Mrs. Oleksiak

Catholic Classroom For Norene, it has been an absolute pleasure to teach at St. Mary's School. This is her seventh year at the school, and her twelfth year with the Diocese of Joliet. She has a 7th grade homeroom and teaches Fifth through Eighth Grade English, Fifth through Seventh Grade Vocabulary, and Seventh through Eighth Grade Religion. The students delight her daily with their highly honed senses of humor, their remarkable personalities, and their enthusiasm about learning.

Norene received her degree in Education from Benedictine University in Lisle, and has an extensive background in English Grammar and Writing Skills. To keep her teaching current and innovative, she has taken numerous graduate courses and attended continuous workshops, gathering many new tips, strategies, and insights along the way.

Norene's family includes two daughters, both of whom are also teachers, and a son who attends Loyola University. Norene and her husband live in Winfield, and are gradually adjusting to being "empty nesters." Her eighty-five year old mom lives with the couple, and sends Norene off with her blessings and a thermos of coffee each day, which is a wonderful way to begin the morning.