OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL MAYOR
June 25, 2014
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith, together with Alderman Thomas, an honorary resolution concerning this year's recipients of the Golden Apple teacher awards.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
resolution
***** b The Qity Qouncil ofAe Qity of Qhicago, Illinois
JUNE 25, 2014
resented by
on
ALDERMAN LATASHA THOMAS MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL
VVflfJfCWS , The Golden Apple Foundation has conferred its prestigious 2014 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching on ten 4th - 8th grade teachers, and its inaugural Stanley C. Golder Award for Principals and Heads of Schools on one principal, in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments as educators; and
WHEREAS, A not-for-profit organization based in Chicago, the Golden Apple Foundation advances the teaching profession by recognizing excellent educators; by recruiting and preparing talented high school students and college graduates to be teachers through innovative training programs; and by improving the skills of current teachers through professional development; and
WHEREAS, Dedicated to transforming teaching and elevating student performance, the Golden Apple Foundation has recognized exceptional teachers in the Chicago area each year since 1986. After a rigorous selection process by a volunteer committee of distinguished Chicago-area educators, this year's recipients of the Golden Apple Award were chosen from a pool of 620 highly qualified local teachers; and
WHEREAS, The recipients of the 2014 Golden Apple Award are Luke Albrecht (Crown Community Fine Arts Academy, Chicago); Mary Benton (Hawthorne Middle School South, Vernon Hills); Joseph Casanovas (Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies, Chicago); Roosevelt Griffin (Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School, Harvey); Madeline Kobayashi (Philip Rogers Elementary School, Chicago); Melissa Talaber Matwyshyn (St. Nicholas Cathedral School, Chicago); Michael Novak (Park View School, Morton Grove); Rozy Patel (Edgebrook School, Chicago); Anand Sukumaran (Mary Gage Peterson Elementary School, Chicago); and Margot Van Dyke (O'Neill Middle School, Downers Grove); and
WHEREAS, The recipient of the 2014 Stanley C. Golder Award is Principal Alan Mather of Lindblom Math & Science Academy. Under Principal Mather's leadership, Lindblom has become the top-performing majority African-American school in Illinois; is the only top-20 school with over 60 percent of its students receiving free or reduced-price lunches; boasts the largest Mandarin program in the Chicago Public Schools and the largest non-heritage Arabic program in the United States; and has signed a seven-year, $2 million contract with Baxter International, Inc., to host the Biotechnology Center of Excellence, a teacher training center in biotechnology; and
WHEREAS, Each Golden Apple Award recipient receives a tuition-free, spring quarter sabbatical to study at Northwestern University and a $3,000 cash award. Golden Apple teachers also become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, providing a stronger voice and larger stage from which to make an impact on education, through ongoing professional development and engagement in education reform, such as the mentoring of future teachers through the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program. Principal Mather will receive a $10,000 cash award for his own professional development and for a school project of his choosing; and
WHEREAS, This year's award recipients will be honored at a black-tie event on October 24, 2014 at WTTW/Channel 11 Studios in Chicago. WTTW will also broadcast the awards in a one-hour television program following the event; and
WHEREAS, Each of this year's award recipients achieved outstanding results with students, motivated them to learn, and equipped them with the values and skills they need to reach their full potential and to succeed in our rapidly changing society; and
WHEREAS, Because our children are our future, no one is more deserving of our admiration and respect than these extraordinary educators, who give generously of themselves each day to teach and inspire our children; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-fifth day of June, 2014, do hereby applaud this year's recipients of the Golden Apple Award, and Principal Alan Mather, recipient of the Stanley C. Golder Award, for their remarkable dedication, energy and commitment to educating Chicago's children; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the above-named 2014 Golden Apple Award recipients and Principal Mather as a token of our esteem and good wishes.
MAYOR
CITY CLERK