Vote for Beth Dwyer's Proposal in Thank A Million Teachers Contest

   

                                                                              

                       

              Read                  
              A  

              Book

              Bring

               It

              To

              School

     

      Insurance contest Thank A Million Teachers announces Beth Dwyer as one of the finalists eligible to win a $2,500 grant for her proposal.

     Beth Dwyer is a 15 year veteran teacher at District 194 Eastview School in Steger, Illinois. Being a Wife and Mother did not dampen her pursuit of becoming a teacher. She attended college knowing she had much to contribute to the lives of others. One can only imagine the difficulty of pursuing an education while wearing so many other hats. But she knew persistence had its rewards.

     Knowing she wanted to work with the younger children helped her stay focused and concentrate on her goals. 

     As part of a team, Beth Dwyer has proposed the RABBITS Reading Program. Aware of more than just her students, Mrs. Dwyer acknowledging that Eastview School is 57% low income with approximately 10% of incoming students just becoming English language learners. The Kindergarten teachers face challenges of preparing these students for the years ahead.  RABBITS stands for “Read A Book, Bring It To School” Kindergarten students would be sent home twice a week with a RABBIT backpack filled with quality literature to share with their families. The program would help to build early literacy skills in their students, to promote family literacy activities and to improve the home and school connection.

     She brings a unique understanding to the face of education. She has keenly observed and connected her student’s home environment with the challenges that could turn into obstacles if overlooked. Many have the mistaken concept that Kindergarten is simply all play. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kindergarten sets so many foundations of learning. It is here they learn social skills, school routine, communication with teachers and other students, problem solving, dealing with new experiences, respect for authority, listening skills, imagination and creativity, learning how to be teachable and how to express themselves. Truly that is just the tip of the iceberg; a student’s first experience with education can set the tone for their lifelong journey of learning.

     Mrs. Dwyer brings her love of music to the classroom, expanding the experiences of her pupils. She has learned a key to handling the challenge of Kindergarten; having a good sense of humor and teaching her kids to have a sense of humor. She also pours out patience to meet each child where they are at, which can be a priceless bridge to understanding.

         Dedicated to her profession, she also serves in the Young Authors Committee. She attends conferences to keep up on new teaching, participates in teacher blogs that promote sharing creative ideas with other teachers. When asked about her unexpected rewards of teaching she shared that she often hears words of praise and recognition from parents or grown students on the impact she has had on their lives.

VOTE For Beth Dwyer’s Proposal at www.thankamillionteachers.com

Vote For Nicole Williams' Proposal in Thank A Million Teachers Contest

Mrs. Nicole  Williams
Thank A Million Teachers Contestant

      Insurance contest Thank A Million Teachers announces Nicole Williams as one of the finalists eligible to win a $2,500 grant for her proposal.

       Nicole Williams is an English Teacher at Columbia Central Junior High School in Steger, Illinois. She teaches English to six, seventh and eighth grade students.  Her love of English planted the seed of becoming a teacher at a young age. She shared a meaningful testimony of how her family’s support and encouragement during her college years helped her manage her life and studies.  She accomplished her Internship with a high school English teacher and acquired her direction for her dream job. Though she did research other positions within her field, none held the appeal for her that serving as an English Teacher did. 

         Her proposal for what she would do with the grant money is quite innovative. She has recognized each student has an individual reading comprehension level no matter what grade they are in. Her goal is to provide subject books in various reading levels, to be utilized in the same classroom. This would help a teacher teach the core subject, keeping all students current while still accommodating those whose comprehension levels still need to mature and helping accelerated students maintain interest by allowing each mind the challenge it craves.  Her proposal could pioneer a more customized approach to teaching that could be used as a model for schools across the nation. This program would benefit students for years to come.

   Mrs. Williams shared some of her secrets to successful teaching. Naturally, before she began teaching she had her own notions of how the classroom setting would be. In true teacher spirit of always learning; she found ways to work with each class that was surprisingly different.  Each grade and each class had an atmosphere of its own. Mrs. Williams would adjust her classroom management skills to suit the environment of the classroom. What worked easily for one class, did not work for another. She investigated and found the right touch to make each classroom successful. She has the gift of humor that her students appreciate and she always makes learning fun.  She rises to the challenge of finding a way to connect with her students enabling them to master the subjects at hand.  

   She is quite aware other teachers have their own gifting and easily asks for help when she sees an area that could be improved.  This teacher is part of a group that shares new ideas, tips and ways to incorporate new technology in the classroom.

    Her personal rewards come from seeing her students “light bulb” moments and watching them blossom over the years. She would like all the students in her school to have the same advantages to learning as other communities have.

   Paul Preuss, Director of Curriculum of District 194 spoke highly of Mrs. Williams noting her gift for innovation and her willingness to take a risk to advance education. Her talent for seeing a problem, need or challenge and finding a better way to accomplish it makes her an outstanding teacher.

   The Best of Luck to You Mrs. Nicole Williams and Thank You for Your Creative Innovations!

VOTE For Nicole Williams Proposal at www.thankamillionteachers.com

Doing A Great Job is the Key to Longevity

Former Mayor Louis Sherman, Jeff Sopko, Insurance Agent
and New Mayor Ken Peterson
Independant Writer, Steger Community

Mayor Louis Sherman served his community of Steger, IL for an astounding 40 years from 1973 to 2013. He was in attendance at the 2nd Annual Steger Music Days that was host to two days of music, community and family fun. The event was co-sponsored by Sopko Insurance Agency.

Mayor Louis Sherman had the incredible experience of watching a community grow and having a hand in guiding the city of Steger. A community of friendly people that with their leaderships guidance has kept Steger a safe place to live. His many years of experience earned him much wisdom that the community and those who knew him well benefited from.

When asked about the Mr. Jeff Sopko of Sopko Insurance Agency, he replied "He has been an asset to the community. I have known him for over 35 years, he has been active in community events, sponsoring community projects, coaching baseball and sponsoring teams."

Upon speaking with members of the community, both residents and other business owners I learned some of the secrets to how a community moves forward even during hard economic times.  There is definitely a spirit of cooperation when things need to get done. Not only has Mr. Sopko served on governing boards, but he has been in places where he rolls up his sleeves and joins others to make the community a better place.

To my amusement the most repeated phrase about Mr. Sopko was "He's really a great guy and he cares for people.".Evidence of that obviously seen in his longevity in his business practice. More than just an insurance agent he is a friend and lends his wisdom to others. He understands people deeply and that helps him to really offer customized insurance plans that provide better coverage and more competitive prices than others can offer.  Even an ABC News story ranked his agency as providing more discounts that other insurance companies. It takes extra work help people save on a products you know they need. Mr. Sopko has proven his willingness to role up his sleeves and go that extra mile in finding discounts, savings or special programs that may save his customers their hard earned dollars.  

A standard that He and his staff hold to is "Doing a Great Job." Of course proclaiming this is his rating with the Better Business Bureau.

With insurance being a necessity of life, its important to know, I have done my very best to serve someone well. That they can have the peace of mind knowing they have protections in place to cover the things that are important to them.

Up to the challenge is Steger's New Mayor Ken Peterson who will guide the community of Steger in the upcoming years. Around him is a community that is working hard to keep its community safe and growing with business leaders willing to lend their expertise and rolled up sleeves.

 OKAY STEGER, WE'RE INSPIRED AND WATCHING -- KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

                           

How to Know if Private Health Insurance or ACA (Obamacare) is Best For You

IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION:

This week, the news station Good Morning America ran a segment that compared private health insurance with Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) Market Place Insurance.

The comparison showed that private insurers offered more services per dollar than the market place exchanges could offer.

We offer the best of both worlds. As Certified Medicare/Medicaid agents and Longstanding Certification with NAHU (National Association of Health Underwriters) we can give you a comparison on a private policy or an Affordable Care Act Market Exchange Policy (Obamacare)

We can compare and provide the type of Health Insurance that would provide you with the most coverage at the most competitive price.

GET YOUR FREE QUOTE TODAY

and know you received the best price.

Church Insurance and A Little Fun

PROTECTING WHAT IS MOST VALUABLE

      Of course, you want to go with the best when buying church insurance. You need a policy that covers more than just a building. The important work that goes on within its walls is worth protecting. We would like to invite you to visit our “Uplift Gallery.” A little bit of inspiration and fun as life happens around us.

     We are a family owned company that has earned the best reward from our clients. This being that they have deemed our services to be of both quality and honesty.  They declare this by referring their own family and friends to us.

     I would like to offer to you our FARMERS FRIENDLY REVIEW. We are a trusted, strong company with a solid reputation skilled in providing a thorough policy that covers what you deem most important.

     We offer insurance that safeguards your place of worship, your staff, and the investment that has been made over the years. Our personal service helps you avoid gaps in your policy and makes sure you avoid costly duplication of insurance.

     To serve you best, we keep current with regulatory laws that relate to your specific institution requirements. We strive to make sure you are getting valuable coverage at a competitive price. If your church also includes a religious school, daycare, church vehicles for field trips, we can customize a plan that provides coverage without separate “repeat” charges.  This allows you to be a good steward of the money you spend.

     A generic insurance policy does not suit a church religious organization such as yours. In today’s changing world you may not be aware of coverage that includes losses from theft, risks ranging from employee dishonesty to depositor’s forgery, money and securities coverage. We understand the delicate areas you don’t even want to think of, especially when considering protection for children.

     It is our aim to make sure your insurance covers what the law requires and makes you aware of protections that years ago we would have never thought we would require. 

    Talk with a representative today. Our Reviews are FREE with no obligation. This valuable review could save you money.

Steger Music Days Co-Sponsored by Health Estimates.com

It's Easy To Find the Best Health Insurance

          Providing the very best in health insurance for Illinois residents takes dedication.  It is more than being an expert in all the areas of compliance with the laws. It is about helping people get the very best so they can enjoy their life.  That is why Health Estimates holds the highest certifications an agency can obtain. This enables an agent to find the most suitable policy for you while keeping costs reasonable. It’s also about being dedicated to community.

          The 2^nd Annual Steger Music Days Festival in Illinois was held on July 26^th and July 27^th, co-Sponsored by Health Insurance Estimates. The event included live bands from local areas, a parade, clowns, bouncy castles and family fun entertainment.

          Families lined the street on Sunday to watch the parade and children squealed with delight as fire engines representing Steger, Sauk Village, and University Park led the parade. Families of all sizes followed the parade back to the festival grounds where they enjoyed a splendid summer day in many activities.

          Celebrating 35 years of service is quite an accomplishment. We know serving in the health insurance industry gives people a peace of mind when they have the correct coverage. They know their families are protected, we know we put our expertise to get them the best. We were happy to greet old friends who we have served for many years and meet new friends and their families. It was a great day for all. 

Answers for Medicare Insurance & Medicare Advantage Insurance

Senior Citizens looking for affordable health care insurance found informative displays at the Glenwood, Illinois Senior Citizen Center.  Experts were on hand to answer questions about the recent changes to the health care industry.

One booth drew special attention as people met with Keith Middleton, WCGO Legend Broadcast Announcer. His recognized voice still strong as many enjoyed stopping by to converse with him. CMS (Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services) Certified agents took time to inform seniors and soon to be seniors what options they had for choosing quality health insurance policies and supplements.

Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplements were showcased and defined helping consumers understand the differences. Agents helped people understand the eligibility requirements, and explained top rated health providers that backed these plans. Among the providers were Humana, JenCare and other nationally known  HMO’s and PPO’s providers.

Jim Siegfried, Insurance Consultant shared his expertise, taming the maze of health care changes to those who stopped by for advice or to sign up for health care. Though a wealth of information is out there, it is difficult to navigate the process when people just want simple questions answered. 

If you were unable to get to the Glenwood Health Fair or any of the local expos; personal appointments can still be made. Some of the service areas for Medicare Insurance and Medicare Advantage Insurance are Matteson, Richton Park, Olympia Fields, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Park Forest, Homewood, Harvey, Chicago Heights Area, Steger, Crete, University Park and Beecher.

Don’t hesitate, even if you are not 65 yet, you can get a head start and be prepared for when the time comes.  Call for a Home Visit or Office Visit and Get your Free Quote. Deal with experts that can answer your questions today.  Call 1 (800) 324-1004.