Leadership Matters June 2014

Matters Leadership JUNE / JULY 2 0 1 4

Summer Issue

In this month’s issue

Additional Items

New Superintendents Conference P. 5 Nomination form for ISAL III P. 10

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Superintendent of the Year nomination information P. 14 Save the Date - IASA Annual Conference P. 16 End of Year Happenings in Photos P. 18 Biggest Challenge facing your district P. 24

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Nothing normal about public education these days but it has never been a more noble profession P. 4

ISAL II graduates experience ‘life-changing’ transformation P. 6

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Leadership training in Grades 3 - 5 P. 25

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IASA Listserver reinstated P. 28

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Job Bank P. 30

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Getting to know your Region Presidents P. 32

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News in Brief P. 34

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IASA Calendar P. 38

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Annual Conference Marketing Opportunities P. 41

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New IASA president Kuffel feels ‘profound responsibility’ to educate kids P. 11

Proviso administrators step up to handle the heat after fire P. 15

2648 Beechler Court Springfield, IL 62703-7305 217.753.2213 800 Woodfield Road, Ste. F109 Schaumburg, IL 60173-4717 847.466.5075

IASA Newsletter Editor Michael Chamness mchamness@iasaedu.org

Assistant Editor Mary Ellen Buch mbuch@iasaedu.org

1200 West Main Street Marion, IL 62959-1138 618.364.0501

Volume 2, Issue 6

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Vision 20/20 initiative being prepared for launch After one of the most challenging years for public education that I can recall, I want to thank each of you for continuing to focus on what’s best for the students we are charged with preparing for college and careers. Education is a noble profession -- and a rewarding one when you see graduates walk across the stage and you know that, despite the odds, you, your staff and your teachers helped equip them to was a batter deciding ahead of time to swing at the second and fifth pitch instead of swinging when there is a good pitch to hit. Until the time is right, we are going to hold our work to date close in order for the plan not to be short circuited by entities that might try to undermine the initiative for their own agenda. But, in general terms, I can tell you that the plan will address four major areas, including:  Shared Governance  21 st Century Learning  Highly Effective Educators Message from the Executive Director Dr. Brent Clark

 Equitable and Adequate Funding When that time is right, we will brief you on the details and call on you to help launch a powerful grassroots campaign to let people in every community in Illinois know what we as educators and practitioners believe is the best path forward for public education. The effort has gained momentum and strength as we have been joined by our Alliance partners the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the Illinois Principals Association (IPA) and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) as well as the Superintendents Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity (SCSDD) and the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS). As I said earlier, we have an awesome responsibility. But we also have an incredible opportunity to help shape the future education for the more than 2.1 million children in this state who depend on us to educate and prepare them for the global economy of the 21 st century. Have a great summer, recharge your batteries and come back in the fall ready to help change the landscape of public education!

be successful. It also is an awesome responsibility. That responsibility is why IASA chose more than a year ago to undertake Vision 20/20, perhaps the most daunting initiative we’ve ever tackled. To our knowledge, it is the first-ever attempt by practitioners to develop a road map for public education that is created by Illinois educators for Illinois educators. Thanks to the hard work of a small army of superintendents representing every region of the state, we are close to having that blueprint for the future. But it’s not “street ready” just yet. As we often say about legislation that comes out of Springfield, the devil is in the details and we still are in the process of fine-tuning those details. The Vision 20/20 plan is expected to be submitted for review by the IASA Board of Directors at its meeting near the end of July. After a final draft is approved by the Board, the challenge becomes when and how to take the plan from our meeting rooms and spread it across our state. That will be followed by a phase in which we transform the vision into actionable items. Politically, timing is everything. The analogy I used at our most recent Vision 20/20 meeting in June

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Nothing normal about public education these days, but it has never been a more noble profession

By Dr. Steve Webb IASA President

(the types of program evaluations many of our schools are currently forced to conduct), but most importantly for the learning-benefit of our students -- as if I needed to remind them of the reasons we chose the teaching profession in the first place. In a recent class, one of my students asked, “So how much benefit to a child is necessary for the costs to be justified?” To this question, there is no quantifiable answer. In my experiences as a school administrator, I have often been involved with those who look for some tangible way to quantify what we do as teachers and administrators in the name

Organizational research specialist Margaret Wheatley in 1999 stated “We live in a society that believes it can define normal and then judge everything against that fictitious standard.” She added that our future lies in institutions based on principles and relationships rather than simply rules. As President of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) for this past year and over my 20 years as a school administrator, I have

witnessed countless instances in our state and nation that provide ample evidence that we as a society not only believe we can define normal – but we also believe the calibration largely on the ebb and flow of voting polls and what some might deem “palatable” or even “less unconstitutional.” Although frustrating and at times defeating, I am always reminded by my children that of norms should change in chaotic fashion depending

of “accountability” when there is no one single true way to determine how much benefit we are providing to a child because there is no single design of inputs for us to construct a means tested evaluation of outputs. That is what is so special develop programs and we develop the educators to administer those programs to every single child no matter what “inputs” they carry with them when they enter our doors. That is about what we do as school leaders. We

school and the art of schooling is much more than being willing to change with the times or even willing to acquiesce to the ever-changing norms. Schooling is about opening the doors to thousands of children every day and greeting them with adults who have pledged their life and their very being with providing our next generation of politicians, educators, engineers, and all other change agents a fighting chance at success. Period. Please allow all bureaucrats and negativists to begin their rebuttal now, but it is what it is. As we traverse the mountains of paperwork and canyons of hollow promises, the doors stay open, the lights still shine, and the students still learn. In one of the graduate courses I teach as an adjunct professor, I am constantly reminding aspiring superintendents that proper program evaluation techniques are essential in schools today not only for the cost-benefit a particular program might present

why there is no such thing as a definition of “normal” when it comes to helping kids. It is just what we do and I am so proud to be a part of that process. As I become the Past-President of this great organization in July, please allow me to thank you all for your words of encouragement and your support in my tenure as your President. As we unveil the framework for our “Vision 20/20” to help finally provide the masses with true education leadership for transformational change, I believe we have reached a pinnacle of cooperation and collaboration across our state that is truly unprecedented. I am proud of the direction of this organization and the individuals we have running the operation. I deeply appreciate you welcoming me into your regions and your communities and allowing me the opportunity to represent you and the goals of this organization. It is truly an honor.

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SAVE THE DATE!

IASA New Superintendents' Conference

July 30-31, 2014

IASA is here to help as you transition into the role of superintendent. This is an exciting time in your life, but it also can be overwhelming and IASA will be with you each step of the way. We would like to invite you to join the IASA administrative team led by Executive Director Dr. Brent Clark and Dr. Richard Voltz, Associate Director of Professional

Development, at the 2014-2015 New Superintendents' Conference on July 30-31, 2014. This two-day conference is free and will cover a variety of topics including such things as board relations, school finance, technology, media relations and personal health. This is a great opportunity to meet other first-year superintendents, gather vital information from subject-matter experts and build a support network for your first year on the job. If you have questions contact Kim Herr, IASA PD Secretary at (217) 753-2213 kherr@iasaedu.org or click here to register

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State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Chris Koch discusses educational leadership with the ISAL II class.

ISAL II graduates experience ‘life-changing’ transformation

work we do for our districts. The stress and demands for the job can be overwhelming and all-consuming. I am leaving ISAL II with additional tools that have made me a more effective educational leader. “More importantly, I am leaving ISAL II as a part of a network of individuals who are all committed to improving public education in Illinois and who are committed to supporting each other.” ISAL was developed and is sponsored by IASA with the goal being to create a new level of public education leadership in Illinois. “Given all of the challenges facing superintendents and public education in Illinois, we thought it was important to provide a unique opportunity through rigorous curriculum, training and experiences for those men and women who were willing to push themselves beyond what is expected of a superintendent,” said IASA Executive Director Dr. Brent Clark. The 19 superintendents who graduated as part of the ISAL II class included: Reilly, Benway, and Dr. Joseph Baily of Lincolnwood 74, Dr. Lori Bein of Arlington Heights 25, Kathy Countryman of Sycamore District 427, Lea Damisch of Marengo/Union 165, Dr. Debbie Ehlenburg of Alden Hebron 19, Anthony Galindo of Gibson City-Melvin Sibley CU 5, Dr. Jill Gildea of Fremont 79, Guy Gradert of Ridgeview 19, Christina Grant of Thompsonville CU 174, Dr. Dawn Green of Somonauk 432, Lori Harrison of Illini Central 189, Dr. Michael Lubelfeld of Deerfield 109,

By Michael Chamness IASA Director of Communications

Dr. Jamie Reilly has been an educator for 40 years and she has a rather interesting mantra when it comes to learning and professional development: “Forever green and growing…never ripe and rotten.” That motto succinctly sums up why Reilly signed up for two years of additional research, training, homework and learning as part of the second class of the IASA School for Advanced Leadership (ISAL). Nineteen superintendents from all over the state recently completed a rigorous two-year cohort. Many of them have been educators for more than a quarter century; all of them were looking to go farther and higher in the pursuit of excellence. “Truly, this experience was one of the most beneficial in my 40 years as an educator,” said Reilly, superintendent of Maercker 60 in DuPage County. “This class has kept me very green, and my dendrites have grown exponentially!” Other ISAL II graduates described the experience in terms that included “the power of collaboration,” “purposeful research,” and even “life-changing.” “Certainly many of us [ISAL II cohort members] experienced personal life changing events during the two years of the ISAL II program. For me, the ISAL II program, itself, was my life changing event, both on a personal and professional level,“ said Dr. Darcy Benway, superintendent of O’Fallon Township 203. “As superintendents we are often isolated in the

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Steve Murphy of Carbondale Community 165, Dr. Kathie Pierce of Fenton Community 100, Dr. Nick Polyak of Leyden Community HS 212, Dr. Tami Roskamp of Schuyler Industry 5, and Dr. Andrew Wise of Olympia District 16. Dr. Kimberly Boryszewski of Schiller Park 81 was unable to attend the final weekend and will complete her graduation at the next ISAL gathering in January. The two-year ISAL program included developing a personal professional growth plan as well as developing a district plan for student achievement that included conducting a comprehensive needs assessment. Each of the ISAL students was assigned a veteran superintendent as a coach. ISAL also studied the superintendent’s role through five leadership

Clark talked about that personal aspect of being a leader in his remarks at the graduation ceremony Saturday, June 14 at IASA headquarters in Springfield. “When the leader is on balance, the chances of the organization that you lead maintaining a semblance of balance is increased,” Clark said. “Years ago, I wrote a paper about that and I listed five domains. Only one, professionalism, directly pertains to being a superintendent. The other four – family, friendships, health and faith – have to do with maintaining your balance as a person and as a leader.” The rigorous two-year journey having ended, Clark told the group of 19 graduates that the real work of transformational leadership was just beginning. “Go forth and set the

lenses: 1) facilitator of shared moral purpose, 2) change agent, 3) relationship/culture promoter, 4) capacity builder, and 5) coherence maker. The notion of a school for advanced leadership goes back to 2005, and a design team composed of veteran superintendents and educational leaders was formed in 2008. After two years of work, the ISAL program was rolled out in 2010. Dr. Nancy Blair, professor of leadership studies at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee and an author of three books on leadership, facilitated the program. “I think this program is unique. It compares to what we do in our doctoral programs at Cardinal Stritch with regard to transformational leadership. We work deeper than most programs, from the inside out,” said Blair.

example,” he said. “Do good work, do it with fidelity and focus on the things that matter. Influence others, be a mentor and change our profession. Everyone talks about return on investment, and in this case it will be making a difference in public education. The challenge is to go home, stick with it and carry it out over a sustained period of time.” Clark said IASA is now accepting applications for ISAL III, which is scheduled to begin in January of 2015.

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Graduates talk about ISAL experience

“Being a member of ISAL provided the opportunity to attack my transition to a new position in a

“I realize that education is

“I will utilize the lessons I’ve learned from ISAL about coaching, relationship building,

ongoing, never- ending and each and every day I am more reflective in my approach…I think I am better able to maneuver through the muddy waters that often school districts encounter.”

data-driven decision making, conflict resolution, and so much more in my new school district.” Dr. Lori Bein, Arlington Heights 25

planned and thoughtful manner… and my school district benefitted because I am a far better superintendent.” Dr. Joseph Bailey Lincolnwood 74

Dr. Darcy Benway O’Fallon Twp 203

“The most valuable lesson is that you can’t do it all yourself. I learned delegation

“ISAL has helped me to develop into a better leader through purposeful research and

“Being from a smaller school, ISAL provided me with opportunities that I would not have

means you trust your colleagues. I also learned a superintendent has a different role depending on the community you serve.” Kathy Countryman Sycamore 427

opportunities to collaborate with other superintendents statewide… the speakers and presenters were of high caliber.” Lea Damisch Marengo/Union 165

otherwise been able to partake…I was able to put this knowledge into action with a clear focus on students.” Dr. Debbie Ehlenburg Alden Hebron 19

“ The utilization of my district plan to develop a more systematic and continuous school

“Expanding the ways I look at challenges through the dif- ferent viewpoints of stakeholders

“As we face many education reforms that are sweeping our nation, we must lead through

improvement process has helped the district begin to change our instructional culture.”

has improved. By seeing the ‘big picture’ of how decisions will af- fect differing groups…we can make better decisions.” Anthony Galindo Gibson City-Melvin Sibley CU 5

strong collaborative practices, and coaching for leadership… bringing this program back to the district is

a great match.” Dr. Jill Gildea Fremont 79

Guy Gradert Ridgeview 19

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Graduates talk about ISAL experience

“ ISAL has provided me with

direction in guiding my

board through the process of developing a district mission that is student centered…and that mission will provide direction in all decisions.” Christina Grant Thompsonville 174

ISAL II co-chairs Dr. Gary Zabilka, left and Dr. Nick Osborne, right, along with facilitator Dr. Nancy Blair.

“ The integration of research on leadership and the practice of leadership yields powerful results…

“I have gained better skills in problem solving, decision making, instructional coaching and

“ISAL pushed me to focus more on teaching and learning… budgets and schedules, while

the learning and synergy from state leaders in education creates unity in purpose and shared growth.” Dr. Michael Lubelfeld Deerfield 109

leadership…I also now have people in my position that I can count on for advice and support.”

important to get right, will never again take a greater role in my leadership than student achievement.”

Lori Harrison Illini Central 189

Dr. Dawn Green Somonauk 432

“I learned the power of collaboration and establishing a network professionally

“Developing the plans required me to think deeply around the topic of school improvement and focus on my vision for the future of the district…putting the steps of the plan down into action plans served as a guide…” Dr. Kathie Pierce, Fenton 100 “The most important thing I learned is that leadership requires lifelong learning and reflection…it is a journey involving curiosity, adaptive change and vulnerability…and dialogue and discussion with stakeholders.”

“ISAL forced me to hit the ‘pause’ button periodically and really focus on improving myself

with other superintendents…in our profession you can very much be on an island and need networks to succeed.” Steve Murphy Carbondale Comm 165

as a school leader and as a person…as leaders, we need to be flexible and adopt a mindset of continuous improvement.” Dr. Nick Polyak Leyden HS District 212

“The District Development Plan in ISAL served as a road map in my first year as

“ Our team was able to use the resources from ISAL to identify processes in need of clarity. This

clarity resulted in a total reworking of our special education personnel and a re-launch of Response to Intervention with more cohesion between all curricula.” Dr. Jamie Reilly, Maercker 60

superintendent. The plan kept me focused, accountable and true to the mission of improving learning in my district.” Dr. Andrew Wise Olympia 16

Dr. Tami Roskamp Schuyler-Industry 5

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New IASA president Kuffel feels ‘profound responsibility’ to educate kids

By Michael Chamness IASA Director of Communications

him as a school administrator was the loss in 2007 of popular Geneseo science teacher Brad Schoon, who at age 47 died of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. “Every district goes through a loss at some point in time, but that really galvanized the spirit of the community,” Kuffel said. “A school can win championship trophies and have fire truck parades, but nothing I’ve seen demonstrated the spirit and love of a community more than how I saw Geneseo pulling together during that time of loss.” Those who work with Kuffel describe him as a superintendent who always is pushing for improvement and not afraid of challenging the norm – almost as if a job, or even a life, is too short to become complacent. Geneseo School Board President Doug Ford describes Kuffel as “a great leader who never rests with the status quo.” “Scott never takes anything for granted,” said Ford, who has been board president the past five years and has been on the board all 11 years that Kuffel has been superintendent at Geneseo. “He leads by example and his personality is what carries him. He’s been about working to make the board better at all times. He sees that as the way the district gets better.” For example, Ford said that Kuffel pushed for a bold 2010 initiative that said that every student in

It was his first year as a superintendent and teachers in the Oregon (Illinois) school district went on a strike that lasted two weeks. Scott Kuffel remembers learning to swim in the deep end of the school administrators’ pool by being thrown in headfirst. “That probably was the greatest single learning experience for me in public education, dealing with the stress on teachers, administrators, the board and the community. I probably learned more from that than my other 28 years in education combined,” said Kuffel, the new president of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) for 2014-15. “Adversity doesn’t build character, it exposes character.” The lessons learned, Kuffel said, included media relations and the dynamics of diffusing an explosive situation. He held press briefings at 1 p.m. every day during the strike, establishing a regular cycle for the dissemination of information and making sure everyone in the media heard the same message. Navigating through a tense situation with the school board and the teachers’ union was more complex. “It was about building consensus and how to achieve solidarity on a very difficult issue,” he said. “I learned that you not only have to talk, you have to listen. Also, that you have to have empathy and be able to feel what the other person is feeling.” The other moment that Kuffel said helped shape

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New IASA president … (continued) _______________________

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Geneseo High School would receive some kind of college exposure by the time they graduated. “We have gone from maybe two Advanced Placement (AP) classes to 15 AP classes, we now have a dual enrollment program with Black Hawk Community College, and we have added a new vocational class to that program,” Ford said. “I would say that more than 90 percent of our students now graduate high school with at least one college credit.” Jill DePauw is a sixth grade social studies teacher who was on the Geneseo interview team that selected Kuffel to become superintendent in 2003. She also is president of the teachers’ union at Geneseo, where they just negotiated a new contract. She marvels at his energy and creativity. “I wonder if he ever gets any sleep because it just seems like he is always coming up with innovative

Superintendent Scott Kuffel goes along for the ride as his son and Senior Class President Judson Kuffel leads the Geneseo class of 2008 one last time in performing the “roller coaster” during the graduation ceremony.

ideas,” DePauw said, noting a leadership model they implemented whereby teams of teachers are co-led by a teacher and an administrator. “We work on building issues, professional development, curriculum, and our latest team, the A3 Team (Athletics, Arts and Activities) develops policies related to those three key areas of student involvement. Scott is truly a supporter of the Geneseo Maple Leafs in all aspects of a child’s learning.” IASA Executive Director Dr. Brent Clark said Kuffel’s experience and his willingness to stand up for what’s best when it comes to educating children should serve him well in providing solid leadership for IASA, which is one of the nation’s largest statewide associations for school administrators with more than 1,700 members. “Scott Kuffel has been on the IASA Board of Directors for more than seven years. He is a respected educator and leader who is committed to providing the best possible educational opportunities in public schools,” Clark said. “These are very difficult times and I believe Scott can help us continue to move forward despite all of the challenges facing public education.” Kuffel was a biology major and on a pre-med, pre-dental track at Illinois Wesleyan when he worked at a summer school and a basketball camp between

his junior and senior years. It became a defining moment in him choosing education as a career path. “I never really had a sense of students who struggled until that summer when I worked with elementary-aged kids who were in the Title 1 remedial program,” Kuffel recalled. “It struck me that there were so many different reasons that these kids were struggling academically and I knew I had some calling to that type of service.” As a junior at Kewanee High School, Kuffel also spent a year as a foreign exchange student in Kenya, where the oldest son in the family he lived with was a headmaster at a Kenyan school. Kuffel’s father was a veterinarian, but the family bloodlines include a teacher and educational activist. His father’s cousin, Jim Bergagna, was a pioneer in special education in the early 1960s. “We called him ‘Uncle Jim’ and he helped establish the first special education cooperative in the northwest part of the state and was in on the ground floor of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act),” Kuffel said. The Freeport school district in 2009 dedicated a building with Bergagna’s name. Family, especially his parents, molded him into the type of person – and superintendent – he has

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New IASA president … (continued) _______________________

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Kuffel to Ravitch: ‘I am no hero’

become, Kuffel said. “My dad was an avid reader and he had a great work ethic. For me, there’s no disconnect between my personal and professional life,” he said. Other educational influences included Principal Steve Hutton at Tremont, where Kuffel began his teaching career, and Dr. Brock Butts, a superintendent and a past-president of IASA. “Steve Hutton was ahead of his time when it came to professional development and building capacity in educators,” Kuffel said. “He also taught me how to deal with strife. He used to say ‘the dogs keep barking, but the caravan moves on.’ I come back to that today with all that goes on in the social media and calls for reform in public education.” From Butts, Kuffel said he learned about managing school finance and providing stability for programs. When he looks ahead, Kuffel sees rugged terrain for public education, especially when it comes to outside expectations and demands. “Schools don’t fear accountability, but it’s difficult to be accountable to everyone when they sometimes have different agendas,” Kuffel said. “Are we supposed to be accountable to Springfield? To business leaders? To parents? “To me, it should be about the students, and I still have a strong sense of in loco parentis, standing in the stead of parents. It is a profound responsibility to be in charge of someone’s child during the school day, and those pressures have grown during the past 30 years. Now it’s not only teaching, but feeding, cleaning, loving and teaching character and other things that used to be done at home.” Kuffel said he has the utmost respect for educators who continue to press on despite fewer resources and more demands -- teachers and administrators who soldier on while the “barking” gets louder. He said as president of IASA, he is committed to the association’s vision “Maximum Educational Success for All Students.” “Unquestionably the greatest accomplishments we can make to bring that vision and mission to reality is at the level of our own Local Education Authority (LEA). The questions we ask, the stands we take for children, the way we communicate with our parents and public, grow exponentially in power when a common message is carried across our state,” Kuffel said. “Why should we not expect the citizenry of our state to see us as the ones who ‘Stand for Children’ or who ‘Advance Illinois’? “

In the fall of 2013, a letter written by Geneseo Superintendent Scott Kuffel caught the eye of national education blogger and

outspoken defender of public education Diane Ravitch. Kuffel had written a letter in opposition to the state changing the cut scores for the ISAT test and Ravitch added Kuffel to her honor roll in a blog entry titled “A Hero Superintendent in Illinois.” Wrote Ravitch: “…Superintendent Kuffel joins our honor roll because he fearlessly blasted this callous indifference to the students and teachers. It is great when leaders show leadership.” A few days later, Kuffel wrote Ravitch to say “...I am no hero. I’m a superintendent of a public, PK-12 school district in rural Illinois. The hero is the principal who comes in early on a Sunday morning to replace sod on the football field where vandals damaged the turf before graduation. The hero is the school nurse who makes the difficult call home to parents and tends to a scarcely seen scratch on a kindergartner’s arm. The hero is the AP US History teacher who holds study sessions at 8 p.m. at night after kids are finished with their practices. The hero is the art teacher who spends her own money for supplies and materials because she knows the budget is dwindling, but the need for the arts is more important than ever. The heroes are the parents who sacrifice time for fundraising and make meals for another parent who just tragically lost a child. The heroes are school board members who take the criticism and complaints for hiring, for spending, for firing, for taking ‘hard lines’ in difficult times. “The heroes are those who try. They try every day for their ‘littles’ who come with scant learning experiences or understanding of manners. They try for the businesses and realtors in town who pressure for high quality schools because that drives local economies and housing. They try because they believe that what happens today has impacts on tomorrow that we’re never really sure we’ll see. “And those are the heroes in whom I believe. They are the heroes who keep me coming to work every day. They’ve kept me coming to District 228 for 11 years, and I know they’ll keep me coming for a few more.”

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Students return to Proviso East High School two days after a fire caused damage and closed school.

Proviso administrators step up to handle the heat after fire

We then had to determine whether we would be able to open for classes on Monday. On Sunday, which was Mother’s Day, I surveyed the damage and assessed if we could still hold classes. That assessment led us to cancel classes for the next two days, with hopes of returning on the following Wednesday. We communicated this within an hour of the decision being made. In addition, we sent robocalls to parents informing of the decisions to close and later reopen school. During the next two days, we had workers from construction companies sealing off the damaged portion of the building while the building administrative team worked to determine where to hold the displaced classes. Eventually, a plan was developed, with classes moved to gymnasiums, our Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) building, and other locations around the Proviso East campus. Also, since our regular bus drop-off and pick-up point was in the damaged area, we moved our buses further down Madison Street to have the students enter and exit the campus through our football stadium gate. We also put in a claim with insurance for the repairs to get the building usable again. This quick reaction and subsequent work to move forward from what could have been a disastrous situation to one where we were able to successfully complete our school year would not have been possible without the work of the administration, faculty, and staff at Proviso East High School and in District 209 as a whole. I wish to thank them for their due diligence, and for a job well done.

By Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart Superintendent Proviso Township District 209 It was a call that school administrators fear getting. On Saturday, May 10, I received a call from the principal at Proviso East High

School at about 9:15 p.m. that the building was on fire. In what later was determined to be caused by an electrical issue, an office was on fire, sending smoke into the classrooms and science laboratories above it and the hallways and rooms underneath it as well as into the auditorium, where a play was in progress. While no one was hurt and the fire was brought under control within a couple of hours, there was substantial damage to about 45 classrooms, washrooms, and offices. The first order of business, after securing the building, was getting the word out to the Board of Education, parents, teachers, staff, and the community about what progress was being made on reopening the school, especially with many of them having seen the reports on the fire on the local news. Working with our community and public relations coordinator, Rob Daniel, we kept our district website (pths209.org) and our Twitter feed updated with regular reports in the hours immediately after the news first broke. We also responded to inquiries from area media, and sent out emails to teachers and staff with updates. In addition, I responded to emails from other superintendents who offered support and other assistance.

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SAVE THE DATES

Celebrate IASA’s Golden Anniversary at the Annual Conference! We are marking the 50 th anniversary of IASA becoming a stand- alone association at our Annual Conference, so please save the dates October 8-10. We have designed a commemorative coin that will be given to attendees, and we are working very hard to make the conference the highlight of our Golden Anniversary celebration. In fact, we already have confirmed many of our main speakers and it is an outstanding group, which you can read about on the opposite page.

The dates of the Annual Conference are Wednesday, October 8 through Friday, October 10.

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OCTOBER 8-10, 2014

We have a great lineup of speakers!

Hall Davidson , director of the Discovery Education Network and a nationally known educator and speaker on education in the digital age. Before coming to the Discovery Education Network, Davidson was Director of Educational Services at KOCE-TV, a PBS station in Orange County, California and taught math on a television show that earned an Emmy.

Noted author and business consultant Jon Gordon , who has written books on such topics as leadership, culture and teamwork. He has authored nine books, including One Word, The Energy Bus and The Seed : Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work .

Suhail Farooqui is CEO of K12 Insight, a company that specializes in survey design and deployment in public schools, and the impact of surveys and community-wide communication on public schools. He is widely recognized as a visionary helping America’s public schools become more relevant and effective at their core mission.

Rafe Esquith , an award-winning teacher at Hobart Boulevard Elementary School in Los Angeles, where he has taught since 1984. Many of his students, who are all from a community of poor and immigrant families, start class very early, leave late, and typically achieve high scores in standardized tests. Esquith has authored books about teaching and his annual class Shakespeare Productions was featured in the 2005 documentary The Hobart Shakespeareans.

We’ve invited Gubernatorial Candidates Pat Quinn & Bruce Rauner to come and talk about public education in a special conference session

This one still is in pencil and may remain so for right up to the conference because of the obvious complexities of scheduling that are involved, but we have been given indications that both candidates might take advantage of the opportunity to come and talk about one of the most important issues facing our state.

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End of Year Happenings End of Year Happenings

Blue Ridge CUSD 18 Mrs. Ellis’ class with Earth Day projects.

Career Center of Southern Illinois Career Center of Southern Illinois had three Auto Service and two Welding students compete at the 50th Annual Skills-USA Illinois State Leadership and Skills-USA Championship Conference in April. Automotive Service students Tyler Reeves from Red Bud and Chester’s Justin Bert and Josh Yow represented CCSI instructor Greg Baird’s program exceptionally well. CCSI’s Welding Team under Instructor Gary Miller participated in their third Welding competition of the spring in the Springfield Skills-USA event. Steven Harris of Chester placed 10 th in the state, and Dallas Renth of New Athens also earned a 15 th -place finish. Pictured above left to right are Automotive Instructor Greg Baird, Tyler Reeves, Dallas Renth, Josh Yow, Steven Harris, Justin Bert and Welding Instructor Gary Miller.

Bloom Twp HS 206 On April 26, a spring thaw, a bright sky and an array of hope surrounded our campus to create an ideal setting for the Second Annual Jeff Woodham and Abrahan Cruz 5K walk. The anticipation of this event has inspired our community to remember two Bloom Trojans who departed life much too early. From this fatal tragedy our school population has become galvanized to rally behind the cause of raising nearly $5,500 in scholarship funds for this year’s graduates. Mayor Gonzalez joined Bloom High School’s National Honor Society class officers, Valeria Lopez and Karina Reyes, in kicking off our event. There were personal records set by runners, walkers and even some strollers as participants were greeted by several members of the historical Chicago Heights neighborhood and well- wishers throughout the course. The more than 200 participants have demonstrated our District 206 mission and provided a clear vision of what our school district values most: a community of lifelong learners.

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End of Year Happenings

Eisenhower High School Dr. Gary Rauch, principal of Eisenhower High School

in Blue Island,

Community High School 218 Dr. John Byrne, superintendent of District 218 (far left), at the dance-a- thon for Sickle Cell research. Special education students raised more than $2,000 for the sickle cell research facility at the University of Illinois. Brothers Julius and Desmond Means, each of whom received a stem cell transplant from an older brother, chose to organize this event to benefit the facility.

addresses parents of students who rank in the top 10 of their class. We host a breakfast each spring for the 40 students who rank in the top 10.

Shepard High School Dr. Josh Barron (lower right in shirt and tie), principal of Shepard High School in Palos Heights, with physics teacher Brian Sievers (orange Illinois polo shirt) and his team of students who constructed a biodiesel reactor at the Crestwood Public Works facility. This amazing machine transforms used cooking oil into clean diesel fuel.

Illini Bluffs Elementary School Students at Illini Bluffs Elementary School participated in Earth Day activities organized by our local PTO. We partnered with local organizations such as Wildlife Prairie Park, Ingredion and Bradley University. Students learned about natural products, endangered animals and composting and they worked as teams to paint light posts and clean up our campus.

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End of Year Happenings

Lake Bluff The color splash photo is of our play Annie Jr. at Lake Bluff Middle School. Over 180 students out of 310

total Lake Bluff Middle School Students were involved in some way in the musical. Sudents dressed in orange for Unity Day. "What are your true colors when it comes to bullying? If you care about safe & supportive schools & communities make your color ORANGE on Unity Day. That’s the day everyone can come together—in schools, communities, and online—and send one large ORANGE message of support, hope, and unity."

Shiloh CUSD 1 Longtime teacher Billijeanne Belobraydic received roses from graduating seniors at Shiloh. "Mrs. B," as she is know by the students and staff here at Shiloh, was given roses by many of the seniors to show their appreciation for her years of service to the district. She is retiring this year.

Lewistown 97 Lewistown High School Tube Band. These kids and the Band Director made instruments from PVC pipe and plastic tubing. They perform to raise money to purchase music and instruments for the Band program.

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End of Year Happenings

Nettle Creek 24C Sixth grader Virgina Hayes, left, and fifth grader Ben Evenson work on their school-issued computers. Nettle Creek School is piloting a one-to-one technology initiative in four classrooms with plans of go building wide for the 2014-2015 school year. Nettle Creek, a rural one-school district with 87 students, recently hired its first technology director. With support from our Board of Education, an amazing PTO, and a remarkably dedicated staff, the pilot is going very well. Parents, students, and staff are extremely excited about this new tool for teaching and learning.

Pleasant Hill Elementary 69 Pleasant Hill students have participated in community service projects monthly throughout the school year in order to learn the importance of giving to others. In celebration of World Autism Day and Autism Awareness Month, Pleasant Hill staff and students dressed in blue and participated in an Autism Walk.

Queen Bee District 16 Pictured are recipients of Character Counts awards at our annual Character Counts breakfast for the students from Queen Bee District 16 in Glendale Heights. All of the students and staff in the picture were acknowledged for demonstrating one of the six pillars of character in a consistent manner. A breakfast was held to give out awards and Ms. Illinois was the guest speaker.

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End of Year Happenings

Leyden Community High School 212 Celebrates Prom and Graduation

Proviso East High School The marching band from Proviso East High School in Maywood performs at the 12 th annual Proviso East Battle of the Bands on Saturday, May 17, at Proviso West High School. Under the direction of director Reginald Wright, the Proviso East marching band continues to be a source of pride as the excellence of the band is recognized statewide and nationally.

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End of Year Happenings

Moline Unit 40 The Moline School District hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on May 7 for a major expansion/renovation project for Hamilton Elementary School, which will quadruple in size to 78,000 square feet and house 600 students. The new school is slated to open in August of 2015. Current third grade students from Hamilton, who will be among the first fifth grade class at the new school, are shown here participating in the groundbreaking.

North Palos 117 A few photos that depict various end-of-the-year activities from our district. Thanks for allowing us to share some of the things we do.

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End of Year Happenings Biggest Challenges faci your district

Carbon Cliff-Barstow 36

Our biggest challenge is currently going on; negotiations. In the last three years, because of State Aid prorations and growing salaries and benefits, our school district has seen the education fund decrease by almost $600,000. Our negotiating team has worked well with the teachers' association regarding common language; however, we have moved onto salary and benefits and are progress has slowed down to a crawl. With the lack of confidence in our proration status, an election year that could quite possibly see the extended state tax come to an end, and lower EAV's, we need to at least level our spending to match our revenue. A financial consultant from ISBE came to discuss our district's financial status with both the board and the teachers' association. The district has taken steps to cut expenses by freezing administrative and non-cert salaries, cut

Andy Richmond Carbon Cliff- Barstow 36

custodial hours by 1/3, and shorten our maintenance director's hours by almost 1/3. This challenge could be resolved if only the State would provide us 100% of what we are due. I know there are different scenarios out there, attempting to increase funding but I need to know now, not in September/October. Right now, our biggest challenge is to find a way to keep our district solvent and our teachers educated on what could be a dire situation. Needless to say, at this point, we have not been able to answer the challenge.

Blue Ridge 18 We replaced one of our elementary schools with a major addition onto another school. Even with a planned late start to the school year we were on a VERY tight timeline for completing enough of the project to start school in the new facility. In order to move into the new addition in time the entire staff pulled together to finish last minute cleaning, moving, unpacking and room arranging tasks. It was "All hands on deck" and showed that this is a District that gets the job done. Honestly, it was a miracle that we were able to start school in the new building!

Susan Wilson, Superintendent, Blue Ridge 18

Marseilles 150 My biggest challenge this year was to recover from the flood of 2013. Perseverance and the good old college try...

Governor Pat Quinn and JoEllen Fuller, superintendent Marseilles 150, tour her flood damaged school.

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Leadership training in grades 3 - 5

By Margaret Van Duch, District 75 Publicity

Mechanics Grove Elementary School in Mundelein is well on its way to developing strong leadership skills in its students. Teachers and support staff model leadership habits and create leadership opportunities throughout the Grades 3-5 building. They encourage students to lead in the classroom and school, design fundraising projects, and serve on leadership committees. An illustration of the leadership opportunities children experience can be observed as children design the gardens, hothouse plants, and harvest the yields for local food banks. Leadership opportunities

are abundant in this school. In order for children to apply for jobs within the school community, they learn to write letters of interest and complete job applications. Some positions expect letters of recommendation from former teachers. Mechanics Grove staff, like the other Mundelein School District 75 schools, believes leadership skills are the key to molding self-confident leaders of tomorrow. Leadership empowers children to take responsibility for their behaviors and their academic success. In addition, leadership roles provide children opportunities to improve the entire school community because students own the school community and find ways to improve the culture. In the classroom, children co-create a classroom mission

statement, set academic and leadership goals and chart their growth to achieve these goals. On Leadership Day students invite the community to learn about leadership through the eyes of children. Through touching speeches, testimonials, songs, and musical performances children explain their interpretation of the meaning of leadership. Some students perform musical selections with lyrics they composed. Following the performances, students invite guests back to their classrooms to showcase how they manage schoolwork and share 21st century learning experiences. In the evening, the community is invited to a Celebration of Learning and the Arts event at Mechanics Grove. During this gala celebration that culminates a year’s worth of learning, each student will proudly share their portfolios spotlighting their academic and fine arts products. Mechanics Grove Elementary School is working on becoming a “Lighthouse

Leader in Me” school that reflects today’s changing 21st century world. Leadership skills are essential life skills and characteristics that students will need for college and career success, experts believe. The school has met 65 percent of the nine goal areas for Lighthouse schools. Once achieved, Mechanics Grove will join a select 72 schools internationally that are Lighthouse assigned. This is a real accomplishment for the community. But more than that, this is a gold standard that will last a lifetime in children’s actions and beliefs. Families, students, and staff come to see this transformation as a lifelong gift to their future. “The staff teaches students the habits and principles of leadership. Teachers

empower children to lead themselves so they in turn can lead others,” said Principal Kathleen Miller. “Throughout the year the school embraces student leadership activities through a library patrol, student council, safety patrol, student mentors, etc. In addition, teachers give students a voice in the classroom. As the principal, we encourage student’s opinion in the management of the school,” Dr. Miller explained. The school is a microcosm to practice community belonging, decision making and ownership of the results.

Mechanics Grove leaders emphasize that students take responsibility for their actions, their relationships, and academic and life's success. Respect, responsibility, and habits that lead to quality relationships or interdependence are woven into instruction throughout the day. Children learn to self-manage and lead themselves first. Every Mechanics Grove teacher reinforces each child’s unlimited potential so clearly that they begin to see it in themselves. “When you believe in your dreams, and you persevere, you will achieve greatness in your life,” Dr. Miller said.

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