News Releases
 March Employee of the Month: Kim Chung
Speech/language pathologist, Conyers Learning Academy
March 2007
Kim Chung is currently in her fifth year as a speech/language pathologist at Conyers Learning Academy, working with children aged three to five who have widely varied abilities. Her students may be children with autism, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, or developmental delays—but Kim finds them all “amazing to work with.”
Kim is described by her nominator as “dedicated to our early childhood students” and “extremely professional.” Kim’s case load consists of more than 40 students, primarily in the early childhood classrooms at Conyers Learning Academy but also some sixth graders at Virginia Lake and some home-schooled speech students. “Although she has a high case load, she willingly assists others and accepts challenges without complaint. She is a collaborative, passionate, and devoted staff member.”
“Mrs. Chung has a wonderful relationship with her students. She builds self-esteem through emotional nurturing, encouraging trust, mastery, and independence,” her nominator said. Kim describes her work as a “team approach” in which she works with each child’s teacher, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and social worker. “Instead of seeing just a child’s speech issues, it’s more global,” she explains. Kim works hard to get to know her students and their parents. She communicates continually with parents through phone calls, parent visits to the school, and even home visits. The result, according to her nominator, is that “parents trust her opinions and approaches.”
“It is very rewarding,” Kim says of her job. “My students are still so young, and we see such great progress. I see a lot of parents come to happy tears because of what we have been able to accomplish.”
Kim grew up in Glenview. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois in speech/hearing sciences and her master’s in communicative disorders from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. She student taught and later worked for two years at the same Glenview elementary school she had attended. Kim is married to her high school sweetheart, Jake Chung, a former District 15 teacher and assistant principal who is now principal at Lincoln Prairie School in Hoffman Estates. They are the parents of a nearly two-year-old son, Dylan. Although her family and job keep her very busy, Kim also enjoys reading and being outdoors.
Kim will be recognized at the March 14, 2007, Board of Education meeting, to be held at Walter R. Sundling Junior High School, at 7 p.m.
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