A Sherrard School District educator has been named the 2026 Illinois Education Association (IEA) Support Professional of the Year.
In her 21 years of service to the Sherrard School District, Teresa Boraas worked at the pre-school level for five years, then spent a year in the in-school suspension room. She subsequently served as a paraprofessional for five years before leading the credit recovery program for the past 10 years.
The credit recovery program is a classroom for students who have failed core classes, allowing them to make up the courses online. It also assists students who are currently failing classes.
Boraas says the recognition is a big honor.
Boraas is retiring at the end of the school year.
The Support Professional of the Year Award was established in 1995 to recognize the contributions of Education Support Professionals to their associations, schools, and communities.