Social studies teacher with theatrical flair: John Salecki 1950- 2006

As a teacher, John Salecki used his classroom as a theater.

"He never sat in one space or taught from a podium," St. BarbaraSchool Principal Dorene Hurckes said. "He was always moving aroundthe classroom. He really engaged the students. The kids loved him."

A social studies and homeroom teacher at St. Barbara inBridgeport for 24 years, Mr. Salecki died Tuesday at McNeal Hospitalin Berwyn. He was 56 years old.

Mr. Salecki retired as a teacher two years ago.

Hurckes described him as the "perfect social studies teacher,"citing the lengths he would go to to grab his students' attention --such as developing dialects to make the topics of ancient …