Get to know the individuals that make Peterson Elementary great!
Tom Butterfield - 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher - 1995 - Chicago, IL - tjbutterfield@cps.edu
DePaul University
After student teaching at Notre Dame High School, Peterson was my first job.
"The best part of Peterson are the parents and the community support. Students that become great leaders."
Play with my two little boys at home. Head to the north woods of Wisconsin.
James Morrissey - 8th Grade Diverse Learner Specialist - 2017 - Chicago, IL - jmorrissey2@cps.edu
St. Juliana Elementary
Notre Dame College Prep
St. Norbert College
National Louis University
Before coming to Peterson, I had a thirteen year career in law enforcement. I also had spent many years coaching high school football. Working with students has always been a passion of mine, and I decided to pursue a career that would allow me to mentor and impact the lives of students on a daily basis.
Outside of Peterson, I love to spend time with my two children, my wife, and our dog, Maeve.
"Peterson is a welcoming community that has a built a strong school culture based on acceptance, diversity, and strong leadership. I value how staff and students are consistently challenged to discover their strengths."
Steve Reaven - 8th Grade Social Science Teacher - sreaven@cps.edu - 2024
Paige DeSilva - 8th Grade Social Science Teacher - 2025 - Arlington Heights, IL - pldesilva@cps.edu
Edgar Allen Poe Elementary
Cooper Middle School
Buffalo Grove High School
Abilene Christian University
Concordia University of Texas
After High School, I wanted to go to college in a warm climate. I attended Abilene Christian University, a small college in West Texas. After graduating college in 2013, I moved to Austin, Texas where I started my teaching career in Special Education and eventually transitioned to math. My daughter was born in 2021, and my husband and I decided we wanted to be near family again. After 13 years in Texas, we moved back to Chicago, and we currently live in Uptown with our daughter and two dogs. This marks my tenth year of teaching.
The diversity of the students is what I love about Peterson!
I love to READ, watch movies, exercise, and ride my bike.