Judy Duzinski, one of two new faculty members at our school this year, was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The daughter of a chemical engineer and a homemaker – “Ozzie and Harriet Nelson kind of parents” – she had a very settled childhood. “There was a lot of family sharing and family time, which made me realize the importance of family, especially as I became a parent.”
For her undergraduate degree, she went to Penn State, majoring in elementary and kindergarten education. Despite an interest in the arts and in writing, she had known from 7th grade what she wanted to be. “I fell in love with my teacher, Miss Brughler,” she recalls. “I just knew after experiencing her teaching that I was meant to be a teacher too.”
At university, she also met her future husband and they were married after graduation. “Then I became a tumbleweed,” she says. “Jerry had a commitment to the military that took us to Germany for 18 months, where I got to teach at the American school.” He later served in Vietnam and went on to do his MBA while she taught at Penn State. The couple moved to Kingsport, TN, where their children, Michael and Amy were born, 19 months apart. Over the next 20 years, the family lived in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California and Illinois.
“We stayed put in Northern California when the kids were in high school,” Ms. Duzinski says. Once they had gone off to college (both now live in Southern California), the couple moved to Chicago where Ms. Duzinski taught at a private school. “I was riding the crest of the wave. Wherever we moved, there was a job for me. But this time was different. This job was my choice! I visited LFCSA last spring and thought it was just great. Karin offered me the position in July and we moved out in August.”
In her characteristically positive, flexible and accommodating way, Ms. Duzinski immediately dove into the work and the community. “It feels so good, so right. The administration has a clear focus on directionality, the staff share with each other and support one another.” And though the style of instruction is different from what she has used in the past, she is enthusiastic about the results she is getting. “It’s just… WOW!” she smiles, using a word her 1st-graders have come to love and use often, especially since it is one of the first words they learned to spell this year!
Much of her 30-year teaching career has been spent in the kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms. “I really love this phase,” she admits. “I love the sound of ‘silent’ reading (wawawa wawa). I love to see the growth and development in this foundation year. It’s like watching a garden grow.”
Her sense of humor, twinkling eyes and ready smile are suited to 5-and 6-year olds still grappling with the structure of school while her pleasantly firm but kind and positive manner teaches them about patience, respect, and the need for learning.
Ms. Duzinski considers her time at LFCSA as one of her most rich and rewarding experiences as a teacher. “There is such a wonderful, genuine concern for each other and for learning, exploring and researching…just the right ingredients to help these students be successful.”
She also recognizes the potential and importance of families in her students. “It is wonderful to walk through this experience with kids who are rich in language and who bring such rich experiences, love and support from their homes. I’m here because I was invited but I hope I can stay… I’ve been in many communities, taught in public and private schools, but here it is as if I’ve found the pot of gold.”
