“I have poured so much of my heart into this profession, and it is incredible to be recognized for this work.”
Brittany Parks, a college counselor at Rauner College Prep, is one of four new educators welcomed into Noble Schools’ competitive Distinguished Teacher program this year. They join the 60 educators who have been awarded with this honor since the program started in 2018.
For years, the Distinguished Teacher award has celebrated experienced teachers who are making incredible strides with their students. From leading advanced science courses working with genetic modification to inspiring students to pursue psychology, we see every day how these amazing teachers are changing the game for our scholars. Distinguished Teacher is not just a title and certificate, though! It also comes with many tangible benefits— including a $10,000 boost to their annual salary for as long as they remain teachers at Noble.
>> You can read more about the Distinguished Teacher program here.
We are constantly in awe of and appreciative of the work these teachers do.
Learn more about this year’s Distinguished Teachers:
Chelsea Lemon | Dance Teacher | Hansberry College Prep
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Minor in Dance from Southern Illinois University
Years of Teaching: 8
What do you love about teaching?
I love that I get to make an impact on the next generation. I love that I get to motivate, push beyond comfortability, and serve a beautiful community of learners. Further, I love that I get to be part of a village for the next generation of greatness. I love that I get to bring my authentic self into a room full of eager minds daily and show them the way.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
Personally, being a Distinguished Teacher means that I am seen for the work that I have done for almost a decade. It means that I’ve made my mother and a city that I call home very proud! It’s an honor to be recognized by Noble Schools.
Professionally, I’ve made it a mission to bridge the gap between the arts, fitness, and core content to ensure alignment and consistency across my students’ day. Thus, the recognition means that I’ve done so at a higher level. It means that I’m seen for the rigor and consistency expected from scholars beyond movement. It means that I am doing the WORK that high-level teaching demands.
John Farrand | Psychology Teacher | Muchin College Prep
Hometown: Stevensville, MI
Education: Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education & Master of Arts in Psychology from Concordia University Chicago
Years of Teaching: 15
What do you love about teaching?
I love making the content that I teach relevant to students. I love having the opportunity to show students that I see them and that they have worth. I enjoy pushing students to become more than they may have thought they were or could be and to encourage them to become their best selves.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
Teaching is very personal and, like most teachers, I put a lot of myself into my teaching. My goal for teaching is that students walk away from every day of class having learned something new that they can apply to their lives. To be a Distinguished Teacher names that I have put in a lot of hard work, that I have results that benefit the students that I teach, and that students are walking away from my class knowing themselves better as they apply the content to their every day lives.
Anna Pietrantonio | Biology Teacher | Pritzker College Prep
Hometown: Chevy Chase, MD
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Amherst College & Master of Education in Educational Policy and Leadership from Marquette University
Years of Teaching: 11
What do you love about teaching?
There are so many things I love about teaching. Every day is different and gives me a chance to try something new. I love that not only do my students grow, but I also continually learn and evolve alongside them. I love the problem-solving of figuring out the best way to engage students or teach a new skill. I also love building relationships with my students and watching them find their sparks as they prepare to leave high school and enter the exciting next stage of their lives.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
It is an honor, both personally and professionally, to be named a Distinguished Teacher. On a personal level, it reaffirms why I became an educator in the first place, something I’ve known I wanted to be since kindergarten. On a professional level, it is the recognition for all the behind-the-scenes work— the messy, challenging, and deeply rewarding parts of teaching. I’ve worked with so many incredible educators throughout my eight years at Noble, and I am excited about the opportunity to continue learning, growing, and serving Noble students alongside them.
Brittany Parks | College Counselor | Rauner College Prep
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Education: Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Psychological Services from Northwestern University & Master of Arts in Teaching from Wilmington University
Years of Teaching: 12
What do you love about teaching?
What I love most about teaching is the ripple effect it creates in the world. Each student is like a universe of their own, and my hope is that the lessons and experiences they take from our time together spread out into all the people and places they’re connected to. I really value the chance to build meaningful connections with students and be a positive presence in their lives. They teach me just as much! I grow and learn from every single one of them. Teaching is about having faith that the seeds you plant today will grow into something beautiful down the road, even if you’re not there to see it.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
I am so honored to be named a Distinguished Teacher! I have poured so much of my heart into this profession, and it is incredible to be recognized for this work. I hope to take this distinction to support developing teachers so we can all continue to grow and best serve our students.
MORE ABOUT THE DISTINGUISHED TEACHER PROGRAM
Distinguished Teachers must be in at least their fourth year teaching at Noble, having exemplified Noble’s core values and traits in five key areas:
- Student Growth: Are your students achieving exceptional growth?
- Classroom Culture: In what ways have you created a strong classroom in which students feel invested, empowered, and connected?
- Instructional Rigor: In what ways does your classroom culture, planning, and instruction push students’ cognitive lift, quality responses, and intentional use of time?
- Inclusion and Relevance: How is your classroom inclusive of and/or relevant to the students that you serve?
- Extended Impact: How have you directly impacted your school, the community it serves, and/or our network outside of your classroom?
Distinguished Teachers apply for the program by submitting written narratives and a portfolio of artifacts including comprehensive data. Finalists then participate in classroom observations and debriefs, student surveys, a panel interview, and reference checks over the course of several months.
The Distinguished Teacher designation comes with several clearly defined benefits:
- An additional $10,000 award on top of base salary, as determined by the Noble Salary Schedule, each year for the duration of employment as a teacher at Noble;
- Opportunities to engage in professional development specific to Distinguished Teachers as well as facilitate professional development experiences across Noble Schools;
- Unique opportunities to participate in network-wide decisions across functions;
- Participation in the selection of future Distinguished Teachers.
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