Jackie Kelly is a Challenge teacher for 3rd - 6th grades. She's taught at Sherrard for 23 years after earning her Bachelors in Elementary Education Western Illinois University 1993 and Masters in Education Administration from Western Illinois University in 2003. Her alma mater - she chose Sherrard because she went to high school here - and her dad was formerly the athletic director - her hometown is Preemption.
Her family includes, husband- Kevin, children, Austin - 25, his fiancee Andrea, and Nathan 23. She has two dogs, Urlacher and Murphy.
Kelly's favorites include:
Animal: Dog. Labradors in particular
Color: Pink
Food: Pancakes
Book: Are You There God, It's Me Margaret? by Judy Blume
Movie: Silence of the Lambs
Vacation spot: Maui, Hawaii
When she's not teaching she's shopping, spending time with family, or watching Netflix.
"I love sports. I especially like to attend Cubs games at Wrigley," she said when asked what she does for fun.
Her favorite part of teaching is building relationships with students, "Watching them grow into amazing adults. I love connecting with my students after they have graduated and see all the wonderful things they are accomplishing both personally and professionally."
Kelly taught a few Sherrard teachers in her own classroom, "Kent Boucher, (SHS), Brandon Oelmann, (SJHS), Courtnie Wyant, (Winola), and Allyson Williamson, (Sherrard Grade)... I also had Brian Hutton as my teacher when I attended Sherrard HIgh School."
Over the years she's taught in all four buildings in the district. Something else unique about her - she is one of a pair - she has a twin.
Her best advice for life is, "Life is too short to take things so serious. Just take a breath, have fun, and enjoy life."
