Lake County Gazette

Each week during the 2025-26 school year, Granite City Community Unit School District 9 is recognizing staff members who make a significant impact on students. This week, the spotlight is on Laura Rotter, a kindergarten teacher at Wilson Elementary School with 33 years of experience in the district.

Rotter shared her passion for teaching young children: "I love how eager the kids are to learn, how much they love school, and seeing the progress they make over our year together."

When asked what inspired her to become a teacher, Rotter said, "I’ve always loved children and knew from the time I was 10 that I wanted to be a teacher. In addition, my dad was a teacher and later a principal at Granite City High School for his entire career, and he set an excellent example for me."

Reflecting on memorable moments from her career, Rotter recalled an experience with a student named Chandler: "I have so many. One that shaped me as a teacher and person was when Ms. Henson’s student, Chandler, invited me to her martial arts belt ceremony. I told her I might not make it because I had a baby shower that same day. She looked at me with huge, serious eyes and said I could never disappoint her. I made sure I was at that ceremony—and I’ve always wanted to be worthy of her faith in me."

Outside of teaching, Rotter enjoys watching hockey games—both those played by her nephew and by the St. Louis Blues—as well as traveling with fellow teachers LeVault, Meador, Kocarnik, Mueller, and Nikki Jordan.

She credits her mother as an important influence: "My inspiration, role model, and hero was my mom. So many kids knew and loved her when she came to my class to listen to them read (always bringing treats, too). She was a gift to them—and to me—every day of my life."

Wilson Elementary School is part of Granite City Community Unit School District 9 in Madison County. The district includes several schools such as Coolidge Junior High School and Granite City High School among others. More details about the district can be found at https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.

According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, there are 320 teachers in Granite City Community Unit School District 9 with an average salary of $67,898 before pension contributions; women make up over three-quarters of this workforce and none have more than ten absences per year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district's student population is diverse: approximately 65 percent White students attend alongside Black (16 percent), Hispanic (12 percent), and Asian students (less than one percent) according to state data (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In fiscal year 2020, spending per student reached $17,739 for a total expenditure of over $106 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Community members who wish to nominate staff for future recognition can send suggestions via email to information@gcsd9.net.