D. 202 Board honors 2 leaders, 1 social worker

Two community leaders and one social worker received awards at the District 202 board of education’s regular meeting on April 26 as part of its annual Awards of Excellence.

District 202′s Awards of Excellence program was bot held publicly this year because of “ongoing pandemic-related safety concerns,” according to a news release from district 202.

Former District 202 Board member and treasurer Ron Kazmar received the Richard Ira Jones Award.

Outgoing Board of Education member David Koch received the Elizabeth “Bess” Eichelberger Distinguished Service Award.

Both awards recognize extraordinary community service and volunteerism.

Ridge Elementary School Social Worker Amanda Lulek received the sixth annual Cheryl Ricciardi Exceptional Student Service Award, which “honors a school-level certified student service worker who exhibits extraordinary dedication to students,” the release said.

Kazmar has helped raise and donate several hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous community groups through fundraising groups he helped found or direct, including the Plainfield Giving Gala and Friends for Charitable Giving.

In addition, Kazmar served eight years on the board of education, including four as president, and 20 years as an unpaid volunteer as the district treasurer, “among other district work,” the release said.

Kazmar and his wife Kathy have also give their time to community groups, charities and St. Mary Immaculate Church in Plainfield, the release said.

Koch, a stay-at-home parent, served District 202 as a parent volunteer at his children’s schools and through the district C.A.P.E. parent organization. He has also worked as a District 202 teacher assistant and substitute.

He was named board secretary in 2017. HE has also chaired the board’s site and finance committee

Koch has also coached baseball and soccer with the Plainfield Park District. He has also coached football with the Plainfield Junior Cats and Plainfield Saints youth football organizations.

Lulek has led many district trainings for social emotional learning and suicide prevention and implemented the Panorama survey.

She supervised university social work interns even while she was working on her second master’s degree program for educational leadership. Lulek also created a webinar for parents to help their children with pandemic-related remote learning.

Lulek has also led and encouraged staff to support food drives. She’s coordinated guest speakers to train staff in specialized programming and created a student/mentee and staff/mentor program at Ridge.