PE Teacher Wins This Year's Niehus Award

The Plainfield Foundation for Excellence awarded this year’s Walter G. and Juanita F. Niehus Award to Plainfield High School – Central Campus physical education teacher Lisa Klaas.

The award, which is named after former Plainfield School District 202 Supt. Walter Niehus and his wife, a former teacher, is given to either certified personnel or support staff who show extraordinary commitment to the district’s students.

The award was established in 1986, and winners are nominated by their peers.

Foundation chair Carla Erdey presented Klaas with the award on at the Monday school board meeting.

Klaas, who also serves as the school’s department chair, was noted for making physical fitness a priority for high school students.

Fellow teachers have said that Klaas’ efforts to promote physical activity have a positive impact on learning, Erdey said.

Klaas also shows compassion and commitment beyond the classroom as well, Erdey said, noting that she recently helped a student’s family raise money to pay for funeral expenses and a headstone for their daughter.