Lake County Gazette

Two educators from Community High School District 117 have been highlighted for their efforts to embody the district’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Chris Bailey, a physical education and driver education teacher at Antioch Community High School (ACHS), and Tyra Stall, a science teacher and instructional coach at Lakes Community High School (LCHS), were recognized in the district’s fall feature.

Chris Bailey has worked at ACHS for 18 years, teaching and coaching track and cross country. Superintendent Dr. Jeff Feucht described Bailey as someone who is more than just an educator or coach, noting his commitment to building relationships with students and maintaining high expectations.

Bailey discussed the importance of emotional intelligence in his approach: "I'm a relationship guy. I feel like if I get to know the kids beyond just their classroom teacher, if they get to know a little bit more about me, I think that trust helps." He added that he uses strategies such as student surveys at the start of each semester and checks in on students’ trusted adults within the school building. "Most students list someone. If they don't, I take that as a challenge to become that person for them," he said.

Bailey also spoke about collaborating with colleagues Bryn Nottoli and Rob Hafer on curriculum development: "We're constantly brainstorming how to revamp our behind-the-wheel curriculum. Bryn's not afraid to try new things, and we bounce ideas off each other."

He emphasized helping students overcome fears associated with driving: "I'm not expecting you to break five minutes in the mile, just do your best. If you did two push-ups today, let's try for three next time." Bailey recalled supporting a former athlete during her wedding after her father had passed away: "She told her mom afterward, 'I was nervous until I saw Coach Bailey. Then I felt okay.'"

Tyra Stall was recognized for her work at LCHS, where she brings over two decades of experience in teaching science across different levels. She focuses on encouraging students to take risks academically: "We actually kind of plan to fail. There might be mistakes. We're going to make it better for the next round." She continued: "If you do something perfect the first time, then you haven't put enough risk into the project."

Stall’s classroom starts each day with challenge problems designed to develop critical thinking skills among students. She shared an example where she guided her class through analyzing unexpected lab results together.

On collaboration, Stall stated: "I don't know how you learn without talking to people," describing how both students and staff benefit from sharing ideas and problem-solving together.

Stall has also impacted individual student trajectories by supporting them through challenging subjects; one student inspired by her now majors in STEM at college after previously struggling with math and science.

The feature notes that these educators model communication, collaboration, critical thinking, diversity appreciation, emotional intelligence, and courage—competencies outlined by District 117 as essential for graduates.

Community High School District 117 includes Antioch Community High School and Lakes Community High School within Lake County (source). The district employs 178 teachers with an average salary of $63,920; women make up 57.6 percent of teachers while men comprise 42.4 percent (source). No teachers had more than ten absences during a school year according to state data (source).

Student demographics show that District 117 is predominantly White (78 percent), followed by Hispanic (12.1 percent), Asian (3.2 percent), and Black (3.1 percent) populations (source). In 2020, per-student spending was $29,553 for a total expenditure of $77,872,708 (source).

Both Chris Bailey’s and Tyra Stall’s work are presented as examples of how staff can help reinforce the skills District 117 aims to instill in all graduates.