News Releases
 March Employee of the Month:
Jane Leaf, Music teacher, Hunting Ridge School
During a chorus performance while she was in high school, Jane Leaf was struck by a sudden realization: she wanted to be a music teacher! “I had a wonderful teacher,” she said, “One day after we had sung something particularly inspiring, I thought, ‘Wow! This is her job!’ I immediately went to her and asked, ‘What do you have to do to become a music teacher?’” Jane followed the advice given her, and today, after 29 years of teaching music, she still enthusiastically shares her passion for music with her students. “Music gives you the opportunity to produce something beautiful with your voice or an instrument. How can you beat that?” she said.
“Jane is beloved by her students, their parents, and the staff,” said her nominator. “She is a great influence on the culture of our building with her unconditional love and support of the students and staff. She encourages the kids to take risks and brings them out of their shells. It’s as much fun to watch her direct her concerts as it is watching the students having a great time performing.”
She cares deeply for her students. “They’re like my children,” she said. “I want them to enjoy music, to become educated listeners, to be willing to take risks, and to work together. But I also want them to learn that it’s important to be kind to people and to stand up for what they believe in.”
“Jane not only teaches, sponsors a very large chorus, and directs many concerts during the school year, she also coordinates our annual Veterans’ Day program, holiday sing, and multicultural music program,” her nominator pointed out. “Besides working with students in school, she also works with them outside of the school day when she accompanies them in music competitions.”
She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Augustana College in Rock Island and a master’s from Concordia University. She met her husband, Carl, in the Augustana choir. Jane and Carl are the parents of three adult children: Daniel, Ben, and Margaret, all of whom attended District 15 schools. Jane began her District 15 teaching career as an itinerant music teacher at Marion Jordan and Cardinal Drive Schools, and Plum Grove Junior High, becoming quite skilled at “pushing a piano,” she said. She then joined the Hunting Ridge staff as a music teacher and returned to the school after taking several years off while her children were young.
Jane is a member of the Chicago Master Singers. “That’s where I get my inspiration,” she said. She has performed as a soloist and traveled to Europe with the Master Singers, sharing her experiences with her students. She and her husband enjoy camping, cycling, and spending time with their two dogs. Jane also enjoys reading.
Jane will be recognized at the March 8, 2006, Board of Education meeting, to be held at Walter R. Sundling Junior High School, at 7 p.m.
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