Ms. Nora Ryan joined Polaris Charter Academy as a kindergarten teacher in 2010.  Prior to working at Polaris, she taught preschool at St. Michael School in South Chicago and kindergarten, as a founding teacher at the Academy for Global Citizenship.  Ms. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science in early childhood education and Master of Science in curriculum and instruction, both from Southern Illinois University.  In 2009 she received a Fund for Teachers fellowship which she used to travel to Peru to teach her students about South American culture.  In 2010 she received an Earthwatch Institute fellowship and traveled to Ecuador to study caterpillars and climate change.   Ms. Ryan was born and raised on Chicago’s south side and is proud to be a Bears fan. She is passionate about teaching children to love nature and reading.  Some of her hobbies include biking, gardening, skiing and traveling just about anywhere.