Julie Donovan

As a current Embers mom and Embers teacher since 2020, Julie knows how important it is for school to feel like a class family! She encourages classroom friendships that build virtue and helps form collaborations through games and group projects, creating an environment where students feel safe to make mistakes. Julie holds a degree in Early Childhood Education with an endorsement in Birth through Grade 3 from the University of Dayton, and previously taught as a preschool teacher and first grade teacher in the Archdiocese of Chicago. She is working towards her Orton Gillingham (OG) Certification. This certification will empower Julie to assist students with reading difficulties (dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, speech and language deficits) by carefully designing lessons and materials to support both struggling readers and any newly developing reader. At Embers, Julie has been instrumental in redesigning the school’s supplemental programs in the areas of literacy, science, and music, an experience which sparked her passion for literacy instruction!

Julie is a member of St. Edna Catholic Church in Arlington Heights. She enjoys being outdoors with her family, going to the beach, kayaking, and reading mystery novels. Julie loves watching her daughter, a student at Embers, experience the joy of school while growing in her faith.