Meredith Jordan is a health and physical education teacher here at Metea Valley. She has been teaching for over 17 years, and teaches the peer partners program. This past month she was named the 2021 Northeastern District High School Physical Education teacher of the year for her outstanding work as a physical education teacher. Jordan will be recognized for her award at a ceremony in December.

“I am having fun and really doing something that I am passionate about,” Jordan said.

Jordan grew up in Schaumburg, one of Aurora´s nearby towns and she always wanted a career in a service role, helping people. Her two career paths she was debating on were being a neonatal nurse or a P.E. and health teacher. However, after taking an education course in high school she found that being a teacher for health and physical education was her path. Jordan´s career in P.E. started when she was working at Waubonsie Valley. District 204 opened its third high school, Metea Valley. Metea was a new opportunity for Jordan. 

“You take a class that helps you understand how to modify your curriculum to best meet the needs of all students,” Jordan said.

After learning about adaptive P.E. classes at college, she grew to love teaching peer partners. The course allows students to teach their partner how to play sports with their disability. Peer partners are open to any junior or senior interested in helping students, and is accredited as a physical education course. Students get the opportunity to help out their classmates and build a strong bond with their partner. Jordan has been involved with the peer partners program for 17 years now, and loves the class. 

“I enjoy getting to know students and their backgrounds. Helping them succeed and helping them learn how to live the best life that they can,” Jordan said. 

Peer partners is a class that helps build respect for one another, and allows the peer partners to have fun with their partner. Jordan loves seeing how the students interact with each other, and is glad to be teaching the program. 

“I want students to challenge themselves,” Jordan said. “Set goals for themselves because nothing is off the table and reach for those goals.¨