Departmental Philosophy
The purpose of language arts is to provide students with integrated exposure to reading, writing, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, public speaking, and listening skills. Students are exposed to a variety of literary genres, and reading for pleasure is strongly promoted. Students also gain significant exposure to the various modes of writing including narrative, persuasive, expository, and creative. Vocabulary and spelling instruction are infused within the program to encourage students to develop strong written and oral vocabularies. In addition, various public speaking opportunities allow students to hone their speaking and listening skills. The department strives to differentiate all components of the program in order to effectively meet the needs of each and every child.
Department Faculty
Mrs. Cawley began teaching at Butler in 1976. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Elmhurst College in English, Spanish, and Secondary Education. She holds a Master of Arts from Northern Illinois University in Literature and Linquistics. Currently Mrs. Cawley teaches standard sixth grade, enriched seventh grade, and standard eighth-grade language arts and serves as the coordinator for the yearly School Board/Rotary Essay Contest and for Language Arts Portfolio Day.
Mrs. Mills began teaching at Butler in 2010. Currently she teaches standard sixth, seventh, and eighth grade language arts. She earned her Bachelors of Arts from Washington University in St. Louis in 2006. Additionally, she holds a Master of Science from Northwestern University.
Mrs. Wright joined the Butler teaching community in 2006. Currently she teaches enriched sixth grade and standard seventh grade language arts. Her involvement at Butler Junior High also includes Newspaper Club, Spelling Bee sponsor, Junior Varsity Sprit Squad coach, Building Leadership Team, and Professional Development Leadership Team. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English in 1998 and a Master of Science Degree in Education in 2000, both from Northwestern University.
Mrs. Zaniewski has been teaching at Butler since 2004. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Secondary Education and a Masters Degree in Educational Organization and Leadership. In addition to teaching eighth grade enriched language arts and being the RtI Coordinator, she sponsors International Club and supervises the lunch detention program. Mrs. Zaniewski is also a member of the Butler Professional Learning Team, RtI team, District Technology Committee, and District Policy Committee.
Teacher Contact Information