Ms. Beagles

Kindergarten

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Hello! My name is Dawn Beagles and I am the kindergarten teacher, Dean for grades PK-3, and moderator for our After School program. I earned my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Western Illinois. I have many years of experience and have been a teacher at Saint Gilbert since 2000. Every year, I attend continuing education classes to stay current with the newest educational trends. I feel blessed to be able to teach and share my faith at SGS. I am proud to be a part of the Saint Gilbert community of families. It feels like home when I come to work every day. Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time with my 3 amazing daughters, family, and friends. I also enjoy walking, reading, and being outdoors.

Mrs. Spradlin

1st Grade

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I have had the pleasure of teaching at St. Gilbert for 22 years. I began teaching first grade when my three children were all students at SGS. I am proud to say that my daughter is also a teacher at St. Gilbert and her 4 children now attend. It has been my privilege to teach young minds to read, write, and explore math. It is truly a blessing to teach at a school that has such a strong sense of community with a shared belief in Jesus. I strive to find new strategies and tools to support my students’ growing minds each day. Teaching is my gift, passion, and calling.

Ms. Schapals

2nd Grade

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I have been a second grade teacher at St. Gilbert since 2001. I earned my bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University and my teaching certification from Trinity International University. I have found immense joy in being a part of this wonderful community. Witnessing the growth of students, both academically and spiritually, has been an absolute pleasure. I believe in making learning more engaging, and it truly warms my heart when a struggling student finally grasps a concept. I feel honored to work with these amazing children and their families.

Ms. Draper

3rd Grade

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I am honored to be a teacher at Saint Gilbert Catholic School for the past 19 years. It is my passion to make learning challenging and fun for students. Sharing my Catholic faith with the children has been a blessing as I watch them grow in their faith and love. Prior to working at Saint Gilbert, I worked as a substitute teacher in elementary schools while earning my Elementary Education degree at Trinity International University. I previously graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. As a previous second grade and current third grade teacher, I have the privilege to educate the children about the fundamentals of reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, and growing in their religious faith. It has been such a unique experience for me to watch these students expand their learning from last year within our Saint Gilbert community.

Mrs. Orna

3rd Grade

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I am so excited to be working with the 3rd graders at St. Gilbert School. At the beginning of my career, I worked in the Archdiocese of Chicago for 3 years. Later, I began working in Illinois Public Schools as a Special Education teacher. I retired early.  So I am now able to return to the Archdiocese of Chicago. For the past few years, I have worked as a classroom reading teacher and reading interventionist at Our Lady of Humility and St. Mary School. I am certified as a General Education, Special Education, and  Reading Recovery Teacher. I have over 20 years of experience teaching in both Public and Catholic Schools. With my experience, it is my hope that it will help me meet the individual needs of each student in my 3rd grade classroom. On a personal note, I am married with two adult children. My daughter, Sarah, graduated from Roosevelt University and is beginning her first teaching position in Chicago Public Schools. My son, Tom, will be attending college soon. I love reading, bicycling, and swimming. This summer, I went to Memphis to enjoy Blues Music and great southern cooking.

Ms. Bishop

4th Grade

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I’ve been working at St. Gilbert since 2001. I have had the opportunity to teach third, fourth and fifth (science & math) grades. One of the best parts of teaching is seeing students when they finally understand that challenging concept. I have my bachelor’s from Purdue and my Learning Behavior Specialist I endorsement from the University of Phoenix. I love watching students grow in their learning every day. In addition, I have been working at the after school program since it started.

Mrs. Zygmunt

4th Grade

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St. Gilbert School has played a huge role in my life since I attended as a student. I graduated from SGS in 2001 and first became an employee in 2015. I had the privilege of teaching Kindergarten for two years after spending 6 years teaching in a public school. I took a few years off from teaching to focus on raising my 4 young children. It’s a blessing to be back at SGS, teaching Fourth Grade. My own children also attend and have loved being part of the SGS community. As a teacher and parent, I am so grateful for the dedicated staff, academic excellence, and strong Catholic values of the students and families. I thoroughly believe that a community that loves and respects one another is key to guiding and growing positive members of society. I believe that learning in the classroom should be engaging, fun, hands on, intentional, and differentiated. My goal is to meet students where they are, to lead by example, and to inspire a desire to read and learn new things.

Ms. Fout

5th Grade

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I am proud to be in my twenty-fourth year at St. Gilbert School. Along with teaching my homeroom class, I also teach Social Studies and Science to our Fifth Grade students. I love teaching the students about our country’s early history. I received my Bachelor of Education from National-Louis University and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Saint Xavier University. I have certifications in Middle School, Social Studies, Language Arts, and General Science. Outside of school, I enjoy camping, gardening, learning about history, traveling, and doing genealogy research.

Mrs. Cecala

5th Grade

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I am proud to not only be a teacher at St. Gilbert, but also an alum – Class of 2003. I received my undergraduate degree at the College of Lake County and my Bachelor of Education from Northern Illinois University. Before being hired as a fifth grade teacher, I worked in the preschool room in the Afterschool Care Program for several years. I am currently in my seventh year of teaching at St. Gilbert School. Along with teaching my homeroom class, I also teach Math and Reading to the fifth grade students. When not at school, I enjoy spending time with my husband, Sal, and two children, April (4) and Luca (2). I also enjoy reading, playing board and card games, traveling, and walking outside in nature. One fun fact about me is that I have visited all 50 states, with my favorites being Colorado, Maine, and South Dakota.

Mrs. Carson

6th Grade

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This is my 5th year teaching at St. Gilbert School. I have spent 27 of my 35 years of teaching in Catholic schools, one year teaching abroad in Switzerland, and 7 years in public school. I truly believe that Catholic schools offer the best education along with providing an inclusive, safe, and nurturing environment. Having the opportunity to share my faith with  students has always been an important part of my teaching. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, baking, jigsaw puzzles, going to Chicago Wolves games and craft fairs, playing with my cats, and attending professional conferences. 

Mrs. Prickett

6th Grade

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I have been part of the Saint Gilbert community since 2013, when my oldest child began attending SGS. I served as a substitute teacher starting in 2013, and last year I also worked as an aide in the Learning Resource Center at SGS. This year I teach sixth grade, which has been not only enjoyable but rewarding. I believe students are most engaged when classroom learning is meaningful and adaptable. I have a M.A. in Elementary Education, and over the years, have taught in capacities ranging from preschool to college.

Mrs. Dantzer

7th Grade

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I began teaching Spanish in 2012 and joined St. Gilbert School in 2017. My degree is in Elementary Education and Spanish with an ESL Endorsement. As a language teacher, I am grateful that my work not only introduces students to a new language but also allows them to connect and build relationships with others. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling, gardening, and spending time with my family.

Mrs. Greffly

8th Grade

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My qualifications to teach are a bachelor degree in Biology with an endorsement in Education from Southern Illinois University. My experience in teaching includes several years in San Diego at a junior high school where I taught Science. My family eventually moved to the Chicago area and bought a house in Grayslake. My two sons attended Saint Gilbert School, and when a position was available, I jumped at the opportunity! I have taught 5th and 6th grade ELA and Science, and now teach 7th grade ELA and 8th grade Religion. Saint Gilbert School is a very special place for its students and families. My sons still maintain friendships with other “Gilbies.” Through sports, band, and many other activities, all students have opportunities to create friendships that may continue for many years. I consider Saint Gilbert School one big family where all children feel safe, supported, and loved.

Mrs. Ziegler

8th Grade

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I have been teaching Jr High since 2008 and have always taught within the Chicago Archdiocese. I came to SGS in 2019 and have loved every part of this school. I love working with the Jr High, teaching Science and ELA/Lit. One of my goals is to teach a solid foundation to prepare students for high school and beyond. I want them to know not only the content but also how to take notes, ask for help, and be self advocates. Another goal is to lend an ear, facilitate students working through normal school issues, and teach them calming skills through art, breathing, and movement.  

Mr. Kopczyk

Physical Education

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I first started teaching in 1988. Out of those 35 years, I taught 25 of them at St. Gilbert. I have enjoyed being a part of the St. Gilbert Family, and I am very proud of our students. I believe SGS students receive an excellent education in a warm and welcoming environment. Each staff member contributes to that success. I also enjoy fishing, hiking, and kayaking. I intend on finishing my long and successful teaching career at St. Gilbert!

Mrs. Baynes

Art

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I have been teaching Art at Saint Gilbert since 2021, and I am a parent of an SGS graduate (Emma-2018).  I have to say that Saint Gilbert does a fabulous job, not only preparing students for success but also building character and inspiring leadership. The sense of community is what first sold us on investing in an SGS education, and it’s also what drew me to teach Art here. I got my BS from Purdue University and have been working in marketing in the business world. Because I’ve experienced it firsthand, I try to teach the students that art plays a role in many careers and is not just to be shown in museums. I also believe that any time I can inspire creativity in a student, I’m doing my job, and loving every minute of it! 

Mrs. Burke

K-5th Grade Music

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I am so excited to be teaching music at Saint Gilbert School! While this is my first year teaching music, this is my third year working at SGS. I was an aide for two years prior. I love Saint Gilbert School and have been a part of the parish community here since 2005. I have three children who have graduated from here, and I currently have twins in second grade. I am very committed to Catholic education, and I love getting to work with our students every week! I have a degree in History and a degree in Political Science from Saint Joseph's College. I have been involved with music my whole life. I sang and did musical theater through college. I also played the French horn for 13 years and the trumpet and percussion for 4 years. I was the drum major of my high school and college bands. I was also the choreographer for the show choir in college and captain of our dance team. I am extremely passionate about music of all kinds and firmly believe that teaching a child to love music early benefits them throughout their lives.