For Jill Doyle, teaching isn’t just a career—it’s a calling that has shaped her life in ways she never expected.

She grew up in Greenville, went to college at Lindenwood University before transferring to McKendree University, and began her teaching career in O’Fallon, Illinois. She loved her students, but something was missing.

“I wanted to be in a smaller town, somewhere that felt like home,” Jill said.

That search led her to Vandalia, where she found exactly what she was looking for: a welcoming community, a close-knit school, and a place where she could build lasting relationships with her students and fellow teachers.

“When I walked into Vandalia, it just felt right,” she said. “The school, the people, the atmosphere—it felt like where I was supposed to be.”

For the past five years, Jill has been a second-grade teacher at Vandalia Elementary, and while every year is special, this one is particularly meaningful—because her daughter, Norah, is in the same hallway.

“It’s been amazing,” Jill said. “I don’t have her in my class, but she’s just across the hall, and getting to see her throughout the day makes this year extra special.”

It’s not the first time this has happened, either. A few years ago, her son, Miles, also attended school in Vandalia with her.

“It was so nice having him here,” Jill said. “It made everything simpler and more connected—I knew his teachers, I knew what was happening in his day, and he was always close by.”

That feeling of being part of something bigger—a family within a school, a school within a town—is exactly why Jill chose to build her career in Vandalia.

Jill’s love for education didn’t appear out of nowhere—it was in her blood.

Her grandfather, Bill Nelson, was the superintendent of Greenville Schools, and from an early age, she watched how much impact a great educator could have.

“As a kid, I used to dress like my teachers, imitate them, and even ask for penny loafers for Christmas because my teacher had them,” Jill laughed. “I just always admired my teachers and wanted to be like them.”

At first, she tried to push herself toward a different career path—something like psychology or counseling—but when the time came to declare her major, the decision made itself.

“I sat down to register for college classes, and without hesitation, I said, ‘Education.’ I just knew it was where I belonged.”

And now, years later, her daughter, Norah, is already following in her footsteps.

“Nora wants to be a teacher when she grows up,” Jill said with a proud smile. “It’s kind of the ultimate full-circle moment.”

Jill believes that the best teaching isn’t just about lesson plans—it’s about relationships.

“Kids learn so much more when they know their teacher cares about them,” Jill said.

That’s why she starts every day with a personalized greeting for each student—some kids choose a high five, some pick a silly handshake, and one student challenges her to gymnastics moves.

“It’s hilarious,” Jill said. “I had a teacher walk in one morning and catch me trying to do a backbend. She just shook her head and said, ‘Mrs. Doyle, what are you doing?’”

But that’s exactly the kind of teacher Jill wants to be—one who connects, engages, and makes school a place where kids feel excited to learn.

“I want my students to remember how they felt in my classroom,” she said. “Not just what they learned, but how much they were loved, encouraged, and believed in.”