Beverly Fiala has seen St. Odilo from the perspective of both a teacher and a parent. “Both my daughters have been students at Catholic schools from grade school to college, starting at St. Odilo. Their faith is very important to them and they have made me very proud.” For over 15 years, Mrs. Fiala guided students in 5th – 8th grade Science and 7th – 8th grade Literature. “I believe learning should be a process of discovery, not drudgery. I try to make learning fun and exciting, especially since Science and Literature can be a lot of hard work for Junior High students. Plenty of specimens and hands on “toys” make for an interesting day at school. Field trips and learning celebrations also keep their interest piqued.” She sees the students and their parents as a blessing to the school and to her life. “I always tell them I wouldn’t drive forty miles to work each day if they weren’t. When the last child in a family graduates, it is always a bittersweet occasion.” Mrs. Fiala holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Psychology with State of Illinois endorsements in General Science, Language Arts, and Social Science from The University of Illinois at Chicago. She has also earned an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Aurora University.