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Lyons Township board recognizes National Merit honorees, governor’s blue ribbon school; union leader mourns teacher's death
Summary
Board members and staff honored hundreds of student National Merit recognitions and LTHS’s inaugural governor’s Blue Ribbon award; Andrew Johannes, the teachers union president, offered condolences after the death of special education teacher Ray Bertner.
The Lyons Township High School District 204 board used its regular meeting to recognize student academic honors and district awards and to hear a public comment from the teachers union president about a staff death.
Superintendent Brian Waterman and board members recognized LTHS for two awards: the district’s Board of Education received a 2025 Illinois Association of School Boards governance recognition designation (one of 42 districts statewide) and Lyons Township High School was named one of 28 recipients of the inaugural Governor’s Blue Ribbon Award from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education. The presentation noted that the governor’s award was created as a state-level recognition following the discontinuation of the national National Blue Ribbon Schools program.
As part of the meeting’s recognition segment, the superintendent announced a National Recognition Program celebration that honored about 200 students in categories including National Merit First Generation awards, National Merit Commended, National Merit Semifinalist, and National Merit School Recognition recipients. The presentation read a long list of student names across those categories and invited many of the honorees to come forward for acknowledgment.
During public participation, Andrew Johannes, identified as president of the teachers union (LTA), offered congratulations for student and staff achievements and thanked administrators and staff for support during a difficult week. "The LT community mourns the loss of special education teacher Ray Bertner," Johannes said, and he thanked Dr. Waterman, Dr. Tyrrell, Dr. Owens, Mr. Piotrowski and division chairs for their support of staff and students during the period following the death. He also acknowledged staff compassion and mutual assistance.
Student representatives Ria and Rohan Nagali delivered a brief report on athletics and upcoming events, noting state qualifiers in girls tennis, invitational appearances in golf, and upcoming parent-teacher conferences on Oct. 22–23. The student reps also reminded seniors of college-application activity and juniors of the PSAT on Oct. 23.
The superintendent also presented the Vida Plena staff recognition award for the first quarter to David Brown, systems administrator in the information-technology department, and outlined Brown’s professional background and district service.
