As we come off of Homecoming where our Royals from previous years come "home" to celebrate their school spirit and loyalty to the palace, we want to take this opportunity to introduce some new faces around campus. Our 2023-2024 school year has brought many wonderful changes to the Hinckley Big Rock High School, including some new staff members! Our teachers shared a little bit about themselves so that we can all get to know them better! Please welcome our new Royal Staff members:
Hello Hinckley-Big Rock School District, I'm John Harker, the new social studies teacher at the High School, and I am super excited to be here. I was born and raised in Yorkville, so I am familiar with the area for the most part. I went to college at Illinois State University where I studied History Education, now I am a proud Redbird alum. I chose HBR school district because I feel like a lot of my values as an educator align with the district's objectives. For example, I believe that developing relationships is the key to effective learning, showing students that you see them as individuals as opposed to numbers in a gradebook goes a long way. HBR values those connections much like I do to help students invest into their own education. I am really enjoying getting to know the students and finding ways to become involved in the community!
My name is Nicholas Abbs, but most people call me Nicky. I am the new school counselor at Hinckley-Big Rock High School, and I am very excited to be here! I graduated from NIU in May with a Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed) in School Counseling after getting a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I recently got married (August 25, 2023), and I live with my wife in Wheaton. She is a second grade teacher at Stevenson Elementary School. Before seeing the posting for HBR online, I had honestly never heard of the school before, or even heard of the town of Big Rock. However, ever since my first interaction here, I felt how strongly this community was connected and how the school felt like a family. I was drawn in by the chance of having a true connection and relationship with each student and staff member, rather than simply being a number. This is the primary reason that I chose HBR, and I am so thankful that I did! As for my experiences here thus far, some of the most memorable moments have been the first day assembly where all of the staff were announced by Matt Olsen, and participating in the staff fantasy football league live draft in the main office. I am looking forward to making many more memories as part of the HBR family moving forward!
Hello, My name is Rob Vogel, and I am from Bloomington, Illinois. I graduated from Illinois State University, and the University of Illinois. I played 5 years of college football as well. I have been in the teaching profession for over 20 years and have coached for much of that time as well. I am married and have an 11 year old daughter. I am learning ASL as my wife is hearing impaired, and am always looking to practice. At HBR, I work with students throughout the building providing intervention and specialized instruction. I enjoy golf, reading and fishing in my spare time.
Hello! My name is Wendy Altosino - I am very excited to introduce myself as a new Paraprofessional at HBR High School. I attended College of DuPage for my Associates and then NIU for my Bachelors Degree. My passion for educating students began with kindergartners and preschoolers and now has expanded to include highschoolers. Being a part of this educational system is a great joy; being able to work near home and close to my two daughters (Emma who is in 2nd and Gabby in Pre-K) at HBR Elementary is the true blessing. We are longtime residents of Hinckley, although most knew our daughter Emma first from her early years as the “helper” at the BP in town, I am very excited for this opportunity and look forward to a great year ahead.
Christine Clark is one of our new Paraprofessionals and is also a Hinckley resident. Christine is a “jack of all trades” as she helps students to be successful in numerous ways. She can often be found helping students with group projects or supporting individual needs. Mrs. Clark is an amazing resource for those students needing extra help to complete either assignments or assessments. Christine often lends a helping hand to those students who are taking online courses through Waubonsee or Edgenuity. During the lunch hours at HBR, Mrs. Clark can be found helping our students whip up delicious coffees for the staff and students in our Crown Cafe. We are so lucky to have her here at HBR!