The Illinois State Board of Education today approved appointments to fill five State Teacher Certification Board positions that expire June 30. Ms. Marsha Allen, Dr. Eugene Zalewski and Dr. Andrew Brulle were reappointed to second terms.

Ms. Jane Morris and Ms. Linda Malone will fill positions vacated by retiring members Ronald Babcock and Ms. Camille Taylor. Mr. Babcock, a teacher at Dundee Crown High School in Elgin, and Ms. Taylor, a teacher in Normal Unit District 5 in Normal have completed two terms. Members serve three-year terms and may be appointed for a second term.

Ms. Allen, a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools, was nominated by the Illinois Federation of Teachers. She worked as a substitute teacher in Chicago for one year before entering the Teachers for Chicago Program, an alternative certification program. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, a master’s degree in public administration, and a second master’s degree in special education (ED/BD and LD). Ms. Allen will be serving her second term.

Dr. Zalewski, superintendent of Niles Elementary School District 71 in Hawthorne Woods, was nominated by the Illinois Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. He has a master’s degree in physics and master’s and doctoral degrees in educational administration. Dr. Zalewski will be serving his second term.

Dr. Brulle, chair of the Education Department of Wheaton College, was nominated by the Illinois Association of School Administrators. He has 30 years of experience in the field of special education, entering the field with a B.S. Ed. in 1971 and spending 10 years in public schools as a special education teacher before earning master’s and doctoral degrees and beginning his college teaching career. Dr. Brulle will be serving his second term.

Ms. Morris, nominated by the Illinois Education Association, has been a high school biology teacher since 1994. Previously, she was a high school chemistry and French teacher. She earned certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards in 2002 and holds an Illinois Secondary Master Teaching Certificate and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She has served since 2000 as the chair of the Local Professional Development Committee. Ms. Morris will be serving her first term.

Ms. Malone, nominated by the Illinois Education Association, has 30 years of teaching experience. For 21 of those years, she taught special education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in education. She has received numerous awards, including the Those Who Excel Award. She was a member of the Edwardsville School District’s Local Professional Development Committee. Ms. Malone will be serving her first term.

The State Teacher Certification Board comprises 19 members. Five members are administrative or faculty members of Illinois colleges or universities, three are public school administrators, ten are public classroom teachers, and one is a regional superintendent of schools. Members serve a three-year term and may be reappointed for a second term.

A candidate may be nominated either by any professional teachers’ organization, which may submit one candidate for each vacancy for each 20,000 members who hold valid certificates, or by filing a petition signed by 250 persons who hold valid teaching certificates.