Meet Your Teacher Joanne Hilligoss, born in Peoria and raised in Hanna City.
Joanne graduated from Illini Bluffs High School in Glasford and continued her education at McMurray College. She graduated with an emphasis on vocal studies.
She is the music teacher for Southern Elementary, Junior High and High School. She has been teaching for 27 years; 23 of those years have been at Southern. Four years prior to that she worked in Carthage.
She is married to Denny Hilligoss and lives in Stronghurst. She has two sons, Jess and Eric. Jess is a junior at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and Eric is a 6th grader at Southern Junior High. She is a member of Bethel Lutheran Church.
Joanne enjoys being with her family, spending time outside in her garden, loves music and identifies her faith as the most important part of her life.