From the Desk of the Superintendent | | |
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A group of team members from both Boone Winnebago Roe 4 & Summit Academy were able to attend the Raising Student Achievement Conference in December. Check out this fun picture of part of that group from Day #1 of the event. #RSAC23 | |
Pictured (L-R): Joel DeYounge; Linda DeYounge; Jen Kaiser; Nichole Ambrosia; Amanda Hathaway; Brice Jonas; and Michael Whitman | |
In "west coast" news, Boone Winnebago Roe 4 leaders traveled to California to take part in the 2023 AESA Annual Conference in November. This event brings together regional office of education superintendents, educational leaders, and experts from across the nation - an opportunity to network and explore the newest trends in education. | | | |
Mary Bawinkel of Boone Winnebago Roe 4's At-Risk Student Services Department was recently recognized by the Belvidere D100 School Board for her dedication and service to the students in their district. Mary is a one-of-a-kind employee and always, always, ALWAYS goes above and beyond for every family she encounters in the schools she partners with. A big congratulations to Mary. This is a well-deserved honor, and we are so VERY grateful to have her on the ROE 4 team. | | |
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Mary is pictured with coworkers Val P (left), Caitlyn W (right), and Supt of Schools Scott Bloomquist, who were all in attendance to celebrate Mrs. Bawinkel's honor. | |
With rapid increase of partnership requests for many of our departments at the Regional Office, our work family grows as well! We are happy to welcome Hannah and Emma to the ROE 4 team! | |
Illinois Superintendent of Education Visits Summit Academy | |
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Dr. Tony Sanders, Illinois Superintendent of Education, made the trek north to Machesney Park in November to attend the district superintendents' meeting held at Summit Academy.
With a majority of the superintendents in attendance, Dr. Sanders shared details of new and upcoming mandates, as well as changes he has spearheaded throughout Illinois and what implementation will look like for area administrators.
The team from Summit then took the lead at the table with Executive Director Nicole Corbett introducing Assistant Director Faith McNamee and MTSS Leader Kevin Weaver as presenters. These Summit staff members presented on operations and protocols, student lifecycles, and the success of behavioral intervention leveling at the school. On a side note, Dr. Sanders was delighted to be invited to share a few comments to be captured on one of the school's recently filmed videos.
A tour of the campus by Summit Student Ambassadors prompted a bit of animated interaction between Dr. Sanders and the group as they provided a student's view of life at the academy. His visit concluded with a meeting with Mrs. Corbett, who updated Dr. Sanders on the success of the alternative school's restructuring and the future of Summit. Stay tuned for more!
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Summit Academy was recently presented with a NAMI award for making a difference in the community. Thank you to NAMI for recognizing the impact Summit Academy has in the lives of students, families, and schools.
We're SO proud of Summit - Well deserved!
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Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie recently visited Summit Academy. A student ambassador-led tour of the campus covered all aspects of the school community. This included Second Chance at Summit, multi-tiered systems of support and the Reset Program, middle school and high school classrooms, an in-session physical education class, Ms. Watt’s Eagles group, the Eagles' Nest, the newly remodeled staff lounge, and student support efforts.
Ms. McCombie then had an extended conversation with both Scott Bloomquist, Regional Superintendent of Schools, and Summit Executive Director Nicole Corbett. This centered around the updated leveling system, as well as the academy's mission, vision, strategies, continued success, and exciting future plans.
The government leader expressed support of the visionaries, as well as the alternative school and its continued growth.
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Three Summit Educators Nominated for Golden Apple Awards | |
Literacy Collective of Illinois Holds Literacy Session at Rockford Public School's Stenstrom Education Center | |
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Mid November brought the introduction of the Literacy Collective of Illinois to local educators and administrators. The Literacy Leaders Lunch & Learn afternoon session was led by ROE 4's Professional Learning Director Carrie Brockway and Literacy Specialist Dr. Kim Wagner. There were approximately 40-50 school professionals and leaders in attendance.
The intended goal of the session was a clearer understanding of the state's recently unveiled comprehensive literacy plan, which is currently in the draft stage. The group was also interested in evidence-based literacy instruction best practices and next steps for districts when the comprehensive plan is finalized. The day also included a literacy needs assessment and the llinois State Board of Education feedback form, as well as an update on ISBE's listening tour sites and dates.
Other information shared were the roles of literacy partners - from state leaders to community members. As the comprehensive plan is currently in draft form, additional changes included prior to the final draft will be obtained via submitted feedback.
The group went through a tour of the plan, including the definition of literacy per ISBE and regional hopes for the final version. They also reviewed the vision and purpose of the plan, a rationale for literacy in education, and funding requirements.
Table discussions were extensive and touched on the components of literacy, teacher reflections on the moving parts of a literacy-rich classroom and barriers, and effective leadership. In this, leaders would be empowered to champion evidence-based effective literacy instruction, equity, inclusivity, justice, and mastery of literacy instructional knowledge and skills.
Thanks to all who attended, and the 10+ schools/districts who reached out to ROE 4 and the Literacy Collective of Illinois for customized coaching as the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan is implemented in the districts we serve.
|  |  | PD Opportunities with Literacy Collective of Illinois | |
Literacy Collective of Illinois has scheduled in-person literacy workshops for 2024. These are currently open for registration on the ROE 4 website events calendar. For any event you or your school team are interested in, please click the DETAILS button on the event to learn more about a $100 workshop savings. Teacher and administrator teams of 3 or more could also qualify for an added discount! Check out the January PreK-12th grade Literacy Launch info below! | | |
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Area 2 SEL Hub Debuts Newsletter | |
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When educational leaders are spread out over an expansive geographic area, it is ofen difficult to collect data that compares apples to apples. Finding this to be true for Area 2 social emotional learning, Allison Pierson, Director of the Area 2 SEL Hub, put newly hired marketing specialist Hannah Bailey to work analyzing data submitted by SEL Specialists and ROEs.
Once those visual analytics were completed, it was clear to Mrs. Pierson that affected superintendents and leaders would appreciate this easily consumable format delivered on a regular basis. This, in turn, would allow those same administrators the ability to understand needs and calibrate resources for school communities in their districts.
With that, the Area 2 SEL Hub Report was born. This original publication will be available in Area 2 approximately monthly moving forward. If you or your staff are interested in subscribing to The Report, please fill out this form and submit!
Congratulations to the entire team on their new publication!
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SELf Cohort 2.0 Class of 2023 "Circle-bration" | |
Linsey McDanel, SELf Training Graduate/Kindergarten Teacher for Freeport SD 145 | |
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Approximately 40 people filled the Loves Park City Hall Community Room on December 12th, excited to celebrate the SELf Cohort 2.0 Class of 2023 graduates. Mentors, school administrators, and Cohort 1 alumni joined members of the second cohort for their special day. The 2-hour Circle-bration, a tradition created by the training founders from CharacterPlus, followed an intensive 6-month leadership agenda.
Circle-bration would not be complete without the group coming full "circle" by opening and closing the time together with a restorative circle. Even the micro lab presentations took place in smaller micro-circles, where each graduate delivered their personal leadership project to a small group.
Director Allison Pierson was on hand to award "pins" following the presentation of commitment certificate honors. She exuberantly praised Cohort 2, along with the alumni in attendance from Cohort 1, noting the uniqueness of the two groups. She shared that because of the success of creating SEL leaders by way of the two cohorts, now social emotional professional learning opportunities are so much more accessible to school staff in our communities. She added, "As long as regional educators and leaders continue to find value in the intensive leadership cohorts, we will continue to offer them to SEL leaders in our region."
Interested in SELf? Check out what one local educator had to say at her SELf Circle-bration (above):
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Local Schools Earn SEL Commitment Awards | |
Schools in Boone and Winnebago Counties are investing in the social emotional health and healing of their students and staff. Below are just a few who have partnered with ROE 4 to work on an action plan, professional development, and training in their school communities. They've all received a commendation of commitment and a monetary award to use on continued SEL projects for the mental health of their schools. We are so proud of the hard work they are continuing to do. Well done! | |
If you'd like information on the REACH Program and advanced trauma-informed and trauma-responsive SEL work for your school community, connect with Jen at the Area 2 SEL Hub or call ROE 4 during business hours! | |
Save the Date for SEL Symposium 2024 | |
ROE 4 PS Director Attends Rockford Student Teacher Event | |
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A fall student teacher celebration was held on November 30th at Prairie Street Brewing Company for District 205, which ROE 4 Professional Services Director Leah Blake was able to attend. RPS 205 interned 30 traditional student teachers and 18 year-long student teachers through the Aspiring Teachers program during the first half of FY24. The evening event was held to honor the student teachers in the district but also to provide resources as the new educators are poised to begin their professional journey.
A total of 40 student teachers attended the evening get-together. District Superintendent Dr. Ehren Jarrett, principals, human resource representatives, teacher mentors, and Ms. Blake, also the licensure specialist for the Regional Office, were there to show support. The student teachers received words of encouragement from each speaker, along with contact information to aid the new teachers as they navigate their new career.
Ms. Blake is currently working on updating and sharing procedures as a means of support for both educators and community members per conference discussions and training. She is also taking proactive steps to implement solutions and remedies to issues that were raised during the event.
If you have comments or feedback, please contact Leah at lblake@roe4.org at your convenience.
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Education and Community Requests Continue for ROE 4
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Individuals Fingerprinted: 70
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Worker Permits Issued: 11
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School Bus Drivers Certified: 72
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School Bus Drivers Recertified: 98
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Spelling Bee Enrollment Deadline is January 31, 2024 | |
Time is running out to enroll your elementary or middle school in the 2024 Regional Spelling Bee. Head to spellingbee.com by January 31, 2024, to ensure your spellers have a chance to compete in this year's bee. Keep in mind, this enrollment also acts as the registration for your school's winning speller to participate in the Regional Bee scheduled for early March 2024 at Harlem High School. Bee there or bee...skwayer?!!! | |
School Improvement Delivers at #RSAC23 | |
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Chris Collins and Flinn Middle School of RPS205 brought training surrounding Flinn "Falcon Time" to a packed house at the Raising Student Achievement Conference 2023 in the Chicago suburbs this month. This effective teams/collective voice training remains a top request for schools in the districts we serve at ROE 4.
If you're interested in connecting with School Improvement Director Chris Collins directly to learn more about Effective Teams training for your building or district, reach out to the Loves Park office by phone at 815.636.3060 or ccollins@roe4.org for info.
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Kinnikinnick Leaders Dive Into Effective Teams | |
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The Kinnikinnick School Leadership Team has also teamed up with ROE 4's Director of School Improvement Chris Collins to work on effective teams. Investing time in learning new strategies may seem overwhelming at times for administrators, but Kinnikinnick's admin team clearly understands the importance.
Collective voice and creating processes that enable team efficacy is Mr. Collins' passion, and the staff at Kinnikinnick has been eager to learn. Chris embraced the session as a learning tool for new members of the ROE 4 team as well. Hannah Bailey, new ROE 4 Marketing Specialist, joined the group to study not only the on-site training process but the strategy itself.
School Improvement at ROE 4 appreciates the opportunity to act as both instructor and student within the safe confines of the districts with which we partner. Thank you to District 131 for the intentional effort to support their staff and school community.
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On top of their full-time positions as attendance interventionists, student services coordinator, and district and school truancy support specialists, Director Meghan Hawkinson and her team spent time volunteering during November and December.
One longstanding project that the ARSS group has been involved in is a partnership with Christ United Methodist Church in Rockford, who purchases food and essentials and creates full size boxes for the families of at-risk students. Once those boxes are packed, usually during the week of Thanksgiving, the truancy team steps in to deliver those boxes to their students/families.
The group effort is a labor of love between the two organizations, and it gives Mrs. Hawkinson and her team a level of reassurance that the students they work with will have at least nourishment and basic necessities at the holidays.
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A second project took truancy specialists to Ralston Elementary. There, Assistant Director Emily O'Neill and Caitlyn Wingo (pictured above) were able to provide volunteer time at the Harlem District #122 grade school. They were all smiles as they happily supported the elementary school's holiday workshop. | |
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Open Positions at ROE 4 and Summit Academy
For the most up-to-date employment opportunities and information, please contact part-time interim HR Specialist Dr. John Ulferts at julferts@roe4 or search "Boone Winnebago Regional Office of Education" on Indeed or "ROE #04" on the Illinois Job Bank under the Job Seekers section.
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Learning Technology Center of Illinois Monthly ROE 4 #TechTip
Hey, Google Peeps! We have Ben Sondgeroth of LTC helping us out with "New Features You Need to Know in Google Docs" for this month's #TechTip. It's less than 10 minutes of viewing to learn tools that will save you oodles of time!
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Quote of the Month:
"Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see."
~ The Polar Express ~
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300 Heart Boulevard, Loves Park, IL 61111 • (815) 636-3060
www.roe4.org
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