Congratulations!

Gurnee, IL - Woodland District 50 is proud to announce the Teacher of the Year and Staff Member of the Year Winners in the Annual Village of Gurnee Contest. Jessica Pierson is Woodland's winner for Teacher of the Year, and Brandi Smith is the winner for Staff Member of the Year for the 2025-2026 School Year! Ms. Pierson and Ms. Smith, along with the winners from Warren Township High School and Gurnee District 56, will be recognized at the Village of Gurnee Board Meeting on May 4, 2026.

If you would like to attend the Village of Gurnee Board Meeting to support Ms. Pierson and Ms. Smith the meeting is open to the public.

Date: Monday, May 4, 2026

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Gurnee Village Hall, 325 N. O'Plaine Rd.

Jessica Pierson has been selected as the Woodland District 50 winner for the Village of Gurnee Teacher of the Year Award for the 2025-2026 School Year. Ms. Pierson is the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Itinerant Teacher for the district. She first started at Woodland in August 2020, and works with students and families at all four of our district schools.

Jessica was selected as Woodland’s Teacher of the Year because of her knowledge, expertise, and advocacy for deaf and hard of hearing students and their families. She takes great care in helping her students integrate into the general education classroom, and also helps other students in the class understand how they can be a good “hearing friend”. She also provides opportunities for her students to step into the role of teacher to educate others about the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community.

This year, Ms. Pierson’s students have presented to both their teachers and classmates about their accommodations, and the assistive technology they use. Some students have helped explain the importance of not using the word “nevermind” because it makes them feel left out, and one student even provided a Q&A for their classmates so they had the opportunity to ask questions about deafness. Other students have read books to their classmates with deaf and hard of hearing characters, and some even taught their class a little bit of sign language. Two students worked with Woodland’s School Resource Officers to teach them signs and tips to use during emergency situations with deaf and hard of hearing people in the community to help keep them safe.

In addition to making sure her students’ needs are met, Ms. Pierson is raising awareness and championing inclusion throughout our entire learning community. Her guidance and advocacy are creating meaningful learning opportunities for her students and showing them that they belong in the W!

Brandi Smith has been selected as the Woodland District 50 winner for the Village of Gurnee Staff of the Year Award for the 2025-2026 School Year. Ms. Smith is a Hall Monitor at Woodland Middle School. She first started at Woodland in August 2023, and works diligently to ensure students feel safe, supported, and successful.

At the Middle School level, students change classes throughout the day. Supervision during passing periods can be a challenge, but for Ms. Smith this is her opportunity to really connect with the students. She always greets students by name and with a smile, making sure every child feels seen and respected. The example she sets for her students makes her a true leader in the school, and the students respond by seeking her out for conversations and advice. They know Ms. Smith will be there for them on a hard day, and give them the extra encouragement they need to keep moving forward. She has the skills and experience to redirect a student who is dysregulated to help steer them out of trouble.

In addition to her Hall Monitor responsibilities, Ms. Smith has also helped transform the ROAR store and the reward system for promoting positive behavior. She also helps mentor students through her work with the Black Student Leaders group. Ms. Smith has truly helped change the climate and culture in the Middle School by showing students that she believes in them, and by modeling the mutual respect that is a cornerstone of #LifeintheW.

School and Department Finalists

The nomination period for the annual contest opens in January, and staff, students, families, and community members are invited to recognize Woodland educators and staff members who go above and beyond in their support of the Woodland Learning Community. These outstanding nominees embody the spirit and mentality of #LifeintheW. This year, Woodland received 281 total nominations - 228 for Teacher of the Year and 53 nominations for Staff Member of the Year.

Based on your nominations, finalists are selected from each of the four schools and other departments in the district. An overall district winner is then selected to represent Woodland as the Village of Gurnee’s Teacher of the Year and Staff Member of the Year.

Teacher of the Year Finalists:

Mary Wagner, Early Childhood Teacher
Nicole Balogh, First Grade Teacher
Esperanza Rubio, Spanish Intervention Teacher
Amy Bautista, 6th Grade Advanced and 7th Grade Challenge Math Teacher

Images of Wagner, Balogh, Rubio, and Bautista

Staff Member of the Year Finalists:

Holly Yunker, Paraprofessional
Karen Hoppel, Paraprofessional
Gabriela Navarro Diaz, Family Coordinator
Natalie Monzo, Operations + Facilities

Images of Yunker, Hoppel, Navarro Diaz, and Monzo

The Village of Gurnee started the Teacher of the Year program in 2014. The Staff Member of the Year program began in 2025. Woodland D50 teachers, staff, students and district families look forward to the program each year.

The finalists and district winners will be formally recognized by the Woodland Board of Education at the May Board meeting, on Thursday, May 28, 2026.

Teacher & Staff Member of the Year

April 2026

Congratulations!

School and Department Finalists

Announcing Woodland’s Gurnee Teacher and Staff Member of the Year Winners Announcing Woodland’s Gurnee Teacher and Staff Member of the Year Winners

Congratulations!

Jessica Pierson, Teacher of the Year Jessica Pierson, Teacher of the Year

Brandi Smith, Staff Member of the Year Brandi Smith, Staff Member of the Year

School and Department Finalists