Granite City Community Unit School District #9 marked National Twin Day by highlighting the contributions of twins within its schools. The district, which serves Madison County and includes Granite City High School among other schools, celebrated both staff and students who share a twin bond.
At Granite City High School, twin sisters Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Visintin work together in the Special Education Department. They have spent 16 years teaching at the school.
Mrs. Peters described her experience: “Working with my twin sister is the absolute best! I get to work every day with my best friend, and I thank God every day for blessing me with a wonderful job that I get to work alongside my better half.”
Reflecting on their career paths, Mrs. Visintin said: “I was drawn to a profession where I could help people and make a positive difference, and I always enjoyed being in a school setting. My sister and I talked about how special it would be to work together someday, but we never truly thought it would become a reality.”
She added: “When a second position opened up, everything fell into place. Now, we have been teaching at GCHS for 16 years, which is something we are incredibly grateful for. It has been rewarding to grow as educators, support one another, and be part of a school community we truly love.”
Although they teach different subjects—Mrs. Peters teaches English while Mrs. Visintin teaches science—they often find similarities in their approach.
Mrs. Peters noted: “I teach English and Mrs. Visintin teaches science. I love teaching English. We do have similar teaching styles. I often have students tell me that Mrs. Visintin has said the same thing! I guess that is our twin power! Haha!”
Discussing their childhood as twins, Mrs. Visintin shared: “Growing up as twins is so fun! I always had a best friend from day one! She is my dearest friend and growing up we would always give my older brother a hard time and follow him around. He was great about letting us tag along. We loved playing sports and watching my older brother play.”
The district also recognized student athletes Valeria and Vanessa Canales for their long-standing partnership on the soccer field.
Vanessa said about her sister: “I love having Valeria as a twin because it just means that I have a built-in best friend. I’ll always have her no matter what. If I’m ever nervous to try something new, I know she’ll be right there to do it with me.”
Valeria commented on playing soccer together: “I love that we can understand each other well on the field. It feels like we have good game chemistry and always know where to go next.”
On their close relationship outside of sports, Vanessa stated: “Mine and Val’s bond is so special because we’re always together. We spend and do most things together. We both enjoy doing the same things, and we just overall understand each other more than anyone else.”
Looking ahead to returning to school athletics this year, Valeria said: “I’m ready to get back on the field here at GCHS. I feel excited and ready because I get to have Vanessa playing there with me. She can always be there to help.”
Granite City Community Unit School District 9 includes several schools such as Coolidge Junior High School, Frohardt Elementary School, Grigsby Intermediate School, Maryville Elementary School, Mitchell Elementary School, Prather Elementary School, Wilson Elementary School in addition to Granite City High School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to state data reported by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), GCSD9 employs 320 teachers who earn an average salary of $67,898; 77 percent are women while 23 percent are men (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district’s student population is composed of approximately 65 percent White students; Black students make up nearly 16 percent; Hispanic students account for almost 12 percent; Asian students represent less than one percent (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In fiscal year 2020 GCSD9 spent $17,739 per student for total expenditures over $106 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).
National Twin Day served as an opportunity for GCSD9 to acknowledge these unique relationships among its staff members and students.
Anyone wishing to nominate staff members can contact information@gcsd9.net
