LM Oct 2019

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Dr. Brent Clark
Message From the Executive Director
IASA Begins NewChapterWith Addition
of Two NewMembers to the Team
Many of you are also wondering about the search for an
Associate Director of Professional Development. Similarly
to the process we used to find Chad, a committee has
been formed to interview candidates. Our goal is to have
someone named in November in order to give them
time to work with the IASA Professional Development
Committee before Dr. Voltz retires on June 30, 2020.
Once the board makes a selection, we will send out an
announcement.
I want to thank all of the sponsors, exhibitors, presenters
and moderators at the IASA Annual Conference. Without
you, the conference would not be possible.
As is the case every year, a tremendous amount of work
went into planning this conference, so I hope everyone
enjoyed the experience and took something you learned
back to your district. FYI, we recorded Ignite presentations
and are publishing them to the for you
to go back and watch.
To close, I want to let you know IASA will soon
be releasing a new podcast with ISBE on School
Designations, which will go live on the Illinois Report Card
on Oct. 30. The podcast will be a helpful resource for you
on understanding designations, how to access resources
from ISBE and tips around having conversations about the
designations with stakeholders. You can subscribe to the
IASA Podcast anywhere you can listen to podcasts. We
also share it on social media and in our Eye on Education
daily newsletter.
Enjoy this fall weather and the rest of the first semester.
Yours for better schools,
I have been fortunate during my time as executive director
of IASA to have great continuity with our staff, but every
association inevitably faces change. IASA began a search
for a new general counsel this summer, and I’m proud to
announce we have found someone who I believe is up to
the challenge.
Chad Watkins comes to IASA from the Tueth Keeney law
firm, where he represented school districts throughout
Illinois. Chad, who begins at IASA October 15, graduated
from Northwestern University and earned his law
degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to
becoming a lawyer, he was a special education teacher in
Washington, D.C.
A committee made up of members of the IASA Board of
Directors guided IASA in the selection process, and Chad
emerged as the unanimous choice. I feel confident his
knowledge of school issues, enthusiasm to work for IASA
and passion for public education will make for a smooth
transition. Chad will be visiting IASA region meetings
soon, so be sure to welcome him to the team.
That’s not the only change at IASA. Ben Boer will serve
as IASA’s Director of Research and Data Analysis.
Adding this position, which will function similarly to an
independent contractor, will be critical this legislative
session to provide IASA with data analysis on issues,
such as funding the Evidence-Based Funding Model,
property taxes and school consolidation.
I can’t think of anyone in the country more knowledgeable
on these issues than Ben, who formerly worked for
Advance Illinois and was instrumental in the development
of EBF. We are fortunate to add his unique skillset to our
team and help IASA make compelling and data-driven
arguments to the legislature on the biggest issues facing
superintendents.
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LM October 2019