Loudoun County Public Schools

Two people stand side by side indoors against a blue cinderblock wall and a black display screen. The person on the left holds a white basket filled with items and a bouquet of pink tulips. Both people wear layered outfits, and ID badges hang

Five people stand in a row indoors against a blue cinderblock wall and a large black display screen. Two people in the center hold a large purple sign that reads “WE ♥ EDUCATORS” with “Loudoun Education Foundation” printed in the lower corner. The group is dressed in business and casual attire, and all wear ID badges or lanyards.

Four people sit at desks in a classroom or library space with glass windows revealing bookshelves behind them. The person in the center, with curly hair and glasses, holds both hands near the face while others on either side clap.

May 27, 2026

LCPS

Gretchen Swierczynski, a reading teacher at the North Star School, is this month’s SHINE award winner. Ms. Swierczynski was nominated by a fellow North Star teacher, Deborah Jackson, who shared that Ms. Swierczynski works tirelessly with North Star students who face the highest stakes, those who feel that graduation is out of reach. “Mrs. S doesn’t just teach reading. She restores the confidence students need to cross the finish line and earn their diplomas. She is a mentor, a leader, a teammate and a life-changer for the students who need her most,” wrote Ms. Jackson in her nomination.

As a SHINE award recipient, Ms. Swierczynski received a gift coordinated by the Loudoun Education Foundation and sponsored by Apple Federal Credit Union. SHINE, or Spotlighting Heroes in Education, is a joint LEF and LCPS initiative celebrating staff who go above and beyond for students and the community. Learn more at www.lcps.org/SHINE.

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