Mrs. Andrews began teaching in the English Department in 1987. Before coming to Maine South, she taught in School District 65 for nine years. She was a part-time instructor of undergraduate and graduate courses at Northeastern Illinois University for two years. During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught Reading and Reading Tutorial, Strategic Individualized Reading as well as English I, English II, and the senior electives Individualized Reading, Senior Composition and Creative Writing. Mrs. Andrews’ educational background includes a B.A. in English Education (Secondary) from University of Illinois – Chicago and a M.A. Ed. in Reading from Northeastern Illinois University. Her favorite literary quote comes from T. H. White’s The Once and Future King, “The best thing for being sad…is to learn something. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the thing for you.”

Mrs. Andrews' Webpage

Mr. Bellisario began teaching in the English Department in 2001.  Before coming to Maine South, he taught in the CPS for one year and at Proviso East High School for one year.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English I-T, English I Accelerated, World Literature, Literature and Film, and Literature Seminar.  Mr. Bellisario' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from DePaul University and a M.A. Ed. in Teaching and Learning from DePaul University as well.  His favorite book is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

Mr. Bellisario's Webpage

Mrs. Braverman began teaching in the English Department in 1989.  She has spent her entire teaching career at Maine South.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English I Accelerated, English II, Major Themes in American Literature, Survey of American Literature, World Literature, and Composition I, II, and III.  Mrs. Braverman' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from John Carroll University and a M.A. Ed. in Education and Writing Instruction from National-Louis University.  Although difficult to pick only one, her favorite book is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Mrs. Braverman's Webpage

Ms. Eckhardt began teaching in the English Department in 2003.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Maine West for two years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English II, English III, and English III Accelerated.  Ms. Eckhardt's educational background includes a B.A. in English Literature from DePauw University and a M.A. in the Teaching of English from the University of Chicago.  Her favorite book is Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.

Ms. Eckhardt's Webpage

Mr. Ellefson began teaching in the English Department in 2001.  Before coming to Maine South, he taught for a semester at Lake Forest High School.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English II-T, English III, American Studies, Creative Writing, and Journalism.  Mr. Ellefson' s educational background includes a B.A. in English and Education from Lake Forest College and a M.A. in English Literature from from Northeastern Illinois University.  His favorite authors are Mark Twain and Shel Silverstein, and his favorite book is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Mr. Fechner began teaching in the English Department in 2004.  Before coming to Maine South, he taught for a semester at Maine East High School.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English I, English II-T, and Composition III.  Mr. Fechner' s educational background includes a B.A. in English and Secondary Education from Valparaiso University.  He is currently working on a Master' s degree in Reading at Concordia University.  His favorite author is Nick Hornby, and his favorite book is The Things They Carried by Tim O' Brien.

Ms. Flint began teaching in the English Department in 1998.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught in the CPS for two years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught Reading Tutorials, Strategic Individualized Reading, English II, English II-T, and English III-T.  Ms. Flint' s educational background includes a B.A. in Public Communications/Broadcasting from the College of St. Rose and a M.A. Ed. In Secondary Teaching - English from University of Illinois - Chicago as well as a M.A. Ed. In Reading, Writing, and Literacy from University of Illinois - Chicago. 

Mrs. Hatch began teaching in the English Department in 2001.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at MacArthur Middle School for six years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English II, English III, English III-T, and Guided Study.  Mrs. Hatch' s educational background includes a B.A. in Secondary Education from Roosevelt University and a M.A. in Education and Leadership from St. Xavier University.  Her favorite book is Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy, and her favorite literary quote is by Thomas Jefferson who said, "I cannot live without books."

Mrs. Headley began teaching in the English Department in 1996.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Highland Park High School for one and a half years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English II, English III, American Studies, Composition III, and English IV AP.  Mrs. Headley' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Valparaiso University and a M.A. in English Literature from Northeastern Illinois University and a M.A. in Educational Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University as well.  Her favorite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Mrs. Higgins-Spoleti began teaching in the English Department in 1990.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at several schools including high schools in El Paso, Texas, Hollywood, California, and Trinity High School.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English I Accelerated, World Literature and Composition II and III.  She has also been a Fulbright teacher spending a year teaching in Budapest, Hungary.  Mrs. Higgins-Spoleti' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Dominican University and a M.A. in Education from National-Louis University.  One of her many favorite books is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and her favorite literary quote coming from Robert Frost, "The woods are lovely, dark and deep. / But I have promises to keep, / And miles to go before I sleep / And miles to go before I sleep."

Mrs. Kirshner began teaching in the English Department in 2004.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Maine East for one year.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English I Accelerated, English II, and English III.  Mrs. Kirshner ' s educational background includes a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Secondary Education from Vanderbilt University.  She is currently working on a Master' s in English Literature at Northeastern Illinois University.  Her favorite book is Atonement by Ian McEwan. 

Ms. Knight began teaching in the English Department in 2001.   Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Schaumburg High School for seven years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English II Accelerated, British Literature, and Contemporary Authors.  Ms. Knight' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Spelman College and a M.A. in Teaching English from University of Michigan.  Her favorite book is Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.

Mrs. Krukowski began teaching in the English Department in 2001.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Waukegan High School for six years and WIlliowbrook High School for seven years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I Accelerated, English III and American Studies.  Mrs. Krukowski' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from the University of Iowa and Master of Liberal Studies degree from DePaul University.  Her favorite books include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, and her favorite literary quote is Ralph Waldo Emerson' s "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

Mr. Lonergan began teaching in the English department in 1994.  Before coming to Maine South, he taught in each of the other Maine schools.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught nearly every course that has been offered including English III and Literature of Chicago.  Mr. Lonergan' s educational background includes a B.A. in Education - Business and English from Western Illinois University and a M.A. in Educational Leadership from University of Illinois - Chicago.  His favorite author is Mark Twain, and his favorite book is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  His favorite literary quote is from Truman Capote' s "A Christmas Memory," "As for me, I could leave the world with today in my eyes."

Mr. Marsicano began teaching in the English Department in 1997.  He has spent his entire teaching career at Maine South.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English I, Literature of Chicago, Composition III, and British Literature.  Mr. Marsicano' s educational background includes a B.S. in Secondary Education - English from University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign and a M.A. in English Literature from Northeastern Illinois University and a M.A. in Educational Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University as well.  His favorite authors include Nelson Algren, Mike Royko, and Richard Wright, and his favorite book is Chicago: City on the Make by Nelson Algren.  His favorite literary quote is by Nelson Algren, "Loving Chicago is like loving a woman with a broken nose.  You may find lovelier lovelys, but never a lovely so real."

Mr. McGowan began teaching in the English Department in 1998.  During his time at Maine, he also taught at Maine West for three years.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English I, English II, English III, British Literature, Composition III, and Yearbook.  Mr. McGowan' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Butler University and a M.A. in English Literature from Northeastern Illinois University.  His favorite book is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.  His favorite literary quote is by F. Scott Fitzgerald as he describes Jay Gatsby, "He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.  He did not know that it was already behind him."

Mrs. Miller began teaching in the English Department in 1998.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Zion-Benton High School for seven years.  During her tenure at Maine South, she has taught English I, English I Accelerated, English III, and English IV AP.  Mrs. Miller' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Santa Clara University and a M.A. in the Teaching of English at the University of Chicago.  Her favorite author is Zora Neale Hurston, and her favorite book is The Great Gatsby.

Ms. Muir-Wilson began teaching in the English Department in 1998.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Northlake Middle School for three years.  During her tenure at Maine South, she has taught Freshman Reading, Reading Tutorials, and Strategic Individualized Reading.  Ms. Muir-Wilson' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Illinois State University and a M.A. in Reading from Concordia University.  Her favorite quote comes from Mark Twain who said, "Those who can read and don' t are no better than those who can' t."

Mrs. Nero began teaching in the English Department in 2005.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught in the CPS at Richards Career Academy for three years.  During her tenure at Maine South, she has taught English II, English III, and Strategic Individualized Reading.  Mrs. Nero' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Butler University and a M.A.T. in Education from Duke University.  She is currently working on a Master' s in Reading from the University of Illinois - Chicago.  Her favorite book is Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.

Dr. Pajor began teaching in the English Department in 1998.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught ESL in Ecuador for one year.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, Composition III, Contemporary Authors, and British Literature.  Dr. Pajor' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan, a M.A. in Education from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. in Education from University of Illinois - Chicago.  Her favorite book is The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

Mrs. Palm began teaching in the English Department in 2000.  She has spent her entire teaching career at Maine South.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English I Accelerated, English II, and Composition III.  Mrs. Palm' s educational background includes a B.A. in English and Secondary Education from Augustana College.  She is currently working on a Master' s in English at Northeastern Illinois University Her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Mrs. Sallmann began teaching in the English Department in 2002.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Maine West High School for one year.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English II, and English III.  Mrs. Sallmann' s educational background includes a B.S. in Secondary Education - English from University of Kansas and a M.S. in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University.  Her favorite books to teach are To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Ms. Sarlas began teaching in the English Department in 1998.  She has spent her entire teaching career at Maine South.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English II, English II Accelerated, English III, American Studies, British Literature, and Creative Writing.  Ms. Sarlas' s educational background includes a B.A. in History from the University of Michigan and a M.S. in Secondary Education - English from Northwestern University.  Her favorite book is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.  Her favorite quote comes from Mark Twain who said, "Those who can read and don' t are no better than those who can' t."

Ms. Schanou began teaching in the English Department in 2001.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught a Composition class at University of Illinois - Chicago for two years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English I, English III, and Advanced Composition.  Ms. Schanou' s educational background includes a B.A. in English and Philosophy from Hastings College and a M.A. in Literature with emphasis in Writing from University of Illinois - Chicago.

Mr. Scorza began teaching in the English Department in 1999.  He has spent his entire teaching career at Maine South.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English II, World Literature, Literature Seminar, and Creative Writing.  Mr. Scorza' s educational background includes a B.S. in the Teaching of English from University of Illinois - Urbana - Champaign and a M.A. in English Literature from Northeastern Illinois University. 

Mr. Stathakis began teaching in the English Department in 2003.  He has spent his entire teaching career at Maine South.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English II and English III.  Mr. Stathakis' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from Northwestern University and a M.S. Ed. in Secondary Education from Northwestern University as well.  His favorite author is Mark Twain, and his favorite book is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

Mr. Stock began teaching in the English Department in 2003.  Before coming to Maine South, he taught at Moraine Valley Community College for seven years.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English I, English II, English III, Literature and Film, and Creative Writing.  Mr. Stock' s educational background includes a B.A. in English and Sports Medicine from the University of Nebraska, Education Certification from Elmhurst College, and a M.A. in English from Western Illinois University.  His favorite author is Kate Chopin, and his favorite books include The Awakening by Kate Chopin and On the Road by Jack Kerouac.  His favorite literary quote comes from Kerouac' s On the Road, "So in America when the sun goes down and I sit on the old broken-down river pier watching the long, long skies over New Jersey and sense all that raw land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge over to the West Coast, and all that road going, and all the people dreaming in the immensity of it…I think of Dean Moriarty."

Mrs. Valko began teaching in the English Department in 2001.  Before coming to Maine South, she taught at Scared Heart Elementary School for four years, Blue Valley North High School for seven years (two of which were as the district' s Gifted Facilitator), and Blue Valley Northwest for six years.  During her tenure in the English Department, she has taught English III Accelerated, English III AP, Composition III, and English IV AP.  Mrs. Valko' s educational background includes a B.A. in English from University of Illinois - Urbana - Champaign, a M.A.T. in Written Communication from Webster University, and a Teaching of Talented and Gifted Certification from University of Kansas.  Her favorite authors include John Irving, Robertson Davies, Louise Erdrich, Barbara Kingsolver, and Toni Morrison.  A notable quote according to Mrs. Valko comes from John Irving, "We invent what we love and what we fear."

Mr. von Wahlde began teaching in the English Department in 2007. Before coming to South, he taught at Von Stuben High School for one year and Westhill High School for three years.  During his tenure in the English Department, he has taught English II and English III.  Mr. von Wahlde’s educational background includes a B.A. in English Literature and a Secondary English Education Certification from Loyola University.

Mr. von Wahlde's Webpage

Created and maintained by M. Parrilli - English Department Chair
Last update: August 2007