Stevenson High School Math Teacher Dies

Stevenson High School is mourning its longest-serving teacher following Thursday's death of Mary Layco.

Layco, who taught mathematics at Stevenson for more than 35 years, died 10 days after becoming ill during one of her classes, according to a statement from the high school. She was 63.

“Mary was our longest-serving teacher, and has aptly been described as the heart and soul of the Mathematics Division,” District 125 Superintendent Eric Twadell said in a message to SHS families. “I think it’s telling that Mary could have retired years ago, but loved teaching our students so much that she chose to remain with us. Mary Layco was a gift to Stevenson High School, and we are fortunate to have had her with us every year since 1978.”

Layco joined Stevenson’s faculty in August 1978 and completed her 35th year at the school last spring. She was the longest-serving teacher among the current SHS faculty, and spent more than four decades in the classroom.

Layco began her teaching career in 1972 at St. Barbara High School in Chicago, working there for one year before spending four years at Madonna High School, also in Chicago. She taught at Niles North High School in Skokie for one year before joining Stevenson.

Layco was a two-time recipient of a “Those Who Excel” Award of Merit from the Illinois State Board of Education. In 1995, Layco was honored in the classroom teacher category, and in 2007, she joined Advanced Placement Calculus colleagues Chris Kelly, Andrew Richardson and Chris Thibaudeau in the team category. She was well liked by her students and highly respected by her peers. Layco regularly was listed in the school’s annual survey of graduating seniors as an SHS faculty member who had a positive impact.

She was remembered Thursday by former superintendent Timothy Kanold, who was director of mathematics for 12 years at Stevenson before getting promoted.

"She belongs in the mathematics teacher hall of fame. She was a pro among us amateurs. A natural. And she maximized everyone ounce of her God given teaching talent. Every day, every week, every month, every year. If she was having a bad moment, you didn’t know it," Kanold wrote in a blog post titled, "The Greatest Teacher I Ever Knew."

Visitation will be held from 3-8 p.m. Dec. 29 at Glueckert Funeral Home in Arlington Heights. A service will be held Dec. 30. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Mary K. Layco Reach for the Stars Scholarship Fund, c/o Glueckert Funeral Home.

Although it is winter break, the school is offering students an opportunity to talk with Stevenson's student service staff members from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the high school. Students can find the counselors in room 2104 during that time.