Alicia Blair, ELA and Science Teacher at Westchester Middle School,

Named "2025-2026 Person of the Year"

The Board of Education for Westchester Public Schools is very pleased to announce Westchester Middle School’s ELA and Science Teacher, Alicia Blair, has been named District 92½’s “Person of the Year” for the 2025-2026 school year. Mrs. Blair will be honored at the annual Chamber of Commerce event.

Alicia is known for her deep commitment to her students, her positive energy, and her consistent dedication to going above and beyond in the school. Her influence is felt far beyond her own students, and she is truly deserving of this honor. Alicia brings passion, creativity, and a deep understanding of her students’ needs into the classroom every day. As the sponsor of Destination Imagination, she has taken several teams to the Regional, State, and Global competitions. She challenges her teams to work together and think outside the box. Alicia sets a wonderful example for our children, demonstrating what it means to be an outstanding citizen. She supports and welcomes students from other schools and countries, and she consistently encourages her teams to approach new people and introduce themselves with kindness and confidence.

This year, we had a packed slate of candidates. We are also pleased to share with you the other candidates nominated and considered by the Board of Education for the “Person of the Year” award:  Jakub Banbor (Director of Technology), Todd Jacobek (WIS Building Foreman), Elizabeth Kincanon (WMS ELA Teacher), Joy McDowell (WPS Speech/Language Pathologist), Katie Mentone (WIS Social Worker), Tricia Tomczyk (WPS 2nd Grade Teacher), and the WPTC Executive Board.