Matt Davidson, superintendent of Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst, was named DuPage County's Private and Parochial Educator of the Year on Thursday, Aug. 27.

The DuPage County Regional Office of Education (ROE) presented the award at its second annual Educator of the Year celebration, which recognized educators from public and nonpublic schools across the county. Davidson was one of seven honorees selected from a pool spanning 42 school districts and 256 schools serving more than 140,000 students.

Davidson called the recognition "very humbling," saying it reflects "the community of Timothy Christian Schools and God's faithfulness."

His leadership reaches beyond the Elmhurst campus. Davidson serves as chairman of the Illinois Coalition of Nonpublic Schools and as the Illinois state representative for the Council for American Private Education, according to Elmhurst Magazine.

Timothy Christian, located at 188 W. Butterfield Rd., is a nondenominational, college preparatory school serving about 1,270 students from preschool through 12th grade. The school describes itself as the largest Christian school in Illinois and earned a National Blue Ribbon School designation from the U.S. Department of Education in 2019.

Regional Superintendent of Schools Amber Quirk said both Davidson and overall Educator of the Year winner Jeff Grant have influence that extends well beyond their buildings. "Their influences are far-reaching and deeply impactful in their own schools and schools throughout the county," Quirk said at the celebration.

Grant received the top overall honor. A 23-year veteran of Community High School District 99, he teaches AP Biology and Anatomy at Downers Grove North High School.

Five other educators were also recognized: Kerry Gustafson, a paraprofessional at Washington Junior High School in Naperville, won Educational Support Person of the Year; Katie Poch of Carl Sandburg Elementary School in Wheaton won Elementary/Early Childhood Educator of the Year; David James of Hill Middle School in Indian Prairie School District 204 won Middle School Educator of the Year; Todd Holmberg of Naperville Central High School won High School Educator of the Year; and Dr. Elizabeth Vander Woude of the School Association for Special Education in DuPage County won Administrator of the Year.

Grant transformed a prairie adjacent to Downers Grove North into a living laboratory where students conduct field research and investigate ecosystems.