Prairie Grove Teacher Rewarded by OfficeMax
by Mary Sutfin
CRYSTAL LAKE – Prairie Grove reading teacher Jane Pieroni was
caught off guard Tuesday by OfficeMax employees who presented
her with about $1,200 in classroom supplies as part of OfficeMax’s
“A Day Made Better” nationwide community event.
Pieroni, formerly a second-grade teacher, was nominated by
Assistant Principal Melanie Junge, who sent an online essay to
OfficeMax highlighting Pieroni’s dedication to teaching students
how to read.
“It’s important to let her know that she is making a difference,”
Junge said. “She is an outstanding teacher, dedicated to being a
lifelong learner.”
Among the gifts Pieroni received was a leather office chair, a
digital camera, and a printer. Pieroni's parents, sister, nephew
and friend were present at the school to surprise her.
Pieroni’s mom said her daughter always wanted to become a teacher
and spent time as a child playing the role of teacher with her
friends, who always played along as her students.
Pieroni is a Title I reading teacher, working with all grade
levels, tutoring students who have a difficult time reading.
“She’s very passionate about reading,” Junge said. “She’s devoted
to getting the strategies in place so students could become better
readers.”
This newspaper
article was published in the Northwest Herald on Wednesday, October 3,
2007.
