Gayle Haab wins 2025 Golden Apple Foundation Jan Jones Service Award
Haab taught for 35 years and serves on the Hononegah school board.
Gayle Haab may have retired from teaching, but she most certainly has not retired from contributing to the growth and success of the Rockford area education initiative.
Gayle has an extensive list of leadership experiences including recent re-election as a Hononegah school board trustee. She and most of her family are Hononegah graduates. She retired after teaching 35 years in the Kinnikinnick School District.
The Golden Apple Foundation recently recognized Gayle with the Jan Jones Service Award for her service in the field of education and beyond.
The annual award is in memory of Jan Jones, who taught in the Rockford Public Schools (RPS 205) community for 34 years. Jones was Director of Special Education, Director of Student Services, and Director of Curriculum and Instruction. After retiring, she led initiatives such as Rockford Promise and Alignment Rockford.
Jones passed away in 2013. Her family has continued her legacy with the Jan Jones Service Award.
Gayle is past president of the Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association Board of Directors. She is presently serving on the Illinois Retired Teachers Association as a Region 1 Director, presiding over six counties.
She has served as co-president of the Alpha Delta Kappa board, and remains as a board member.
Gayle is a consummate teacher. She has taught every grade level from K—12 in her 35 years as a physical education and art teacher in the Kinnikinnick School District. In addition to teaching, she coached volleyball and started the track program at Roscoe Middle School.
Since her retirement, she has volunteered at North Suburban Library with the Kinnikinnick art department, making art projects.
One volunteer project dear to her heart is her dedication to VetsRoll. Every year, since 2016, Gayle and hundreds of volunteers assist in transporting veterans by bus to Washington, DC. She helps with fundraising, accompanies veterans on the trip, and provides training and mentoring for volunteer assistants.
Adding to her list of volunteer service, she has been a junior leader for the North Main Rustlers 4-H Club for more than 25 years.
Gayle has devoted her life to family, education and giving back to the community.
