Rita Januszyk has been a teacher at Gower District 62 in Willowbrook, Illinois since 1985, and is currently a 4th grade self-contained classroom teacher. From 1988 to 2002, she served as Science Coordinator of the Gower District 62 Curriculum Council. During that same period, from 1994 to 2002, Ms. Januszyk taught science in grades 1–5 for Gower and served as the district’s Enrichment Coordinator. In this role, she was responsible for writing lessons that addressed the needs of the gifted population and incorporated Illinois standards. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Ms. Januszyk has presented at various conferences and workshops, including the 2008 Illinois Reading Council Annual Conference and various Gower technology workshops.
Ms. Januszyk began her professional life as a Scientific Assistant in biological sciences at Argonne National Laboratory in 1969. She coordinated with the research team to design and implement experiments in molecular hybridization of DNA and RNA of light synchronized protozoa, and she managed cell lines and growth medium.
Ms. Januszyk received a BS in Biological Sciences from University of Illinois in Chicago and a MS in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University.