East St. Louis School District 189 Teacher Receives Top Award from ISBE’s Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards

East St. Louis School District 189 Teacher Receives Top Award from ISBE’s Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards

Briana Morales from Gordon Bush Alternative School in East St. Louis School District 189 has been named the 2023 Southwest Regional Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Out of almost 500 applicants, Briana Morales was selected for this honor because of the positive impact she makes with vulnerable students, her dedication to personalized, competency-based education, her passion for educational research and policy development, as well as her commitment to supporting colleagues and future educators through Affinity Groups and more.

You can read more about Briana Morales and the entire cohort of 2023 Teachers of the Year on ISBE’s program page.

School District 189 Superintendent Arthur R. Culver noted, “We are thrilled that Briana has been recognized on the state level as an exemplary educator. Her steadfast commitment to excellence, compassion for students, and collaborative nature are keys to her success.” He added, “She is very dedicated and is relentless in her pursuit of academic success and character development of students.”

ISBE’s annual Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards celebrate incredible classroom teachers, administrators, teams, volunteers, and school support personnel who have made impact on the students, families, and fellow educators in their school communities. See full list of awardees from all seven professional categories.

The East St. Louis School District had several other educators and staff who earned high recognition as Those Who Excel by the Illinois State Board of Education. These include:

-          Rosalind Rogers, Strings Teacher at Lincoln Middle School and Younge School of Excellence – Meritorious Service

-          Tamara Tally, Grade 3 Teacher at Annette Harris Officer Elementary School – Meritorious Service

-          Dyshunda Curtis, Grade 8 Social Science Teacher at Mason/Clark Middle School – Meritorious Service

-          Tracee Wells, Learning Loss Instructional Support Specialist at East St. Louis School District 189 – Meritorious Service

-          Staccy Lampkin, Director of College Access and Persistence at East St. Louis School District 189 – Special Recognition

-          Dr. Kareem Mateen, College and Career Counselor at East St. Louis Senior High School – Special Recognition

Superintendent Culver commented, “In School District 189, excellence is a habit.  These staff demonstrate that when we approach each day with purpose, passion, and power, we will cultivate the potential in every student.” 

ISBE received a record number of nominations and applications for the 2023 Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards. A committee of administrators, teachers, educational service personnel, student support personnel, and past Illinois Teachers of the Year selected this year’s awardees. The Illinois state superintendent of education will select the 2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year from the finalists later this spring. The Illinois Teacher of the Year will represent Illinois in the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year Program.

Please visit the ISBE website for photos and bios of the 2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year finalists along with more information about the awards.