Rocío Jacoby, a Spanish teacher at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School in Oak Park, has been named the 2026 Teacher of the Year by the Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Jacoby received the Paul T. Griffith Teacher of the Year award on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the ICTFL Fall Conference Awards Ceremony, District 97 announced. She has taught Spanish in the district for more than 20 years and also teaches adult learners outside of school.
As Illinois' state winner, Jacoby advances to the Central States regional competition, which covers a 14-state area. According to the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, her regional portfolio is due by Oct. 31. Finalists will sit for virtual interviews in late January or early February and must attend the organization's spring conference to remain eligible.
The Central States Teacher of the Year will be announced March 12, 2027. If Jacoby wins the regional title, she would represent Central States at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) convention in San Diego, Nov. 19-21, 2027.
Lincoln Elementary has produced a state winner before. Kathleen Priceman won the ICTFL award in 2014 and went on to become a Central States finalist in 2015, according to ICTFL records.
Lincoln Elementary principal Marianne Rehfield, in a district statement, praised Jacoby's classroom methods and her commitment to helping every student build proficiency in Spanish. Rehfield called Jacoby's dedication to world-language education and her leadership "exceptionally deserving of this award."
In her personal statement to ICTFL, Jacoby wrote that she wants every learner "regardless of age, socioeconomic background or career stage to discover that learning another language opens doors to new opportunities, perspectives and relationships." She added that developing cultural competence in a connected world "is no longer optional; it is essential."
The regional winner will go on to compete at the ACTFL national convention and may present at state and local conferences across the Central States region.
