My name is Miss Gjata and I am the music teacher at Evergreen! I started here during the 2023-24 school year. I got my Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2023. I love teaching the elementary school music class because I love to help set the foundation for a life-long love of music. Outside of teaching, I like to spend my time with my family, reading, and doing art projects.
My name is Joshua Kairis, and I am the technology teacher at Evergreen Elementary. I started teaching here in 2010, and I provide technology support to both our students and staff. I love working with technology and with my students. It is a joy to be able to teach our kids about all the wonderful things technology has to offer, as well as providing them a safe space to explore and learn. No matter what career our students find themselves in the future, they will likely be working with technology in some way.
I have a BS in Computer Science from North Central College and my Master's Degree in Elementary Education from National Louis University. In my free time I love reading, playing video games, and working on projects around the house.
Art Teacher
My name is Lori Peterson and I have had the pleasure of working at Evergreen Elementary for more than 25 years. Before transitioning to the library, I spent 9 years teaching first, second, and fourth grade. I am passionate about helping students discover the joy of reading and equipping them with the skills to become lifelong learners. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and three children. I also enjoy reading, exercising, crafting, and puzzling.
My name is Matt Tylk and I have been Evergreen's PE teacher since 2010. In our PE class we love to have fun, develop fitness, and build skills. Our PE program strives to strengthen the link between moving and fun so that our students are more apt to become lifelong movers. I also love to coach basketball and soccer at Benjamin Middle School and I supervise morning clubs at Evergreen like BoKs and Chess. I enjoy cooking, playing board games, and fishing with my family!
My name is Jenny Crane. This will be my first year at Evergreen and my sixteenth year working as a school social worker. I graduated from Loyola University Chicago with my Masters in Social Work and earned my Type 73 certification. I am also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and have experience as a pediatric social worker treating children, adolescents, and their families on a multidisciplinary team. I use a child-centered, strengths based approach when providing services partnering with parents, teachers, and staff to help children reach their full potential. I live in Schaumburg with my husband and three kids James, Judah, and Juliette. I am thrilled to be part of the Evergreen family and this incredible community.
Greetings Evergreen Community! My name is Jana Oliver and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 15 years experience working with children, families, and educators to support the development of social-emotional skills. Using a strengths-based approach, I aim to build upon the inherent strengths of students to increase their development of needed skills. I strive to support students, their families, and their teachers in promoting the social-emotional development of all students to increase overall personal and school success. Attached is a social work brochure that describes my role as a School Social Worker and how I can serve your child’s needs.
District Psychologist
Reading Specialist
Speech and Language
Hello Evergreen Family! My name is Megan Dusing. I have been a board-certified Speech Language Pathologist since 1998 and have been proudly serving our school community for over 17 years. I attended Miami University in Ohio for my undergraduate education and Rush University for my Master's in Speech Language Pathology. I also have an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
I am passionate about language and learning. Working with students from pre-K to 8th grade at Evergreen and Benjamin allows me to see tremendous growth over the years. In my time outside of school, I enjoy raising my two daughters and my bonus daughter. I'm an avid reader and I love reality TV!
Speech and Language
Hi, Evergreen families! I am driven by a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of those I work with and I have a passion for supporting diverse learners. I seek to approach my teaching role with empathy, creativity, and dedication. I have a BA in Communications from Elmhurst University and I am currently pursuing a teaching degree at Illinois State University. I plan to teach in Special Education after graduating in 2025. When I am not at Evergreen I am usually studying or being a mom to my own two boys.
Hello Evergreen Families! My name is Angelica Asencio and I am one of the special education facilitators at Evergreen. My teaching philosophy is that EVERYONE is capable of learning! I believe that, given the right conditions, every child can learn and succeed! I have spent the last 19 years working with children and adults of all ages and abilities. I have a Master of Science in Therapeutic Recreation as well as a Master of Science in Special Education. I began my career providing case management and therapeutic recreation services in the adult day-program setting. After many years, my clients inspired me to go back to school and become a special education teacher. This will be my 12th year of teaching and my second year with Evergreen. I love what I do, and I can’t wait to watch your child learn and grow!
Special Education Teacher
Special Education Teacher
Hello, Evergreen Elementary community! I'm Neida Guevara, (pronounced Nay-duh Guh-vah-ruh) one of the Multilingual teachers. I graduated from Aurora University in Elementary Education with certification in ESL and Bilingual Education. I worked here as a teaching assistant from October 2021 to May 2023, and I'm thrilled to be back!
As someone with Mexican heritage who speaks Spanish, I understand how amazing it feels to have a bilingual mind. I'm passionate about creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued. Outside of school, I enjoy powerlifting, going for walks, and spending time with my family.
¡Hola, comunidad de Evergreen Elementary! Soy Neida Guevara una de las maestras de estudiantes Multilingües. Me gradué de la Universidad de Aurora en Educación Primaria con certificación en ESL y Educación Bilingüe. Trabajé aquí como asistente de maestro de Octubre 2021-Mayo 2023 y estoy emocionada de regresar para apoyar a nuestros estudiantes.
Como persona de herencia Mexicana que habla español, entiendo cómo se siente tener una mente bilingüe y lo increíble que es saber dos idiomas. Me apasiona crear un ambiente inclusivo donde todos se sientan valorados. Fuera de la escuela, disfruto hacer pesas, caminar y pasar tiempo con mi familia.
TBE K-1st Grade Teacher
Miss Hassel teaches multilingual students at Evergreen in both the TBE (Spanish) and TPI programs. She has dedicated her entire teaching career to language development in various program models such as world language, bilingual, dual language, and ESL. She believes that language is a powerful tool and supports multilingualism for all. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Spanish from Concordia University many years ago. More recently, she received a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University. She continues to pursue educational advancement; currently studying gifted education to better differentiate instruction for all students.
Miss Hassel enseña a estudiantes multilingües en Evergreen tanto en el programa TBE (español) como en el TPI. Ha dedicado toda su carrera docente al desarrollo del lenguaje en varios modelos de programas, como idiomas mundiales, bilingüe, lenguaje dual y ESL. Ella cree que el idioma es una herramienta poderosa y apoya el multilingüismo para todos. Obtuvo su licenciatura en Educación Primaria con especialización en español de la Universidad Concordia hace muchos años. Más recientemente, obtuvo una maestría en Administración Educativa de la Universidad del Norte de Illinois. Ella continúa buscando el avance educativo; Actualmente estamos estudiando educación para superdotados para diferenciar mejor la instrucción para todos los estudiantes.
Nurse
Instructional Coach
District Special Student Services Coordinator and Early Childhood Education Coordinator
