SR0579 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0579 LRB100 13044 MST 27381 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are pleased to recognize Kathleen "Kate" Janush for her distinguished service and achievements in education and in the community; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Education from Good Counsel College in White Plains, New York; she received her Master of Arts in English from Western Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush began working as an educator 44 years ago; she started teaching at St. Giles School in 1987 and taught the 7th and 8th grades for 29 years, inspiring students through her language arts and literature classes; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush is fondly known as "Mrs. J."; she is well-known for her love of reading, which she has passed on to thousands of students over the years; she expressed her passion with a poster near her desk that reads "If you think reading is boring, you're not doing it right."; and

WHEREAS, Early in her career, Kate Janush started her classes on a regimen of reading the legendary yellow dot books from the school library; she required her students to read a yellow dot book every two weeks during their 7th and 8th grade years, and take a 20-question quiz on the book, in addition to their regular class reading assignments; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush wholeheartedly believed in Maya Angelou's quote, "Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him."; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush contributed her tireless efforts to editing St. Giles' school yearbooks for 24 years, and as the unofficial school historian beginning in 1990, launched a collection of graduation memory boxes with photos and memorabilia; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush was co-director of the 8th grade theater productions for 16 years with former 8th grade math teacher, Puddy Larsen; it was a labor of love as she co-launched the theater project "as a way to get the 8th graders all working together", thus becoming a much anticipated and valued tradition of the 8th grade year at St. Giles; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush volunteered at the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library Book Fair, organized confirmation candidates to bake cookies for homeless shelters each week of the school year, and acted as a regular lector of morning masses for many years; and

WHEREAS, Kate Janush has been backed in her endeavors by her supportive husband, Dale, and her St. Giles alumus son, Zach; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare June 7, 2017 as Kathleen Janush Day in the State of Illinois, and we wish her the best in all her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Kathleen Janush as an expression of our esteem and gratitude.