Six new educators were welcomed into Noble Schools’ competitive Distinguished Teacher program this year. They join the group of 60 educators who have been awarded this honor since the program started in 2019.
For years, the Distinguished Teacher award has celebrated experienced teachers who are making incredible strides with their students. 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:
Melvin Watson-Richards | Forensic Science Teacher | Butler College Prep
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Education: Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Southern University and A&M College, and Master of Technology for Cybersecurity from Western Governors University
Years of Teaching: 13
What do you love about teaching?
What I love most about teaching is the opportunity to make a lasting impact on how students see themselves and what they believe they are capable of. I love creating a space where students feel challenged, supported, and genuinely valued. There is something powerful about watching a student move from doubt to confidence, from hesitation to ownership, and from simply completing work to truly thinking deeply.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
Personally, being named a Distinguished Teacher means a great deal to me because it affirms the heart, consistency, and intentionality I bring to this work. Teaching is something I pour myself into, and this recognition feels like an acknowledgment of that commitment.
Professionally, it is meaningful because it affirms that the rigor, care, leadership, and purpose I strive to bring to my students and school community are making an impact. It also challenges me to continue growing and leading with even greater intention. More than anything, it is an honor because it reflects not just my efforts, but the growth, brilliance, and potential of the students I have the privilege to serve.
Laura Murphy | Fitness & Leadership Teacher | Noble Street College Prep
Hometown: Aurora, IL
Education: Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Valparaiso University & Master of Arts in Education from North Park University
Years of Teaching: 10
What do you love about teaching?
Seeing my students grow each year into strong, capable, and confident young individuals.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
Everything. I was born to be a teacher. Having this work recognized at such a high level means so much to me. It confirms that my work matters: that my hard work and dedication to my students’ success are important and necessary, not just to me, but to my school and the network as well. It feels like a big, warm embrace and high five. It brings a sense of accomplishment AND the feeling that there is always growth to be had.
To be distinguished to me does not mean you have arrived. It means you are doing excellent work AND that you are committed and willing to continue the work and grow each year to be better for our students day in and day out.
This is confirmation that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Laura MacCallum | Special Education Teacher | Pritzker College Prep
Hometown: Sparta, WI
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison & Master of Science in Special Education from Dominican University
Years of Teaching: 12
What do you love about teaching?
What I love most about teaching is witnessing my students bloom into versions of themselves that they previously may not have believed were possible. I love helping students build confidence in their thinking, their sense of self, and their future while creating a classroom where those students feel supported, challenged, and truly seen as the full human beings they are.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
I’m deeply grateful to be named a Distinguished Teacher. Personally, it feels like a recognition of my years of service to my students and families at Pritzker. I’ve had the true privilege to grow alongside this community, support students through their challenges, and celebrate their progress. This recognition reaffirms my dedication to show up for students year after year.
Professionally, I am strengthened in my commitment to helping students grow not just academically, but in confidence, self-regulation, and their sense of what’s possible for their futures. It also pushes me to continue to evolve as an educator and continue to contribute to the growth of the school itself.
Shannon Gunty | College Counselor | Pritzker College Prep
Hometown: Des Moines, IA
Education: Bachelor of Arts in History and Spanish from the University of Iowa
Years of Teaching: 15
What do you love about teaching?
I love seeing the joy in students and our school community when our kids reach their potential. What inspires me most is not necessarily the large, momentous occasions, but rather the quiet, cumulative moments where students build toward their big goals.
I also love that the classroom is dynamic for students and educators alike. We fail, we learn, and we continue to grow, both individually and as a community. As a teacher, I love that I can look back and see the ways in which our collective efforts have made an impact.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
I feel immense pride joining the Distinguished Teacher community at Noble. I am grateful for the opportunity to elevate our college work and amplify the stories of our students. I see this community as a collaborative force that will continue to support and inspire excellence across Noble. Distinguished Teachers represent the best of what we do at Noble, so I’m honored to join this exceptional group as we continue to shine a light on what’s possible for our students.
Most importantly, being able to model for my own children what it means to love the work you do and make a meaningful impact means the world to me.
Andrea Buchanan | English Teacher | Golder College Prep
Hometown: Valley Springs, SD
Education: Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from North Park University and Master of Arts in Teaching at University of Southern California
Years of Teaching: 13
What do you love about teaching?
I love helping students develop their inner life and imagination through reading. I am truly a believer that one can be bounded in a nutshell and count themselves a person of infinite space. I love that I can keep getting better; I am never bored.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
As I’ve engaged in the Distinguished Teacher process, it has helped me become better and better over the years. Being named a DT gives me validation; all that work can now elucidate both my achievements, and my students.
Matthew Brown | English Teacher | Pritzker College Prep
Hometown: Wilmette, IL
Education: Bachelor of Arts in History from Carleton College & Master of Arts in Teaching from Columbia University
Years of Teaching: 16
What do you love about teaching?
I love that teaching is endlessly challenging. I’m 24 years into my educational career, and I still end every year with a list of ideas for improvement. To be middle career and middle aged and still constantly energized by the students and the challenge of doing the job well is a true gift.
What does it mean for you to be named a Distinguished Teacher (DT)?
I returned to teaching in 2019 after eight years as an administrator. Earning Distinguished Teacher was something from those years back in the classroom that inspired me and that I knew I wanted to be worthy of some day. In that sense, it meant a lot to finally earn it.
INSPIRED BY OUR EDUCATORS?
If you’re passionate about teaching in Chicago and want to explore where your skills could thrive, take a look at the roles we’re hiring for across our 17 campuses.
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.
