New Teacher Spotlights

Welcome to the New Teacher Spotlight! Illini Central would like to introduce new teachers to the district. Today we are highlighting Mr. Dean!

This is Mr. Dean’s first year teaching and he teaches MS Social Studies, MS P.E., HS Fitness and HS P.E. 

Becoming a teacher was not Mr. Dean's original plan, first he was a Correctional Officer for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. 

Being successful and wanting to learn new things motivates Mr. Dean to work hard.

The most exciting part of Mr. Dean’s job is coaching and mentoring his students. 

Mr. Dean was attracted to Illini Central by the recommendations of Mr. Burks and Mrs. Droge. 

Green Valley/ Manito is where Mr. Dean is from. He is married and has one kid. His kid is 16 months and her name is Tenley. He also has a dog which is a Labrador Retriever. Mr. Dean is the oldest of 3. He has one brother and one sister. 

Mr. Dean likes living here in Illinois and is all about small town life.  

Playing and watching sports are Mr. Dean’s favorite hobbies. He also likes to write and play video games. Recently he started playing golf and he really enjoys the challenge. 

The one piece of advice Mr. Dean would give to his students is, “ In anything that you do, make sure to always be yourself. Involve yourself in things that you are passionate about. Working hard is a quality trait and it never goes unnoticed. Make sure to listen, you can learn a lot by doing so. Spend time with your family but take time to yourself. Lastly, never be afraid to fail. It happens to all of us at some point.”

A perfect day for Mr. Dean is spending time with loved ones. If he could meet a historical figure it would be Dr. James Naismith because he created the game of basketball.  

Illini Central thanks Mr. Dean for his dedication to the students at Illini Central!