Serving Students, Educators, and the Community
Welcome Cara Pence!
Join us in welcoming Cara Pence to ROE 48. Cara is our new Director of Project START, our newest truancy program.

Cara has been in education for 20 years. She spent 11 years teaching English Language Arts, 7 years as an Interventionist at Peoria High School, and was an Assistant Professor and Student Teaching Supervisor at Illinois State University. 
All her years spent in education has reinforced the need to address truancy in our communities. Truancy has long been identified as an early warning sign of delinquent behavior, social isolation, educational failure, and potential weakness in the family structure. 

Project START and Project TARGET

Project START (Stop Truancy and Recommend Treatment) is funded through the City of Peoria Violence Prevention Grant. As Director of Project START, Cara's focus is to provide support and resources to schools and families in need through local service providers. 

Project START and Project TARGET will work in conjunction to address truancy in the City of Peoria and Peoria County. Project TARGET and Project START serve K – 8 grades students in Peoria County. Project TARGET was started almost thirty years ago to address the rising truancy rates in Peoria and surrounding Peoria County. Project TARGET is a truancy/dropout prevention program that works with all students in Peoria County with school attendance problems. Caseworkers work with students and their families to determine the root cause of poor school attendance
School Reunification Team Training - January 29th or 30th
The Peoria County and Tazewell, Woodford, and Mason Counties Regional Offices of Education have partnered with the I Love U Guys Foundation to provide free training for reunification teams. Our vision is that the districts within our four counties receive standardized training around reunifying students with parents and then develop mutual aid agreements to lend support in the event of a mass building evacuation. 
The training is designed for entire teams to attend. You should invite your local law enforcement and other first responders if they are part of your reunification plan. Office, custodial, maintenance, and other staff are also important pieces of you reunification plan and should also be extended an invite as appropriate.

There is a cap of 300 each day. School districts in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, and Mason will have an early window for registering until December 15th. At that point, registration will open to other school districts outside of our counties.

This is a one day training offered on both January 29th and 30th to provide districts flexibility. Participants need only attend one of the two days.

Bradley University
Michel Student Center Ballroom
915 N Elmwood Ave, Peoria, IL 61606
Peoria, IL 61606

Parking available in the Main Street and Duryea parking decks.

Training 8:30am - 4:30pm
Breakfast and Check-in - 7:45am
Lunch - 12pm-1pm

The training, meals, drinks, and afternoon snacks are FREE.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email - gmckenna@peoriaroe.org or phone (309) 672-6906.
Educator of the Month - November

The Peoria ROE 48 Spotlight Educator for November is Michelle Henderson from Peoria Public Schools! The community member that nominated Shelly stated that, “Mrs. Henderson has the exact right balance of nurturing vs. high expectations. She’s had one of my children in the past and has one now. She sees children’s potential and helps them to gain confidence to work hard to reach it. She’s kind, empathic, hard working, fun, and incredibly skilled. She currently has my daughter who has a regimented med schedule (along with other children with a variety of other needs) and she is always on top of it. She goes above and beyond to be sure her children are set up for success. She makes parents feel like part of a team and empowers us to empower our children. I can’t speak highly enough about Mrs. Henderson."

When asked about what it means to be an educator, Mrs. Henderson replied "As an educator I’m a role model and an influence in my students’ lives. My goal is to ensure that all of my students are engaged in each lesson and they are working to the best of their abilities through a variety of learning styles. Education should be an equal opportunity for everyone to succeed. As an educator, I want to provide a safe haven and a positive, happy, and warming environment for my students to thrive no matter what background they come from. I also strive to have a partnership with families, and to always keep the lines of communication open. Being an educator is being a lifelong learner." Congratulations, Shelly!!
Educator of the Month - October

The @PeoriaROE48 Spotlight Educator for October is Tom Olson from @DunlapSchools!
The community member that nominated Tom stated that he, "is an exceptional educator who goes above and beyond for his students and his colleagues." When asked about what it means to be an educator, Tom replied "Being an educator is a fulfilling and influential vocation as it offers the chance to mold the futures of our students. I'm fortunate to work with a wonderful mathematics department and also have the support of our building's amazing administrative team. It's because of them I enjoy going to school now just as much as I did when I was a young child. I hope to continue to pass on the transformative power of learning to all who enter my classroom."
Congratulations, Tom!!
Have a Great Dinner and Support a Great Cause - November 16
Click on the image above to download a PDF of the flyer.
Professional Learning
STEM, Technology, & Innovation Event

Date: December 1, 2023
Time: 9:00am-2:00pm
Location: Five Points, Washington
Cost: Free

Meet with the Teq team and other vendors to get hands-on product experience. (3D Printers, VR Equipment, Robotics, Interactive Flat Panels, and more!)

Breakfast and lunch are included as well!
Online Book Study: Racial Healing Handbook

Runs Dec 4 - January 29
Location: Online
Cost: $30
Earn 12 PDHs

This online book study will provide participants with the opportunities to further develop “racial consciousness and conscientiousness” and heal from guilt, shame, trauma, and anxiety that racism and discrimination breeds.
Online Book Study: These Kids are Out of Control

Runs Dec 4 - January 29
Location: Online
Cost: $30
Earn 12 PDHs

This online book study will assist in our understandings of research and theory about successful and effective classroom management practices to help support the needs of students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12.

Webinar: Financial Literacy Curriculum

Date: January 11, 2024
Time: 4:30pm-5:30pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free
Earn 1 PDH

Busey Bank has created a Financial Pathways curriculum free for educators that has the goal of building students financial literacy.
Youth Mental Health
First Aid

Date: February 13, 2024
Time: 8:30am-2:30pm
Location: Goodwill Commons
Cost: Free
Earn 6.5 PDHs

The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.
Online Book Study: Whole-Brain Child

Runs from Feb 5 - May 10
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Earn 12 PDHs

This online book study offers engagement activities and reflective/written work to learn 12 revolutionary strategies to nurture your child's and/or student's developing mind.
Community Partners
so you don't miss anything from ROE 48!