Congratulations to Katie McGarvey, who has been named 2021 Special Education Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education. Photo credit: Journal & Topics.

When an educator is recognized for exceptional work in the classroom, this event is exciting to teachers everywhere. One educator who was recently honored was Katie McGarvey, a special education teacher from the northwest suburbs of Chicago. She was been named a 2021 Special Education Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Katie teaches Special Education at Hoffman Estates High School in District 211. Her career there has spanned a mere three years. Her students have intellectual and developmental disabilities. “For me, students come first,” Katie declares.  “I love seeing them every day, which drives my passion for this job,” she continues. “I hope to use that passion to continue to grow in a way that can always help the students,” she concludes.

“Katie is all about service to others,” asserts colleague Colleen Little.  “It’s been great to see her in action and to see her recognized.” In addition to her honors from the Illinois State Board of Education, Katie has also been honored as a 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award from Loyola University. She has also been inducted into Delta Kappa Gamma, a prestigious professional organization for women educators.

Katie graduated from Palatine High School in the small town of Palatine, Cook County, Illinois. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Loyola University Chicago in 2018.