My name is Susan Sidlowski and I am thrilled to begin my fifth year at St. Joseph School. Over the last  few years,  I was actively involved in the Resource department teaching my favorite passion of Reading.  This year my primary focus will be on RTI students. For those unfamiliar with the acronym RTI stands for Response to Intervention.

RTI is meant to be flexible and fluid.  It encourages the adoption of new strategies that promise better student outcomes.  I will be teaching these strategies in grades K-4, as needed in Reading and Mathematics.

Here is how it all began, I attended twelve years of Catholic Education when I decided I was going to not only teach, but also share my faith with children. I received my first degree in Early Education and soon owned, operated and taught in a private school in which I was able to utilize my commitment to teaching the whole child, including Christianity.

Raising my four children and moving several times, I continued my faith by serving as President of Catholic Knights, a well known fraternal organization, teaching Religious Education to Families and Jr High Students.  I also went back to college and received my BS in Elementary Education with Middle school endorsements in Language Arts and Social Sciences, holding my Reading Endorsement

Although I am fairly new to St. Joseph, I am not a stranger to the Archdiocese of Chicago.  I have served in many capacities as a teacher and RTI Instructor from Preschool to Fourth grade.  I have taught in four different schools over the span of eighteen years.  Every experience has helped me grow as a person and steward of Christ.

Having said that I could not have ever met my goals without the ongoing support of my four children and husband of 35 years.  Every Fall one of my children would eagerly comment on how it was time to do bulletin boards. YET AGAIN.

In my limited free time I enjoy nature, camping, swimming, reading, and writing.  We welcomed our second grandchild this year to our now growing family and thank God for our many blessings.

And when I thank God for my many blessings I make sure to include my St. Joseph family of administrators, students, families and staff for making work seem like a second home.

Mrs. Susan Sidlowski