Retiring Elm Principal wants to “give back” to education

Jeana Considine readily admits being an educator is all about building relationships…relationships with children, relationships with parents and relationships with fellow educators.

Now, as the Elm School Principal prepares for retirement from what has been a nearly 30-year career with District 181, she’s already planning on building new relationships by utilizing her expertise to mentor young teachers and educators who want to become administrators.

“I’m not done yet. I’m not ready,” Ms. Considine said. “I definitely want to continue doing something in education, perhaps with the Regional Office of Education or at a university…find some way I can give back to the education community.”

After spending the first few years of her career teaching in Bellwood and Bloomingdale, and at Notre Dame School in Clarendon Hills, she came to Elm in 1989 as a 5th grade teacher.

“It was such an amazing environment. I felt like I died and went to Heaven,” Ms. Considine said as she recalled her first assignment at the Burr Ridge elementary school. “You felt empowered to teach.”

And teach she did until the 2006-07 school year when she served as a D181 TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) for a year before becoming Elm Principal a year later.

Through the years Ms. Considine has built relationships with literally thousands of students, parents and especially teachers.

“It’s hard to be a new teacher today because there are very, very high expectations,” Ms. Considine said. “But you have an opportunity to do what’s best for kids and I think that leads you in the right direction.”

In addition to doing some mentoring, the veteran educator is looking forward to leading a “more flexible” life and spending more time with her youngest daughter who is still in high school. At some point down the road, she also hopes to travel a bit more.

"My career at Elm has been a gift of a lifetime," Ms. Considine said. "What a gift to be able to come to work every day to a place where there are amazing children, dedicated teachers and supportive families. I have been incredibly blessed."

The Elm staff and PTO will host a reception for Ms. Considine from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 5 at the Elm School gym. Parents, students and staff from past and present are not only welcome to attend, but also are encouraged to write a message to Ms. Considine and e-mail it to [email protected] or bring it to the reception for a special memory book.