Booker T. Washington STEM Academy

✨ Meet the Magic Maker: Mrs. Biggers! 🍎📚

Please help us welcome Mrs. Biggers, our new 4th Grade Teacher, to the Booker T. Washington STEM Academy family! 💙🧡

Mrs. Biggers is no stranger to Booker T.—she’s excited to return to the school where her teaching journey first began! With more than 10 years of experience in education and as a proud mom of four, she brings compassion, creativity, and dedication to everything she does.

She believes every child deserves to feel supported, encouraged, and capable of achieving great things. This year, she’s looking forward to building meaningful relationships with her students and families while creating a classroom where every scholar feels safe, valued, and excited to learn.

Whether she’s helping students discover their strengths, build confidence, or celebrate their growth, Mrs. Biggers is committed to making every day a little more magical.

Welcome back home, Mrs. Biggers! We can’t wait to see all the incredible things your fourth graders accomplish this year. 🌟

🏰 Meet the Magic Maker: Mr. S.! 🏃‍♂️🦅

Our Magic Maker spotlight shines on Mr. S., our returning Physical Education teacher! As he enters his fourth year at Booker T. Washington STEM Academy, Mr. S. continues to inspire scholars to stay active, work together, and build confidence—one game, one skill, and one encouraging word at a time.

Originally from Monticello, Mr. S. loves spending time with his wife and daughter, cheering on the Chicago Cubs, and enjoying family walks. His passion for physical education comes from a desire to help students discover the joy of movement while developing healthy habits that last a lifetime.

This year, he’s excited to watch scholars learn new skills, challenge themselves, and experience the fun of PE in a supportive environment where effort, teamwork, and kindness always matter.

We’re grateful to have Mr. S. helping our Eagles soar both in and out of the gym. Here’s to another year of movement, growth, and making magic happen!

💙🧡 Welcome back, Mr. S.!

📚✨ Meet the Magic Maker: Ms. Schultz! ✨📚

Our library is about to become even more magical because Ms. Schultz is back for another year at Booker T. Washington STEM Academy! As our incredible Library Clerk, she helps create a welcoming space where curiosity grows, imaginations soar, and every scholar feels they belong.

Originally from northern Michigan, Ms. Schultz has called Champaign-Urbana home for 27 years. Whether she’s singing with the Oratorio Society, meeting with her longtime book club, exploring national parks with her family, or enjoying a quiet moment with a carefully chosen coffee mug, she brings thoughtfulness and joy into everything she does.

Ms. Schultz believes that one word of encouragement, one moment of connection, or one small act of kindness can stay with a child for a lifetime. That belief shines through every interaction she has with our scholars.

This year, she’s especially excited to welcome our new librarian and continue helping students discover the joy of reading, learning, and exploring new ideas.

Thank you, Ms. Schultz, for helping make our library a place where every scholar feels seen, valued, and inspired. We are so grateful you’re part of the magic!

✨ Meet another Returning Magic Maker! ✨

Behind every successful Kindergarten classroom is a team that believes in our youngest learners, and we’re excited to celebrate one of those amazing team members!

Please help us welcome back Ms. Q, our Kindergarten Teaching Assistant! 🦅💙🧡

Born and raised in Champaign and a proud Unit 4 graduate, Ms. Q is passionate about helping children grow into confident, successful learners. She believes every child can achieve great things with encouragement, patience, and the right support.

This year, she’s excited to continue learning new ways to help our youngest Eagles thrive while inspiring them to keep believing in themselves—even when learning gets challenging.

Her message to our scholars says it best:
“When things get hard, just keep trying.” 💙

We’re so grateful to have Ms. Q as part of our Booker T. family, helping our Kindergarten scholars build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Welcome back, Ms. Q! The magic is even brighter with you here! ✨

✨ Meet another Returning Magic Maker! ✨

At Booker T. Washington STEM Academy, it takes an incredible team to create The Happiest Place to Learn—and we’re excited to recognize one of the people who helps make that happen every single day!

Please help us celebrate Mr. Kyles, our returning Building Substitute! 🦅💙🧡

Mr. Kyles is a steady, dependable presence in our building, stepping into classrooms wherever he’s needed to ensure learning never misses a beat. His positive attitude, commitment to our scholars, and belief that every child can succeed make him an invaluable part of our Booker T. family.

He believes that dreams become reality through hard work, perseverance, and teamwork, and he encourages every scholar to believe in the best version of themselves.

Thank you, Mr. Kyles, for showing up for our students, supporting our staff, and helping keep the magic alive every day. We are so grateful you’re part of the Booker T. family!

💙🧡 Welcome back, Mr. Kyles!

🎉 Last year, our incoming Kindergartners missed out on one of our favorite Booker T. traditions—the clap-in. We can’t let that happen again!

👑 Join us for our Royal Welcome as we kick off the 2026–2027 school year on Tuesday, August 18!

Come cheer on our Eagles as they make their grand entrance into the school year in true royal fashion. 🎺🏰✨ This is a moment you won’t want to miss!

💙 All Booker T. families, alumni, neighbors, and community members are invited to celebrate with us. To make it even more magical, we invite you to come representing your favorite Disney movie, character, or story—whether that’s a T-shirt, jersey, hat, ears, or your favorite Disney colors!

📍 Please arrive by 8:00 a.m. to line the walkway and help us give our scholars the unforgettable welcome they deserve.

✨ Let’s show our scholars that an entire community is cheering them on from Day one…well 3, but you know what we mean!

✨ Returning Magic Maker Alert! ✨

Some of the greatest magic at Booker T. Washington happens in the cafeteria, and Ms. Griggs helps make it happen every single day! 💙🦅🧡

As one of our dedicated cafeteria team members, Ms. Griggs serves much more than meals. She serves kindness, encouragement, and a warm smile to every scholar who walks through the lunch line. She believes every child has unlimited potential and works every day to help them believe it too.

Ms. Griggs is a native of Champaign, a Unit 4 graduate and has 5 children who have graduated from Unit 4 Schools. (You might know 1 of them😉)

Her favorite reminder to our scholars says it all:
“Dream and dream big! When you’re done dreaming, work and work harder!” 🌟

Thank you, Ms. Griggs, for helping make Booker T. Washington The Happiest Place to Learn by fueling our scholars with care, excellence, and love.

🍎💙 Welcome back, Ms. Griggs! We’re so grateful you’re part of our Magic Maker family!

🎨✨ Meet More of Our Returning Magic Makers! ✨🎨

Creativity is alive and well at Booker T. Washington, and we’re thrilled to welcome back Ms. Pawlicki, our incredible Art Teacher! 🖌️🦅

A CU native and talented artist, Ms. Pawlicki brings imagination, kindness, and creativity into every lesson. Whether students are painting, drawing, sculpting, or exploring new artistic techniques, she helps them discover that art is about more than creating beautiful work—it’s about expressing themselves, solving problems, and believing in what’s possible.

This year, she’s excited to help every scholar grow on their artistic journey while encouraging them to dream big, think creatively, and see the artist within themselves.

Welcome back, Ms. Pawlicki! Thank you for helping our scholars create a little more magic every day. 💙🧡

✨ Our Magic Makers aren’t just teachers—they’re the smiling faces who help make Booker T. Washington feel like home! ✨

Today we’re celebrating one of our amazing returning Magic Makers, Ms. Jabri, our dedicated Hall Monitor! 💙🧡

Ms. Jabri is a friendly, dependable presence in our hallways, helping create a safe, welcoming environment where every scholar can thrive. Whether she’s greeting students with a smile, encouraging positive choices, or helping keep our school running smoothly, she plays an important role in making Booker T. Washington The Happiest Place to Learn.

She believes that teamwork makes the dream work, and her commitment to supporting both students and staff helps make our school community stronger every day.

We’re so grateful to have Ms. Jabri back for another magical school year!

Please help us show her some Booker T. love in the comments! 💙🧡🦅

✨ Meet More of Our Magic Makers! ✨

Our school is fueled by more than great teaching—it’s powered by incredible people who care for our scholars every single day. 💙🧡

Please help us celebrate Ms. Bre, one of our returning Cafeteria Team members!

Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Ms. Bre brings resilience, determination, and a caring heart to Booker T. Washington each day. As a proud mom and self-proclaimed foodie, she knows that a nutritious meal served with kindness can make all the difference in a child’s day.

This year, she’s excited to continue welcoming our scholars with a smile, providing healthy meals that fuel learning, and helping create a warm, caring environment where every student feels seen and valued.

Thank you, Ms. Bre, for helping make Booker T. Washington The Happiest Place to Learn! ✨

💙🧡