Mrs. Sue Schemper, P-8 Assistant Principal, Enrichment Coordinator
Personal Biography:
I moved to the Chicago area in 1979 from Grand Rapids, Michigan and currently live in Oak Park. My parents are Barb and Dick VanderZyden and I have several family members who are public educators in the state of Michigan. During my first teaching year at Westside Christian School, I met Tom Schemper at Fourth Presbyterian Church and later we were married. This is the church that my three children (Ben Jacob, and Peter) were baptized in and we still attend.
When I am not at Timothy, I enjoy gardening, reading, walking with my dog Sparky and making beaded jewelry. I love to travel and especially feel thankful for the many opportunities we have had to travel as a family. For several years we have participated in Habitat for Humanity in Honduras, serving on a team from our church building houses.
Professional Profile:
I graduated from Calvin College in 1979 and later received an MA from National Louis University. In addition I have taken several courses in reading and gifted education. I am currently attending courses on leadership and spiritual direction at the Institute for Spiritual Leadership (affiliated with Loyola University).
I began my teaching career as a first and second grade teacher at West Side Christian School in Chicago. I spent one year teaching as a representative for Wycliffe Bible Translators in Bolivia where my husband gathered his dissertation research data. After serving as a classroom teacher at Timothy for ten years, I began the Enrichment Program and led as the coordinator for several years. In 1999 I became the assistant principal and curriculum coordinator for grades P-8.
Philosophical Profile:
My philosophy of education is that first of all, each child comes to us as an image-bearer of God with a unique God-given calling for their life. All of my efforts here at Timothy are shaded by this understanding. It is an awesome and exciting responsibility to be in relationship with our students as an educator and leader, with an understanding that each of us is called to recognize and become who God intends us to be. I have no doubt that God’s plans are more creative, loving and startling than any of us realizes. My colleagues and I are always working in the realm of possibility. It is both a humbling and bold understanding of our work here at Timothy.
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