Next up, District 87 is proud to spotlight Mr. Joel Misukonis for his 34-year journey at BHS! Joel found his home at BHS for the past 34 years, teaching art and technology classes, including a dual credit class at Heartland. He received his bachelor's degree from ISU in 1990 and student taught at BJHS before landing his forever job at BHS. Some milestones for Mr. Misukonis include completing his master's degree in 2000, initiating the annual art show at BHS, integrating tech tools into the art department, and developing new courses to offer diverse learning opportunities tailored to students' interests.
When not in the classroom, Mr. Misukonis stayed busy coaching. He was the wrestling coach at BHS for 3 years and another 14 years coaching wrestling at BJHS, where he led the team to several state championships! He also coached track and field for his entire 34 years with D87, coaching numerous state champions and all-state pole vaulters, including his own 3 children, who all earned All-State Honors in the IESA or IHSA state meets!
What’s next for Mr. Misukonis? While he will miss the energy of the BHS hallways, daily interactions with his students, and the camaraderie with fellow educators, Joel is looking forward to spending quality time with his loved ones and traveling to new destinations in his retirement. He also plans on keeping busy by renovating homes and turning spaces into personal sanctuaries to leave a tangible mark on his surroundings. His best piece of advice he would like to share is to be consistent. Congratulations Joel and we wish you all the best in your well-deserved retirement!