From playing in a band to directing one, and now supervising programs, Cody Halberstadt, Instructional Supervisor (IS) of the Fine Arts Department, is driven by desire to share the community he found in music to South, he said.
Before coming to South in 2021 as IS, Halberstadt worked at both Woodstock High School and Crystal Lake High School (CLS) for six years respectively, he said. At both schools, Halberstadt took on band directing roles, and after, at CLS, worked as Student Activities Director in addition to teaching band, Halberstadt added. Joining band himself in fifth grade, Halberstadt’s teachers left a mark on his future, he said.
“[My teachers] weren’t just really good band directors, they were caring people,” Halberstadt said. “Band was [our] vehicle for connecting.”
Now, Halberstadt gets to experience all of the impressive work that South’s talented staff and students produce, which gives him a large sense of pride, he said. Teachers play a role in students’ work, setting a model for students, Halberstadt added.
“Our staff here are next level,” Halberstadt said. “They are fantastic artists, musicians, [and] performers, and our students have high expectations [for themselves] as a result.”
When interviewing for his current position at South, David Adamji, IS of English, faced a committee of 15 English teachers, Adamji said. He left the interview feeling energized and excited, and now, as head of the English Department, his enthusiasm carries on, fueled by his love for literature, students, and staff, he said.
After majoring in English at Kalamazoo College, Adamji taught in New Orleans, he said. He continued his education at the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, earning a Master’s in Education, he added. He moved on to Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, and after taking on the administrative role of Assistant Principal, Adamji applied to South as IS, where he would be less removed from teaching, Adamji explained.
“The idea of the [IS of English], where you [are able to] teach a class, but then you’re only focusing on one department, seemed like the perfect blend of my experiences,” Adamji said.
Besides teaching, Adamji is interested in photography and reading. One of the most impactful books he read was “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse, a book about philosophy. Hoping to deliver this love to students, Adamji has established of the main focuses in the English Department to be nurturing a love of literature, Adamji said.
“[Our goal is] to help kids really enjoy reading literature, both fiction and nonfiction, a little bit more genuinely.” Adamji said. “So finding how [we] can build more opportunities for students to independently choose what [they’re] reading.”
Students in the Physical Education (P.E.) Department were in locker rooms changing when the fire alarm went off, and staff had to quickly evacuate students safely. This is just one of the unexpected situations that comes with being an IS, Joshua Stanton, IS of P.E., Driver’s Education, and Health Education Department, said.
Stanton came to South as an Instructional Assistant in 2013, becoming a P.E. teacher later in the year. Over his time here, Stanton has brought in new P.E. courses and implemented ‘Curious Day’, where students can try out the different P.E. classes before registering, he added.
“I’m really focused on being student-centered in the sense [that] I want to provide opportunities for all students to engage in [P.E. a way] that is fueled by their passions and interests,” Stanton said.
The staff and students are Stanton’s favorite parts of his job, he said. He is able to work with both communities through his IS duties and teaching Physical Management Honors. Stanton hopes that as an IS, he is able to have an effect on the lives of many students.
“As a teacher, I had the ability to influence the 120 or so students I had in class, but as an Instructional Supervisor, I can make more lasting and meaningful changes to the P.E. Department that impacts all of our students,” Stanton said.
In the summer of 1994, in Batavia, IL, Jeff Rylander, IS for Science, was at Fermi National Accelerator Lab, researching his thesis for his Master’s in Physics, Rylander said. This work was a blend of Rylander’s passion for science and education, he added.
Rylander initially set his sights on becoming an astronomer. Through his college experiences, teaching science upheld Rylander’s love for connecting with people, so he made the switch from Astronomy to Science Education, he said. Rylander earned a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s in Physics from Wheaton College and DePaul University, respectively.
As an IS, Rylander helps prepare the Science Department for their own experiments by ordering equipment, he said. Another responsibility and opportunity for Rylander is visiting classrooms, he added.
“[My favorite part of my job is] seeing great teachers teach,” Rylander said. “I love being in classrooms and getting to see the amazing things that our teachers do.”
Rylander helped start the Science and Engineering Learning Community, a pathway that pairs science classes with an engineering course, and really values his impact on students, Rylander explained.
“I just got an email from a dad of a [student who shared] the impact that teachers have on their kids and that’s fulfilling,” Rylander said.
