Kathy Patterson is Pinckneyville Chamber's Educator of the Year
Pinckneyville High School Special Education teacher Kathy Patterson has been named the 2020 Educator of the Year by the Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber representative Betti Mucha surprised Patterson with the announcement, who thought she was getting together with her Special Education Department only to celebrate the retirement of colleague Joey Vancil.
Patterson goes "above and beyond" for her students, Mucha said, quoting from Patterson's letter of nomination. Mucha said a chamber committee reviews all nominations that are submitted by administrators, peers, and community members before making the selection.
Humbled and made nearly speechless by the recognition, Patterson credited the support of PCHS administrators Superintendent Keith Hagene and Principal Tony Wilson and the encouragement of fellow faculty members for her success.
Earning respect from colleagues, "means a lot to me," Patterson said. "Any one of them is deserving of this award."
She said that knowing her students personally is a key to teaching. Students, she said, all learn differently, and teachers must be advocates for their students.
Patterson, who lives in Steeleville, has been a part of the PCHS family since 2002, when she student-taught English, her original field at SIU.
Accepting a position the following year as an EOC special education aide at PCHS when no English teaching position was available, Patterson took the advice of an administrator who thought she'd really "found her calling" in special education.
She returned to SIU, completed her Special Education credentials and accepted a full-time teaching position at PCHS.
Patterson hasn't abandoned English entirely - she has worked with students to make up credits in English classes through Rend Lake College in summer school and after school classes for many years.
More awards
The Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce also has recognized S.L. Hauling as the 2020 Business of the Year and Cheryl Bigham as the Person of the Year. The award winners receive further recognition at the Mardi Gras festivities in October.