Aurora teacher named 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A fifth-grade teacher in Aurora has been named Illinois Teacher of the Year for 2024.
Illinois State Board of Education Chair Dr. Steven Isoye, Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 Superintendent Dr. Adrian Talley, and Georgetown Elementary School Principal Jill Keller surprised Dr. Rachael Mahmood with the award on Thursday.
Illinois State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders chose Mahmood from 13 finalists from across the state.
Mahmood has been a teacher since 2005, spending the last nine years at Georgetown Elementary School in Aurora.
"Amidst an incredibly talented pool of educators across our state, Dr. Mahmood rose to the forefront," Sanders said in a statement. "Despite never feeling like she belonged in school as a student, she became a teacher and found her calling.
"Her journey fuels her passion for making each of her students understand that they belong. She has a passion for the craft of teaching and embodies the qualities of an exceptional educator and inspiring leader."
Mahmood is known for creating relationships with her students and their families that leave a lasting impact.
"Our role as educators is to adopt an asset-based mindset, leveraging the strengths, funds of knowledge, and social/cultural capital that each student brings to the classroom," Mahmood said in her nomination materials for the award.
"By harnessing our students' natural gifts, we inspire them to see that their ability to be successful, both inside and outside of the classroom, already lies within them. As we move with the natural gifts of our students, don't forget they ride on the coattails of the strength and richness of their families and communities. We must not only partner with our communities but also learn from them."
Mahmood will take a state-funded sabbatical from teaching for the 2024-25 school year to represent Illinois in the National Teacher of the Year program, serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession.
