Bishop Joseph L. Imesch Award for "Excellence in Teaching"

Virginia Baltz

Cathedral of St. Raymond

For more than 20 years, students at the Cathedral of St. Raymond School have had the daily example of commitment to education and faith in teacher Virginia Baltz, the 2004 recipient of the Bishop Joseph L. Imesch Award for Excellence in Teaching and Caring, by the University of St. Francis.

Baltz, nominated by her peers, is a teacher who "embraces new ideas and, when you couple that with her years of experience, she resonates what being a master teacher is all about," according to Edward Condon, principal at the Cathedral of St. Raymond School.

"Our school is extremely fortunate to have a teacher the caliber of Ginny. She lives her faith each day of the year and, in my opinion, has answered a vocation in giving so much of herself to the Cathedral of St. Raymond School," said Konzelman.

Baltz serves as lead teacher of the school's elementary division; is a member of the school's technology committee; a cooperating teacher for student teachers; science fair judge; coordinator for the Big Friends/Little Friends program; facilitator for Rainbows for All God's Children program; and assistant director of the primary Christmas program.

She also serves on the math curriculum and spelling/handwriting committees for Joliet Diocesan Schools. She has presented at the Joliet Diocesan Regional Institute and the Diocesan of Joliet Teacher Institute on language and math topics. In 2001, Baltz received the Cathedral of St. Raymond School Teacher of the Year Award.

A Joliet resident, Baltz is also a mother of five grown children and grandmother of two.