize that buyers relocating to their region will increase dramatically this spring as these purchasers finally decide to escape the freezing temperatures of the winters in the north.
These buyers are ready, willing and able to buy…and are in the market right now!

2. There Is Less Competition - For Now

Housing supply always grows from the spring through the early summer. Also, there has been a growing desire for many homeowners to move as they were unable to sell over the last few years because of a negative equity situation. Homeowners have seen a return to positive equity as prices increased over the last eighteen months. Many of these homes will be coming to the market in the near future.
The choices buyers have will continue to increase over the next few months. Don’t wait until all the other potential sellers in your market put their homes up for sale.

3. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move-Up

If you are moving up to a larger, more expensive home, consider doing it now. Prices are projected to appreciate by approximately 4% this year and 8% by the end of 2015. If you are moving to a higher priced home, it will wind-up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in your 30 year housing expense with an interest rate at about 4.5% right now. Freddie Mac projects rates to be 5.1% by this time next year and 5.7% by the fourth quarter of 2015.
Moving up to a new home will be less expensive this spring than later this year or next year.
If you are a real estate professional and want great information on where prices and interest rates are headed over the next 18 months, we cover both in the March edition of Keeping Current Matters. If you are already one of our 6,000+ members, login in to get the educational resources you need to intelligently discuss the future of values and interest rates with your clients.
If you are not yet a member, sign-up for a no risk, 14 Day Free Trial to experience what KCM is all about.

Man Comes Home From Work, Finds NYC Apartment Cleared Out By Mistake

Report: Huff Post Real Estate News

Imagine coming home from a day at work to find all of your belongings gone. It happened to 27-year-old Nilay Shroff.
"Right here, I had a dresser before, in here was completely empty, my air conditioner was still in there, my microwave, all of my pots and pans, every single cabinet was just cleared out," Shroff told ABC about returning one day in October to his New York City apartment on East 74th Street."I literally had the clothes that I was wearing on my back and nothing else."
Also missing were his bed, his passport, his government security clearance, Social Security documents, his credit cards, his checkbook, a Mariano Rivera bobblehead, and more personally, a photograph of his mother, who died when Shroff was thirteen. All that was left were his TV and Play Station 3 game.
Dumbfounded, Shroff called 9-1-1.
"When the police came, they said they’d never seen anything like this,” he told The New York Post, “because they said my TV and the PS3 would have been the first thing gone. And a New York City robbery would not involve your bed being taken.”
It wasn't until the next day that Shroff discovered the true culprit: his building's management. Shroff's landlord said there had been a "mistake," according to a lawsuit Shroff has filed against the management. A trash removal service had been hired to clean out the apartment in 2B, but accidentally took all everything out of apartment 2D -- Shroff's apartment.
And it was too late. All of Shroff's belongings were already at the city dump.
Shroff has been busy over the past few months refurnishing his apartment. However, he still hasn't been compensated by management, the landlord, and the contractor for the mistake.
Shroff, who is a computer consultant, has filed a lawsuit for $40,000 in damages, according to ABC.

Plainfield Farmers Market Set to Return in June


Plainfield Farmers Market Gets the OK

Market set to return to Lockport Street and Route 59 in June.

The Plainfield Farmers Market returns June 14. Credit: File photo
The Plainfield Farmers Market returns June 14. Credit: File photo
Village trustees on Monday approved the seventh annual Plainfield Farmers Market, set to start Saturday, June 14, at the southwest corner of Route 59 and Lockport Street.

The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 27.

Trustee Bill Lamb said this could be the last year the market stays at its current site.

"It may be at the riverfront next year," he said, calling the event " a real asset" to Plainfield.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Plainfield School Board to Honor 'Excellent' Educators and Staff

Plainfield School Board to Honor 'Excellent' Educators and Staff

Plainfield Patch
Awards of Excellence are Tuesday, April 15.
Credit: File photo
Credit: File photo, Plainfield Patch
Submitted by District 202:

The District 202 community is invited to help honor 16 exceptional educators and staff members who have significantly impacted their students, schools and the community. 
The District 202 Board of Education will host its 22nd Annual Awards of Excellence at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in the auditorium at Plainfield High School – Central Campus High School, 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive, Plainfield. A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony.
The award honors teachers and non-administrative staff who have in one way or another significantly impacted the lives of their students and peers. In all, 139 nominations were received for 107 District 202 educators and staff members.
A committee of three Board members and the Board’s community ambassador picked this year’s Awards of Excellence winners. Since 1993 the Board of Education has honored 319 individuals with Awards of Excellence, including this year’s group.
“The Board of Education is very proud of our staff, whose professionalism and dedication help make District 202 an excellent public school system,” said Board of Education member Rod Westfall, a member of the Board recognition committee.
“The 16 people we honor this year have earned, and deserve this recognition for their hard work and commitment to District 202,” he said.
The Board will also present the Elizabeth “Bess” Eichelberger award to retiring Crystal Lawns Elementary School Principal Dr. Kathy Baxter; and the Richard Ira Jones award to community members and volunteers Karen Hamilton and Linda Hanley. Both awards recognize recipients for significant community service.
The 2014 Awards of Excellence winners are:
River View Elementary School social worker Clare Beasley –a parent wrote, “Having someone like Mrs. Beasley on our side has made a very difficult year a little easier. She is a selfless, caring person who deserves to be recognized for her dedication to students.”
Plainfield East High School science teacher Robert Benck --a student wrote, “Mr. Benck not only creates an engaging class, but is a remarkable role model and coach to every student.”
Meadow View Elementary School custodian Charles “Chuck” Bennett – a parent wrote, “Mr. Chuck is awesome. He is always smiling and happy to be at work. He knows most students by name and enjoys the “help” they give him.”
Central Elementary School third grade teacher Tammy Broussard -- a parent wrote, “At times I felt that not only was Mrs. Broussard nurturing (her son), but also nurturing me that it was going to be ok. As a parent, you want nothing more than to see your child succeed. I am privileged and honored to say that Mrs. Broussard has been instrumental in giving (her son) the necessary foundation to be the best that he can be.”
Grand Prairie Elementary School music teacher Lynn Cihlar -- a parent wrote, “My mother often says, ‘Ms. Cihlar is the best music teacher I have ever seen, bar none.’ This is coming from a woman that had been in school district administration (and who) does not routinely hand out such glowing praise. It truly is an amazing experience to witness one of Mrs. Cihlar’s productions.”
Heritage Grove Middle School 8th grade math teacher Tom DeGeus -- a student wrote, “Mr. DeGeus is an outstanding person who goes above and beyond the expectations of a teacher. Since the very first day of school, he has been reaching out to all of his students, learning about the student behind the name…He is by far the best teacher I’ve ever had.”
Plainfield South High School English teacher Erin Durkin – a student wrote, “Ms. Durkin has always gone above and beyond to ensure her students understand the material. She’s always helping her students. She’s very involved with her class. She loves teaching. Ms. Durkin rocks!”
Plainfield South High School choir director Megan Goetz -- a student wrote, “Mrs. Goetz makes me feel like I have a purpose. Mrs. Goetz is the reason why I want to become a music educator. I want to connect with my students in a way that makes them feel as if they can conquer the world, the way Mrs. Goetz does with hers.”
Eagle Pointe Elementary School media clerk Kathy Gurgel --a coworker wrote, “Mrs. Gurgel is a superhero when it comes to our Media Center. She is always ready to lend a hand and help out students or our staff when we need assistance. It seems like nothing is more important than helping us and doing whatever she can to assist.”
District 202 Translator and Family Liaison Oralia Guzman --a coworker wrote, “Mrs. Guzman is a tremendous asset to District 202, serving as an important connection with, and voice to our rapidly-changing community. She is one of those “quiet” people whose work often goes unnoticed, except by those who benefit (greatly) from it.”
Plainfield East High School band director David Lesniak -- a parent wrote, “(Mr. Lesniak) helps build confidence with his teaching style. Because of his encouragement many of his students go on to college and have pursued careers in music and the arts. He is an inspiration to many and…an amazing teacher.”
Plainfield East High School nurse Mary Beth Lindemann -- a parent wrote, “The students love her kindness and no-nonsense way of dealing with them. Staff could also count on her for an outstanding sounding board. She truly listens to all, be they student, parent or fellow staff members.”
John F. Kennedy 8th grade language arts teacher Jody Litkenhus -- a parent wrote, “To hear (Mrs. Litkenhus) tell me how proud she is of (my daughter) and how much (my daughter) means to her makes me so proud to have my child being led by such an incredible person. There are no words good enough to explain the amount of joy this teacher has brought to our student.”
Lincoln Elementary School kindergarten teacher Mary Partman -- a coworker wrote, “(Having helped open Lincoln in 2003, Mary) has been the cornerstone of (Lincoln’s) kindergarten team from the beginning, and has made it her personal mission to ensure the success of each and every kindergartener from first day the little ones walk in the building.”
Plainfield High School – Central Campus principal’s secretary Chari Rahn -- a coworker wrote, “Chari is amazing. She is secretary to the principal, but she actually takes care of all of us. Our school would probably fall apart if she was not here. Chari is a PHS grad, so she gets it. She loves this school and wants to give all of us her best effort.”
Freedom Elementary School first grade teacher Nancy Trusk -- a parent wrote, “(Mrs. Trusk) completely embodies District 202’s Mission Statement. Mrs. Trusk fosters each individual’s value, uniqueness and importance and creates a trusting, supportive environment by believing in students and expecting the best from them. (Her son) and the other 26 students (in Mrs. Trusk’s class) are so lucky to have her.”