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The times are always changing, but for a family of educators in the Sauk Valley, their legacy of education and attitude of “getting through this together” has remained steadfast.
Affectionately known as the “teaching family,” Bill Mills, his daughter Michelle Jagitsch, and her daughter-in-law Kristin Jagitsch all have taught at schools in Dixon, Rock Falls and Sterling for the last six decades combined. They also have extended family in the field, and in their circles they’re affectionately known as the “teaching family.”
After more than 30 years as an educator, Bill retired in 2002. Michelle is currently at Franklin School in Sterling, teaching math and interventions to kindergarten, first- and second-graders, and Kristin is an Early Bird teacher at Riverdale Preschool in Rock Falls.
From the past to the present and into the future, these teachers have made it their mission to make a difference in students’ lives.
For Mills, his small-town upbringing with nine other siblings set the stage for his decades-long career. While in school, he noticed the impact of educators who would go out of their way to make a difference in young lives. He watched his teachers offer support to those that needed it, and saw fellow students overcome obstacles thanks to their influence.
After his Army service during the Vietnam War, he got his bachelor’s in education from Illinois State University then a master’s from Northern Illinois University. While at Dixon High School, he taught economics, accounting, consumer ed, and keyboarding in the age of typewriters, though he eventually made the transition to computers.
He also led workshops for teachers on classroom management and effective discipline, mentored new teachers and assisted fellow educators, was a union president, coached football and track, and refereed basketball for 40 years.
He cherishes his years as a teacher and still thanks his coworkers, especially the custodians and secretaries, for “keeping the wheels on the bus.” After a gratifying career, he enjoys retired life in Dixon with JoAnne, his wife of over 40 years, but his school stature remains.
“To this day, every person I meet that had my dad as a teacher tells me he was their favorite teacher,” says Michelle. “To say I’m proud of him and the impact he had on thousands of students’ lives is an understatement. Many have shared they wouldn’t have gotten through high school without his guidance.”
“He always had a soft spot for the underdogs that had a hard time in school and went that extra mile to make sure his students succeeded,” she continued, calling him an exemplary role model and teacher. His life example in turn inspired her to pursue a career in education, also aided by the influence of all the teachers in her life.
She started with an associate’s at Sauk Valley Community College, then went to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston for her bachelor’s and later, her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She eventually pursued another master’s degree in administration, since she enjoyed going to school as an adult.
Michelle met her husband Matt, an artist, while attending Eastern University, and after graduation she took her first job teaching third- and fourth-graders in Odell. The couple soon started a family and decided to move closer to home, with Michelle accepting a fourth-grade position in Paw Paw.
After a year, she landed a job at Washington School in Sterling, back when they were neighborhood schools. The district decided to pilot a kindergarten readiness program, and she began teaching that.
She eventually joined the staff at Franklin and has made a career of primarily teaching kindergarten through second graders. Besides daily instruction, Michelle and a small team have recently resumed a math program that offers additional support to students by helping them grow their mathematical understanding, along with fostering self-confidence and belief in themselves.
“Teaching the subject matter is the easy part of my job. The most challenging, important and my favorite part of my job is to make sure students feel loved, happy, and safe,” she says. “I want my students to believe in themselves and to know they are worthy of anything they want to accomplish in life. Whether they are in my class for two weeks, two months or two years, they know they belong, they are safe and they will learn. They will feel success.”
Michelle and Matt live in Sterling with their youngest son, Connor, 15, and have two older sons, Nathan, who resides in Chicago, and Brandon, who lives in Sterling with Kristin.
After 30 years as an educator, Michelle’s in no hurry to retire, though she’ll soon be eligible. Like her father, she’s drawn to the students needing a bit of extra love, attention, and assistance with their learning, and she still loves what she does.
Her influence also extends to her daughter-in-law Kristin, 27, who is a teacher and expecting her first baby with husband Brandon. She has her bachelor’s in early childhood education, having wanted to be a teacher ever since childhood. She’s thankful for the people in her life who supported her on her career path and the ones who support her now, including the Mills and Jagitsches. She’s been teaching at Riverdale for five years in an inclusion preschool classroom.
She credits her own “wonderful teachers” for showing her what kind of teacher she wanted to be for her students. Even though she teaches first year learners, she says the most rewarding part is working with them in making important learning connections. She thrives on helping them learn and seeing them light up when they understand something and can feel proud of themselves. And after two years of COVID restrictions, the small victories mean the world to the preschoolers.
Teachers, along with many other professions, continue to face many heavy challenges. The students have missed a lot of their schooling in the last two years and many families are struggling mentally, emotionally, and financially. Both Jagitsches are determined to see their students through these new and strange experiences and challenges, while making sure the kids are up to speed with the curriculum and prepared to move forward to the next grade. While it’s a lot of work, they recognize that a strong and positive support system, at home and at school, helps kids develop a love for learning.
And even though Bill is observing from outside the classroom, he sees the challenges facing this generation from keeping up with technology, to the rapidly changing social needs of kids, to increased violence in schools. His advice to educators is to make sure students are doing their best to get the most out of instruction while in a safe space. Moral support means the world to a child who may see themselves as alone.
Michelle adds that it’s important that students are happy and having fun while at school. “My philosophy of teaching is simple – I believe all students are unique and develop at different rates,” she says. “I strongly believe that it is my job to teach to their needs and learning styles, not their job to learn however I teach. My classroom is a caring community where children are safe, heard, and free to be themselves to blossom and grow. I work hard to keep an open mind, a positive attitude, and high expectations. Happy students are engaged students, and engaged students are learning.”
“As a teacher, you’re always learning and always trying to improve yourself so you can support your students,” says Kristin. “The past couple years, teachers have really had to figure out how to adjust from what was normal to becoming even more creative and figuring out new ways to help the students grow not only academically, but emotionally too.”
With the school year drawing to a close, the teachers will soon have a summer to reflect on an ever- changing world. Like each generation before, they must adapt to the times while enduring similar themes of challenge and struggle. Their experiences, role models, and support systems have molded them into the educators they strive to be and contribute to their lasting impact. For this trio of educators, they have shown that “getting through together” takes time, teamwork, and most importantly, love.