Former Chicago Public School (CPS) teacher and principal, Diane Maciejewski, developed a love for writing at age 11 when she published her first poem in a national student anthology. Writing became a lifelong passion of Diane’s and constantly nudged at her in high school as she wrote for her school yearbook and co-edited her school newspaper. Her passion took a backseat as she went through college and started her 34-year career with CPS.
Diane began her career in 1972 at Michelle Clark Middle School, where she taught for eight years. After taking study leave to complete her doctorate in Public Policy Analysis, Education Administration, she taught at the Andrew Jackson Language Academy from 1982-1987. She then took on the role of principal at Edgebrook School and remained in the role until 2006, when she retired.
Throughout the first five years of her retirement, Diane cared for her parents. During this time, her longing to become a writer returned with even more force, and within a few years, she decided to embrace it. Diane began attending writing workshops, seminars, and retreats. She spent hours and hours writing and rewriting poems, flash fiction, personal essays, and short stories that she submitted to contests and various publications. After several years of working diligently to achieve her dream, she compiled and published a collection of her work called Tangerine Trees.
