Tragedy as Illinois high school teacher hangs himself in campus residence just days before receiving 'Teacher of the Year' award



Richard Balentine, teacher at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, was found hanged at around 9 a.m. yesterday in his on campus residence



He was slated to receive the Teacher of the Year Award from the Niles Chamber of Commerce at banquet on April 27

Suicide: Richard Balentine, pictured, director of campus ministry at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, was found hanged at around 9 a.m. yesterday in his home, which is on the school's property

An Illinois high school teacher has been found dead of an apparent suicide on his school's campus, just days before he was slated to receive a prestigious 'Teacher of the Year' award.



Richard Balentine, director of campus ministry at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, was found hanged at around 9 a.m. yesterday in his home, which is on the school's property.

The popular 38-year-old teacher had last been seen at around 6 p.m. on Monday night, police said.



School spokeswoman Teresa Connelly confirmed that a teacher passed away, but would not provide any more details. She said students were notified yesterday of Balentine's death.



Notre Dame staff found Balentine's body in a 'lifeless state in his room' after they entered his residence near the school's sanctuary as classes were commencing, according to Niles police.



The teacher is listed on the school's website as the director of campus ministry. Because of his position, he lived on campus. However, police said the area was not somewhere students passed through at any point during the school day.



'The victim appeared to have taken his own life,' police said.



Niles police are currently investigating the incident with the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.



According to Bugle Newspapers , Balentine was slated to receive the Teacher of the Year Award from the Niles Chamber of Commerce during the organization's Niles Night of Roses banquet on April 27.

School: The teacher was a popular member of faculty at Notre Dame College Prep, pictured in Niles, Illinois

Parent Christine Majewski Wilson said the teacher would be sorely missed by the community.

'Mr. Balentine was a great influence on both my sons, and will be missed terribly. Rest in peace and know that you will be remembered fondly and are loved and thought of by many.'



Balentine is listed on website Rate My Teachers for the Niles High School, receiving an overall quality rating of three out of five stars.



Most comments were positive with one unnamed person calling him 'a saint' in a 2012 review.

Lifeless: Notre Dame staff found Balentine's body in a 'lifeless state in his room' after they entered his residence near the school's sanctuary on Tuesday

'Mr. Balentine is a saint. He is so beautiful he makes beautiful people look not beautiful. He is very nice. He teaches his subject with extreme passion. He can make any class fun, you learn more with him than any other teacher. If you take his class seriously he will treat you with respect. I wonder if it hurt when he fell from heaven.'



The teacher had been at the school since at least 2010.

Balentine had 'liked' a page called 'Suicide Prevention' on Facebook, which may have indicated he was struggling with depression.

Under the profile picture, friends wrote condolences after hearing the tragic news.

