The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Becky Smith, The Quill
Andrea (Geeves) McConnell is currently a RTI Reading teacher at Erie High School in Erie, Illinois.
Andrea was a 1990 graduate of La Harpe High School and married her high school sweetheart, TJ McConnell.
They will celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary this June.
TJ was a 1989 graduate of La Harpe High School and is currently the principal at Erie High School.
Andrea says "yes, he is my boss. LOL"
"I am super proud to work in his building! He is an amazing principal!"
TJ is also the President of IHSA. "We are all proud of him!"
Andrea and TJ are the parents of three children, Owen James, Paige Lauren, and Kate Elizabeth.
Owen is married to wife Katelyn, and he attends Palmer Chiropractic College. Katelyn teaches MS in Erie.
Paige Lauren is a junior at Western Illinois University and Kate Elizabeth is a freshman at Erie High School.
Owen and Katelyn are parents of 2 month old, Brior James. Andrea says "He is such a welcome addition to our family!"
In their spare time, Andrea says "TJ and I love spending time with our families! Family is EVERYTHING!"
"I am still an avid concert-goer and will never lose that "rock" love. TJ and I always came back for our anniversary to the annual Burlington Steamboat Days."
"Our students at EHS are very important to us and we spend a lot of time at EHS with our "school kids" and our own kids that attended/attend EHS."
Andrea says "I absolutely LOVED growing up in La Harpe! I started in kindergarten there and graduated from high school there. I was so fortunate to have the BEST classmates and amazing family all right there in La Harpe (and surrounding area)."
"My parents, John and Peggy Geeves, were both teachers in La Harpe and I was always a "teacher's kid!"
I had the best time growing up with Heather, Nate, and Alex (my siblings), it was "simply the BEST!"
I am proud that my kids were able to grow up in the same district where my husband and myself work."
"My most influential person will forever be my mom, Peggy (Bowen) Geeves.
"She was truly the reason I became a teacher after watching her teach at La Harpe Elementary.
My own classmates to this day still say she was one of their favorite teachers! She is just such a good person, selfless, and strong! I was so lucky to have my whole family in La Harpe growing up!
And of course, meeting my future hubby at LHS was a forever game changer!"
" I will always cherish my high school Swing Choir days- I still tell people about the fun we all had at our weekly practices, competitions, and trips! It was real life GLEE! Thanks, Jane Ann Fort!"
"During this quarantined time, TJ and I have been busy navigating E-learn days for our EHS students.
"We have been staying safe/home. We enjoy face-timing friends/family. We wish everyone well!"
From left to right are: Kate, Paige, and Owen and his wife Katelyn, and Andrea and TJ McConnell
First grandchild Brior James McConnell - 2 months old.