Lake County Gazette

Nicole Parris, a special education life skills teacher at Collinsville High School, has been named the September 2025 Kahok Educator of the Month. The award was presented by CHS Principal Bobby Wright and Jason Rehg, a local financial advisor with Benjamin F. Edwards.

In his nomination, Principal Wright stated: "It is with great enthusiasm that we nominate Ms. Parris for this award in recognition of her outstanding leadership and unwavering dedication to the Life Skills program at CHS.

Ms. Parris not only leads her own classroom with excellence, but also plays a vital role in mentoring new teachers, both those new to the program and those new to the profession. Through her guidance, these educators gain the tools, confidence, and support needed to thrive in their roles.

Ms. Parris is the epitome of student-centered professionalism. Regardless of the challenges she may face, she consistently places her students’ needs at the forefront. Her commitment to their academic, social, and emotional growth is evident in every aspect of her work.

In all interactions, Ms. Parris demonstrates exceptional professionalism, compassion, and integrity. She is a cornerstone of our program, and her contributions have had a lasting impact on students, staff, and the school community as a whole.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Ms. Parris on our team, and we wholeheartedly recommend her for this honor."

The monthly educator award is sponsored by Jason Rehg during each school year to recognize teachers in Collinsville Community Unit School District #10.

Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 serves Madison and St. Clair counties and includes several schools such as Collinsville High School and Caseyville Elementary School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district employs 418 teachers who earn an average salary of $60,392; women make up 81 percent of this group while men account for 19 percent (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to state data from ISBE, no district teacher had more than ten absences in a school year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

The district’s student population is diverse: it is 56 percent White, 14.1 percent Black, 24.1 percent Hispanic, and 0.5 percent Asian (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020 Collinsville CUSD 10 spent $16,872 per student for a total expenditure of $104 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).