By Karoline Mendez Mr. Fitz started teaching at Hubbard in the fall of 1966 when Ms. Wiley, the current principal, was just a student here. Mr. Fitz says the only thing that has changed are student last names. Back then, 85% of students were Lithuanian. Now, 85% of the student population is Hispanic/Latino. “What changed is the language in the halls. Students use different languages so the teachers wouldn’t understand what they are saying,” he said. His Law II class has been acknowledged by the Board of Education as one of the finest in the city and has been filmed for the board’s website. Mr. Fitz shared an interesting story from his 49 years of teaching here at Hubbard. In 2006, the Suave Company hosted The Suave Performance Plus Awards, which honors CPS high school teachers who go beyond their job requirements in and outside of school to make a difference in students’ lives. The students were to both nominate and select the winning teacher. As part of the selection process, they were required to write an essay about their teacher which determined the finalists for the award. Mr. Fitz and another teacher were both finalists from Hubbard. While other teachers brought their friends, Mr. Fitz rented a limousine and brought the students who nominated him to the ceremony. As he sat on stage, he looked around at everyone else and thought to himself, “I’m not going to win this thing.” He was given a bag of Suave products and as he was looking through it, they announced the winner. He heard all types of screaming and commotion coming from the students he had brought to the ceremony. The man sitting next to him nudged him and said “Aren’t you Fitzgerald?” He nodded in confusion and the man exclaimed “Hey, you just won!” Taken by surprise, he got up and walked on stage to receive his award. “I got so excited I forgot to bring home my bag of goodies, but I had a great time,” he said followed by a chuckle.
1 Comment
Samuel Hamilton Day III
10/12/2023 05:01:56 pm
I taught for one year at Hubbard (92/93). Though I knew him only a little, Mr. Fitzgerald's modesty was striking.
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