826 Valencia is proud to introduce Richard Illig, a third grade teacher at Sutro School, as our February Teacher of the Month! Mr. Illig has been teaching at Sutro School for the whole of a decade, with seven of these years dedicated to the third grade.
Mr. Illig’s heartfelt educational ways inspired myriad nominations for the award (a binder chock-full of letters from students, parents and fellow educators.) His environmentally focused, health-conscious approach to teaching has proven to be a positive change not only for his third graders, but also for Sutro School at large. Thanks to Mr. Illig’s hard work, the school boasts a beautiful garden space. He introduced composting to the school, and his band of compost monitors has reduced the school’s waste by 70 percent, an accomplishment that merited an Environmental Award for Sutro two years ago. As one parent testifies, “The caring Mr. Illig shows towards his students extends to the environment, and it is in his care and concern for the environment that he has been able to model and illustrate to his class how important our environment is to us.”
The multifaceted Mr. Illig is not only a caring teacher and environmental steward, but also an encouraging leader. Dubbed “Nutrition and Physical Education Teacher Leader,” he has extended his curriculum to parents and staff, modeling concepts of healthy living for all. He has helped author grants, which allowed Sutro to purchase yoga mats for the student body, funded “Sutro Family Days,” where students and their families participate in various physical activities and advocated community service. By partnering up with local community groups, his third graders got to go on exciting field trips to Muir Woods and Pt. Reyes. Mr. Illig goes above and beyond to make sure that every student can participate in these amazing experiences. One of his students explains, “Mr. Illig inspires me. He is a brave and compassionate teacher who reads expressively and loves plants.”
Mr. Illig’s heartfelt compassion extends to all aspects of his role as a teacher. He inspires students, families and staff to care about themselves and their environment. We are so proud to honor Mr. Illig’s work within the community and Sutro School. As one of his dedicated third graders sums it up, “I met a lot of teachers but Mr. Illig is the nicest teacher I’ve ever met.”
