Hello! My name is Jaci, and from as early as I could remember, I was reading to my stuffed animals and dolls; truly, it was instinctual for me to step into education. I was a teacher in the English/Language Arts classroom for 13 years. Since I am double-certified in English and Social Studies, I was able to step into the Social Studies classroom from time to time. During my time in the classroom, I had plenty of experience in the co-taught classroom, where I worked with a co-teacher to meet the needs of special education students. I also taught honors English and International Baccalaureate History. I also led curriculum development for 9th grade English and eventually served as a department chair, where I led a staff of 13 teachers and taught two classes. I led and still lead professional development for educators on culturally responsive practices, technology integration, educator wellness, and authentic assessments. My hope for all my students is that they learn real-world skills that can be transferable in any setting. My classrooms were always student-centered and leaned on creativity to lead the way.
I have my master's in Education Leadership from Benedictine University, and I am Nationally Board Certified, which is the highest teaching credential an educator can earn.
I currently work for an education nonprofit, so I began to tutor to ensure I could keep that connection with students. In my free time, I love to try new restaurants in the West Loop, snuggle with my dog, Romeo (yes, such an English teacher!), and watch the latest binge-able show. I can’t wait to work with you!