John Firak (Mr. Firak) lives in Crystal Lake with his wife, two kids, and their dog, Cricket. He’s excited to be the new resource teacher at Prairie Crossing while  pursuing a MAT ’27 (Special Education). Before making the move to special education, John taught CTE Multimedia Design and spent time working in private industry. John holds degrees from Columbia College, Northeastern Illinois University, and soon Western Illinois University.
Outside the classroom, John coaches with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), in the Crystal Lake regional chapter. He’s an avid mountain biker and endurance cyclist. He’s also a wilderness enthusiast. He and his family log an estimated 30–40 nights sleeping outdoors each year between camping trips and canoe expeditions.. His other hobbies include woodturning and beekeeping.