Ruth Bittorf To Retire After 34 Years Of Teaching At EPCHS

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — After 37 remarkable years as an educator — including 34 at Evergreen Park Community High School (EPCHS) — Ruth Bittorf is closing her gradebook for the final time and stepping into a well-deserved retirement. But if you ask anyone who’s crossed paths with Ruth, they’ll tell you: her impact will resonate in the halls of EPCHS for decades to come.

Over the course of her career, Ruth has directly impacted the lives of countless students — a remarkable feat that speaks to her unwavering commitment, compassion, and creativity. She has shaped minds, lifted spirits, and built bridges for students of all abilities, especially those who needed someone in their corner the most.

So, what inspired Ruth to pursue this path in the first place? It started at home.

“I grew up in a house where books were everywhere,” Ruth shared. “My mom was a lifelong learner — she had a degree in education, a Master’s in rehabilitation psychology, and was pursuing her Ph.D. in educational psychology before she passed away. She was so proud of my work as a special education teacher. That love of learning she instilled in me? It became the foundation of my life’s work.”

Ruth’s early volunteer experiences cemented that path. From serving as a crisis counselor for teens, to working with abused children at Mendota Mental Health Institute, to befriending an elderly woman at a senior home, Ruth discovered that she was a “people person” through and through. “Whether I was planning healthy choices lessons for junior high students, helping kids with behavioral challenges, or leading art at summer camp, I knew I belonged in a career where I could make a real difference.”

After earning her Bachelor of Science in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and later a master’s in Educational Leadership from Chicago State University, Ruth spent three years teaching in Waukegan and Deerfield before joining the EPCHS family in 1991 — a move that would shape the rest of her professional life.

In her time at EPCHS, Ruth wore many hats — and rocked them all. She taught nearly every subject under the sun: English, World History, Human Geography, Geometry, Health, Science, and Career Education. She co-taught alongside 10 teachers, mentored six new teachers and multiple student teachers, co-sponsored and then led the Art Club for a decade, participated in peer mediation and substance abuse prevention efforts, and even coached cheerleading (just for one season, but she still remembers the routines).

Perhaps Ruth’s most profound role was as a case manager for students with IEPs. Each year, she supported 13–18 students not just academically, but socially and emotionally — collaborating with parents, staff, and service providers to create a true “village” of support.

“I’ve always believed in a team approach,” Ruth explained. “These students deserve champions. I was proud to be one of them.”

For 13 years, Ruth job-shared with Dr. Jolie Burns-Casey — a teaching duo she fondly describes as “stars-aligned perfectly.” Both became moms at the same time, taught the same subject, and balanced home life and professional passion seamlessly. “Our students had two devoted teachers. I’m forever grateful for that opportunity.”

Ruth’s classroom was never confined by four walls. She brought in musicians to perform student-written songs. She dissected cow eyes with her science students. She taught chopsticks skills over Chinese food in World History. She created African masks, Day of the Dead shrines, and Buddha foot drawings. She took students to the Holocaust Museum after sharing the testimony of a survivor she interviewed. In every corner of learning, Ruth found a way to make it real — and unforgettable.

But it wasn’t just what she taught. It was how she made students feel. Ruth believed in every student’s potential. “When a struggling student finally has that breakthrough moment? That’s what it’s all about. That’s the good stuff.”

EPCHS was Ruth’s happy place — a place where she celebrated faculty parties, danced at school proms, cheered at parades, and reconnected with past students (some now parents of her current students!). “There’s nothing better than seeing a former student walk in and say, ‘I remember you — and I’m so glad my child has you now.’”

While Ruth is stepping away from her classroom, her journey is far from over. First up: an 11-day adventure to France with her two daughters, Emily and Caroline. After that? “Who knows,” she says with a smile. “Maybe more traveling. Definitely more art.”

As Ruth embarks on this new chapter, one thing is certain: her legacy at EPCHS is etched not only in lesson plans and field trips, but in the hearts of thousands of students she empowered to believe in themselves.

Congratulations, Ruth — and thank you for a career filled with love, laughter, and learning.