Grayslake Teacher In The Final Four Of The Great American Teach Off

"I need your help this week more than ever," said Chris Kubic, Grayslake North social studies teacher and Public Service Practicum advisor.

He has made it through to Round Four of the Great American Teach Off, a national teaching competition. Round 4 runs through April 2, with the final round running from April 2-9.

To win the Great American Teach-Off, Kubic needs supporters to cast daily votes.

"With Spring Break this week, I think many students might forget to vote," he said.  "Please help me out - vote every day and spread the word to your friends and colleagues."

If he wins, he will win $10,000 for Grayslake North.

"If my school wins the $10,000, we will use it for programs that help to develop leadership, compassion, kindness, and service to the community," Kubic said. "This will help us have an impact that lasts for years and extends beyond the school itself."

To vote, go to www.good.is/gato. (If there is any problem with the link, type the URL into your browser.)

• Nominee: Mr. Chris Kubic, Social Studies Teacher
• Grayslake North High School, 1925 North Route 83, Grayslake, IL 60030 

Details about the competition

Kubic posted the following details of the contest in an email asking for continued votes:

Thanks to the kindness and initiative of my colleagues and students, I have been nominated for The Great American Teach-Off, a competition that highlights teachers who use creative innovations to make a positive difference in their classroom, school, and community. I am one of FOUR finalists from across the nation. The prize is a $10,000 grant for my classroom/school, which will help to fund character education, leadership development, and service learning programs.  Below is information about the competition and how you can help. At the end of this message is a brief biographical statement.

1.  Vote daily (consider setting a reminder on your calendar/phone)!

• Go to www.good.is/gato. (If there is any problem with the link, type the URL into your browser.)

o   The first time you visit, click “Join” in the upper right corner and sign up. (I’ve checked out this organization, and they will not abuse your information).

o   When you visit the site later, click “Sign In” in the upper right corner.

o   Scroll to the bottom of the page, and you’ll find profiles for each candidate.  You can also view my videos there (they are only 90 seconds each).

o   There are five rounds to the competition, and I have made it to Round 4 (if at any point, you do not see my name among the candidates, that means that I did not advance to that round):

• Round 4 (four finalists) begins at 5 p.m. Monday, March 26. You can vote once a day, every day until 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 2.
• The final round (two finalists) begins at 5 p.m. Monday, April 2 and ends at 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 9.  

2.  Spread the word among your families, friends, colleagues, professional organizations, and community supporters.

o   Use e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and other media to encourage people to vote.

o   I am the only candidate from the Midwest, so even if you do not have connections to me or my school, please support your region!

If you have questions or concerns, please let me know (ckubic@d127.org).

"Again, thank you for your support," Kubic said. "I don’t want this to just be for me, but for my students, school, and community, as well as our entire region."