Teacher with 30 years experience

Jack VanNoord
524 Elmridge Rd. Apt 3B
Carpentersville, IL USA 60110
(331) 222-8251
jjvannoord1@gmail.com
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2024 – 2026 Westminster Christian School Math and history classroom teacher
2023 – 2024 Winston-Knolls School Special Education classroom teacher
2021 – 2023 Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township BuildLab Workforce Experience Director

2020 – 2021 Classical Consortium Academy, Barrington, IL high school algebra 1 & 2; economics
2017 – 2018 Cambridge Lakes Charter School, Pingree Grove, IL 8th grade language arts

1994 – 2017 Lake Zurich Middle School South, IL literature, language arts, world cultures,
the U.S. Constitution & mathematics
-curriculum writing: math; social studies
-math department chair
-led student trips to western Europe & China

2009 – 2011 International Christian School, Hong Kong 8th grade English & American history
-led student trips to China & Indonesia

2004 National–Louis University, Evanston IL taught Math for Elementary School Teachers

1990 – 1991 Olson Middle School, Woodstock IL 8th grade reading & languages arts

1988 – 1989 The Bookshelf, Nagoya Japan conversational English instructor
OTHER EXPERIENCE
2018 – 2021 Cooper-North Interiors + Exteriors, Carpentersville, IL founder and lead contractor

1990 – 2009 Jack VanNoord Photography, Dundee, IL founder and lead photographer

GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, HONORS, AND PUBLICATIONS
-Teacher of the Year, 2007-08. School District 95 Meritorious Service Award recipient
-honored on ABC7 Chicago television as Teacher of the Week
-the Illinois recipient of the 2007 Horace Mann Abraham Lincoln Fellowship.
-2007 recipient of a Teacher Innovation Grant from District 95 Educational Foundation.
-editorial columnist for the Fox Valley edition of the Daily Herald newspaper, 2001-2002
-published pieces in Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, and First Things professional journal,
and interviews in People magazine and Los Angeles Times
EDUCATION

Masters: National-Louis University, Evanston, IL 2001; M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction
Bachelors: Calvin College, Grand Rapids MI, 1988; B.A. in Education

Certified: Kindergarten – 9th grade: math, social studies, literature & language arts
References
Laila Olivera
Principal at Westminster Christian School
loliveira@westminsterchristian.org
1-630-506-2840
Michele Block
Principal at Winston Knolls School
1-630-283-3221
Jon Nawrocki
former Site Director at Boys and Girls Club of Dundee Township
1-224-323-3987
Bryan Thompson
former Principal at International Christian School
bryan.thompson@fca-schools.org
303-424-7310
John Walsh
former Assistant Principal at Lake Zurich Middle School South
John.Walsh@lz95.org
(847) 540-4976
Jennifer Burn
Headmaster at Classical Consortium Academy
fourthdegree@sbcglobal.net

Jack VanNoord Selected Portfolio of Published Writing
February 12, 2021 Chicago Tribune Guest Op Ed
Charter Schools Offer The Choice Parents and Students Need
April 29, 2018 Chicago Tribune Guest Op Ed
My Nephew Tried to School Me on Cultural Appropriation. It Didn’t End Well.
April 21, 2017 Chicago Tribune Guest Op Ed.
’13 Reasons Why’ Offers The Wrong Solution to Teen Struggles
[Note: this op ed went viral and remained on the Tribune’s homepage for a full week as one of its most shared and most emailed pieces. Furthermore, the op ed was quoted by dozens of other publications, newsletters, blogs, and websites. Also, the op ed is listed as an official reference on Wikipedia. Finally, this op ed resulted in author interviews that appeared in print in the Los Angeles Times and the May 15, 2017 issue of People Magazine. ]
March 3, 2011 Chicago Tribune Guest Op Ed.
The Wiki-fication of the World
January 2008 First Things: A Journal of Religion and Public Life
Refighting the Civil Wars
July 2016 Hope They Like Rice: a book-length, family travel memoir
Hope the Like Rice: One Family’s Adventures and Misadventures Living in Hong Kong
[Note: this book became an Amazon #1 book in its category. It current enjoys a five-star rating from 20+ reviews]
2000-2001 Monthly editorial column with the Daily Herald covering local and state issues
Benefits of Price Gouging
School Choice [Note: this op ed was translated and reprinted by a Polish-language publication. It was also excerpted in this polish-language op ed.]
Tax-payer Funded Sports Stadiums
Privately-funded Art
Unnecessary Laws

June 20, 2017

To Whom It May Concern:

I had the pleasure to directly supervise Jack VanNoord from 2009-2011 at International Christian School in Hong Kong. During this time, Jack served as a Grade 8 Humanities teacher (integrated English / Language Arts and American History). Jack was simply amazing! He was one of the most competent, engaging, and relational teachers I have worked with in my 20 years of education. He was exactly the teacher you want teaching your own children!

Jack had a sincere passion for teaching and displayed an endless level of energy. His lessons were dynamic, engaging, and fun. Jack took pride in having full student engagement during his lessons which was a result of his unit and lesson planning being well thought out and focused on students knowing and responding to essential questions which connected content to the broader world. Jack consistently had students involved in simulations, role playing, and cooperative learning situations. Jack got his students to think critically and supported them to take ownership of their own learning. Students loved being in Jack’s classes.

Jack was flexible in his teaching. He made appropriate adjustments based on the diverse, multicultural classroom. He continuously provided formative and summative assessments and adjusted his instruction according to the students’ needs and readiness. His assessments often allowed for guided student choice so the students could best demonstrate their learning against the standards. Even transitions and brain breaks were thoroughly planned out and focused on meeting learning objectives.

Jack had high expectations for his students’ behavior and learning, and he went out of his way to help the students meet those expectations. He understood adolescent development and knew his students extremely well. He was sensitive to students’ needs and provided phenomenal pastoral care to his students. His feedback was ongoing, direct and encouraging to both students and parents. This was especially evident in the individualized feedback he would provide on student writing and the detailed progress reports he created for the parents.

In addition to being an outstanding teacher, Jack was a total team player. He was loyal, committed and collaborated very well with his colleagues. Jack contributed to the middle school community by getting heavily involved including volunteering as a chapel speaker, camp speaker, and organizing regular, after-hours staff-versus-student athletic competitions. Jack also did a thorough job planning overseas service trips to Indonesia for our students. Jack was well respected by the students, parents, colleagues and the administration.
Jack was hard working, had a great sense of humor, and took pride in being a great teacher. He loved working with middle school students and was concerned with their overall wellness. He lived each day with joy and loved new situations and challenges. As I mentioned, he was great to work because of his positive, solution-focus approach to life.

I have absolutely no reservations to hire Jack VanNoord in the future. He is a brilliant teacher who brings out the best in his students and his colleagues. He would be a huge addition to any school community. Again, Jack VanNoord is the one you want teaching your own children.

Sincerely,
Bryan Thompson, Middle School Principal
International Christian School – Hong Kong
bryanjohnthompson@hotmail.com
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