From the Desk of the Superintendent | | |
Social Emotional Learning | |
H.E.A.R.T. Summit and 2024 State SEL Conference
Focus on Supporting Educator Wellness | |
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What symbol is most often associated with the month of February? Well, the heart, of course! And with the hearts of students, staff, and community members at the very core of every social emotional learning opportunity offered by the Area 2 SEL Hub, they chose H.E.A.R.T. Summit as the name of their biggest virtual conference to date.
The acronym stands for Healing Educators and Responding to Trauma, and the February 1st full day of learning for area professionals featured keynote speaker Mandy Froehlich, Divergent EDU CEO and author, with endnote by Carla Philibert, founder of Mindful Practices and creator of Class Catalyst. Additional presenters included regional favorites Dr. Heather Baker, Dr. Devon LaRosa, Jason Smith, Dr. Mandolen Mull, and Kevin Polky. Dr. Eboni Rucker, a national presenter with Mindful Practices, spoke eloquently on restorative self care and resilience.
|  | With approximately 75 educational staff from Illinois Area 2 attending, the day, focused entirely on educators and school leaders, received awesome feedback on the keynote, endnote, and breakout speakers. Thanks to all who attended! | |  |
Just three weeks following the H.E.A.R.T. Summit, the Illinois State Board of Education and its Social Emotional Learning Hubs sponsored the 2024 State SEL Conference in Springfield. With registration SOLD OUT three full months prior to the date of the event, almost 500 participants were lucky enough to score a spot on February 20th. | SEL teams, Hub staffers, and State SEL leaders and administrators were among those who were eager to learn from leading national SEL presenters. Included in that list were the Area 2 SEL Hub team of Nichole Ambrosia of ROE 8, Mimi Ojaghi of ROE 16 in DeKalb, Sara Koziol from RIROE, Hannah Reade from ROE 35, as well as Jen Kaiser, Carrie Brockway, and Hub Director Allison Pierson - all from ROE 4. | Headliners were Carla Philibert, Founder of Mindful Practices, and Michael Bonner, CEO of Bonnerville, which "promotes the value of self-care and a highly respected team member at the famed Ron Clark Academy" per state marketing. Another impressive draw for the event was educator-favorite Gerry Brooks, principal and accomplished speaker, known to encourage, motivate, and inspire teachers live and on his popular YouTube channel. Mr. Brooks (pictured above) is also the keynote for our upcoming 2024 SEL Symposium to be held at Rockford's Embassy Suites on June 12th - mark your calendars! | We are over the moon that ISBE and the Hub Directors are still beaming with pride at the success of their first conference. | |
Prize Winners from H.E.A.R.T. Summit | |
ROE 4 Presents at Harlem SEL SIP Day | |
Area 2 SEL Hub Specialist Jen Kaiser (above) presented on Mindfulness in the Classroom for Harlem District 122 staff during their recent SEL SIP Day. Always active and on the move during workshops, Jen presented four sessions to her educator-learners throughout the event. Her lesson techniques and strategies are always offered with an invitation to participate, never a requirement. In addition to her mindfulness content and full body and breathing check-ins, random SEL prizes and books were gifted to attendees during class. | |
With full classes of 24+ in each breakout session, Linda DeYounge (above), ROE 4 PL Facilitator, taught painting class to Harlem staff members. Designed as a beginner workshop that allows educators a calm activity to self-regulate and decompress, participants had fun painting a small rustic barn and tree scene. We like to call her SEL session: "Keep Calm and Paint On!" | |
Kinnikinnick SD Trains on Restorative Practices | |
Kinnikinnick School District invited Area 2 SEL Hub Specialist Jennifer Kaiser to a recent all-staff training day. The full house came ready to learn and had an amazing Restorative Practices training session with Jen. As always, we appreciate Superintendent Keli Freedlund and her amazing crew for their great attitude and willingness to fully engage in new content and strategies. Way to Go, Kinn CCSD #131! | |
Call for Proposals and Registration are Now Open | |
Summit Academy Staff Chosen for
Those Who Excel & Teacher of the Year Awards | |
Congratulations to Summit Academy's Nicole Corbett, Dwight Williams, and Amanda Hathaway on their recent Illinois State Board of Education recognition! We are so proud of the dedication the staff and administrators have for the Summit school community. Thank you for your continued excellence each and every day in support of our students! | |
Summit Academy Student Named Finalist for the
2024 ICEARY Outstanding Student Award | |
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When Summit Academy Executive Director Nicole Corbett receives an official letter from a prominent statewide organization that begins, "I am happy to inform you..." you can bet the farm that she's excited and grateful for whatever good news she is about to read. That is exactly what happened recently when she received news from Illinois Coalition on Educating At-Risk Youth (ICEARY) that a Summit student had been selected as a finalist for the 2024 Outstanding Student Award.
And, to sweeten the news just a tad more (and by tad we mean a semi-truck-full-of-sugar type of sweet), that student is one of the school's amazing success stories. Jaiden Lovelace has gone from entering Summit over a year ago for credit recovery to recently being hired as the academy's very first intern following completion of high school at the age of 17. Wow!
In ICEARY's notification to Ms. Corbett, they stated they had received great nominations, making selection of the finalists a very difficult decision. They were delighted to share that Jaiden is one of the top 5 students chosen.
As a nominee, he has the potential to be the overall winner and is invited, along with two guests, to attend a special lunch at the March ICEARY Conference at Illinois State University. The finalists and their guests will be seated at reserved tables. During the awards, the nominating individual and the finalists themselves will have the opportunity to say a few words, followed by the announcement of the winner of the 2024 Outstanding Student Award.
Congratulations to Jaiden Lovelace on this amazing acknowledgement!
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Meet Jaiden Lovelace: Summit Academy Intern | |
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Jaiden Lovelace, 17, was recently hired as an intern at Summit Academy. I recently sat down and spoke with him in the Eagles Nest area at the Machesney Park campus. ROE 4 and Summit are proud to have Jaiden share his journey...in his own words.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your story?
Jaiden: I used to hang out with the wrong crowd, had no mentors, and didn't feel supported. I eventually got “kicked out” of high school. At that time, I was in credit recovery mode. Because I was so far behind, I didn't think I would be able to catch up. Covid happened, and I had too much time just sitting around at home with nothing to do. Covid really messed up everything.
When I first came to Summit, I thought it would be different. To be honest, I hated it. It was different for me because the staff at Summit made me face my problems. In the past, if there were issues in school, you were just punished. The only reason you would correct your behavior would be to keep from being punished. At Summit, any challenges were faced in a restorative way, talking it through and finding if there was a way to work through the problem or to diffuse my triggers. Summit was all about instilling leadership and making changes for the future.
Q: Have you had any setbacks along the way?
J: I’ve had no major trouble at Summit. I believe that's because of the great teachers and staff and being allowed to talk through things. A few of the Summit staff who really affected my change in thinking were Mr. Dooley, Miss Megan (Watt), and Angel Santos. They made an effort to show they cared about me and that they meant well with their advice and instruction. (Jaiden felt those mentors kept trying even when he thought he would give up on himself.) Jaiden went on to say, “They had faith in me, and that made me come to see why and to have faith in myself too.”
Q: Walk me through your time as a student at Summit.
J: First, I was “Blue” (Summit’s entry phase of the leveling system of student trust and privileges) when I started at Summit. I first had Mr. Dooley for class, and then I had Mr. DeYounge. That made a difference and really helped. The school was strict about having a certain number of minutes of focused school work every single day. Right away, they instilled a true push toward school work and they were really ACADEMIC compared to what I was used to at my previous high schools (in Rockford and the suburbs). Over time, this habit became easy after finding ways to get into that routine. There were times I would have 20 minutes or more on top of the required school work each day just on my own.
Q: Was there an "ah-ha" moment you can recall at Summit?
J: There was no “ah-ha” moment for me. The ideals at Summit became second nature to me gradually. I actually didn't realize until summer that if I had really listened to my mentors and buckled down earlier I could have finished my school work even sooner than I did, but I guess I needed to realize that on my own.
I completed my high school requirements in December at Summit for my home school. Prior to coming to Summit, I was really behind. I needed lots of credits to graduate. Once I caught up as many credits as I could during the school year at Summit, I went to summer school. That allowed me to be able to finish the rest of my credit recovery by the end of the first semester this year. By that time, I had moved up in the leveling system and was a student ambassador, leading school tours for visitors and the public as they wanted to see Summit from a student’s perspective. (Those visitors included State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tony Sanders and Illinois Republican Minority Leader Tony McCombie.)
Q: What are your plans for the future?
J: I've already been accepted to the College of DuPage for auto mechanics. Before Summit, all I wanted to do was graduate and had no plans after high school. I worked for a local family friend doing auto repair for a while, and I really enjoy it. So, I’m excited to go into auto mechanics.
Q: What does your Summit internship look like?
J: I said yes to Miss Megan (Watt), who really was all about me mentoring other kids. I was close to graduation when Miss Megan brought up the (internship) idea. I'll mentor other kids at Summit for a semester and just try to be supportive however I can and show them you CAN be successful here. Then, I'll go to the College of DuPage.
Q: What are you most excited for during your internship?
J: So far, I'm shadowing Dwight (Williams) and Mr. Dooley in MTSS and acting as a middle school mentor. I am in on some of the calls and the staff circles (huddles). I'm surprised about everything that has happened. I didn't see things turning out well. I hope I can still do some mentoring (from a distance) at college. I had NO plans to go to college before I came to Summit.
Q: What's your best advice to other students here?
J: Trust the process and have an open mind to going through the process. Miss Megan always stressed that your network is your net worth and you'll get more opportunities because of this.
Jaiden currently lives at home and has two sisters. We're sure his family is incredibly proud of him, as are his Summit Academy and ROE 4 Family. Well done, Jaiden! You are an exceptional young man.
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Summit Academy Introduces New Staff | |
School Improvement February Spotlight | |
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For the month of February, we're thrilled to spotlight Chris Collins, Director for School Improvement, who has recently been recognized as a Working Genius Certified Facilitator. This prestigious certification underscores his exceptional ability to harness the Working Genius model, a powerful tool designed to enhance productivity and collaboration within teams by identifying and leveraging individual strengths.
His expertise in the Working Genius model can significantly transform how teams operate, making work more fulfilling and efficient. By understanding individual geniuses, Chris can help teams clarify their work preferences, improve communication, and make strategic adjustments to roles and responsibilities, ensuring that everyone's talents are utilized to their fullest potential.
We strongly encourage anyone looking to elevate their team's performance and workplace satisfaction to reach out to Chris. His certification is not just a testament to his dedication to professional development but also a valuable resource for anyone aiming to create a more innovative, strategic, and effective work environment.
Please reach out to Chris Collins via email or call the Regional Office at 815.636.3060 and ask for Mr. Collins - he'd love to speak with you further about customized school improvement training!
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Women in Leadership: February Meeting | |
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The February 8th Women in Leadership meeting was attended by approximately 70 women leaders and aspiring women leaders. The featured speaker was Tovi Scruggs-Hussein, highlighting her work from Brene Brown's Dare to Lead and Call to Courage ideology.
Tovi started the lunchtime virtual session with a three-minute intention setter of personal picture journaling. With this, she asked participants to write their call to courage for the school year, allowing creativity but also setting personal boundaries on what everyone is comfortable sharing.
On the idea of boundaries, she shared that “when you know it should be a 'no' but you say 'yes', it is labeled a 'dirty yes'. She advised individuals to stick to personal boundaries and to not be persuaded with prior conditioning as women to do everything for everyone or be everything to everyone.
She suggested having a total mind shift in that boundaries do not have to be aggressive. Boundaries are like making a circle around what is sacred to you. Setting boundaries can feel gentle, allowing others to know what is okay and what is NOT okay and then offer alternatives. This is a way to cultivate a wellness space for yourself.
Thanks to Ms. Scruggs-Hussein for her time, as well as the time of everyone who attended!
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Co-Teaching Collaborative and Engagement Reset
Series Training Offered | |
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Carrie Brockway, Professional Learning Director, and her PL Team recently held an informational session to provide administrators and teachers with an overview of both the Co-Teaching Collaborative and Engagement Reset professional learning series. Both impactful programs offer high-quality professional learning experiences for participating staff, robust coaching for participants, and the opportunity to have supported action research in order to apply what is learned for those lucky enough to land a spot in the limited capacity offerings.
With the Co-Teaching Collaborative, participants learn how to leverage best practices in co-taught classrooms and to make co-teaching an even better experience for both co-teaching pairs and students. The Co-Teaching Collaborative provides administrators and both general and special educators with research-based best practices to meet the varied needs of students in co-taught classrooms. As new teaching pairs form in anticipation of the start of the FY25 school year, co-teach training will move into overdrive over the summer. With training for administrators, as well as pairs of co-teachers, this next year can change your school(s)...one co-teaching pair at a time!
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During ROE 4's Engagement Reset, the yearlong professional learning series will focus on how to re-engage middle and high school students. With apathy on the rise, and lack of ownership over one's own learning becoming increasingly problematic, Engagement Reset has been constructed to answer this call. Designed with the unique needs of middle and high schools in mind, Engagement Reset will help partners explore ways to ensure that students opt-IN to all learning opportunities presented in the classroom. Educators across the country are competing with devices for students' attention, and these professional learning sessions, coupled with walkthrough engagement data collection and department and team coaching sessions, will surely help hit the "reset" button on student learning in your building or district!
If your school, district, or team is interested in more information or if you'd like to be added to the Co-Teach Collaborative or Engagement Reset training list, contact Mrs. Brockway at cbrockway@roe4.org ASAP.
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ROE 4 Professional Learning Director Carrie Brockway and Literacy Specialists Dr. Kim Wagner and Dr. Danielle Klein of Rockford University continue to roll out one- and two-day literacy workshops. With the busy spring break season and end of school year commitments on the calendar, summer session dates will be released soon, with registration for those courses going live starting in March.
The Literacy Pathway, designed by the Literacy Collective of Illinois, is jam-packed with grade band-specific classes that align directly with ISBE's Comprehensive Illinois Literacy Plan. With dozens of workshops available, there is content to cover all teaching and leadership needs.
The Professional Learning Department at ROE 4 offers an extensive literacy catalog, which is available on the course registration platform on the Regional Office website. We can't wait for you to join us this summer!
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Regional Office Teams Collaborate on Event Planning | |
The ROE 4 Professional Learning, SEL, and Marketing teams joined together to tour the beautiful Embassy Suites Rockford Riverfront in February. With the Regional Office making an effort to utilize local venues for large events, following the visit, the downtown hotel and conference center was selected to host the 2024 SEL Symposium this summer. The large conference is scheduled for June 12th, and our fingers remain firmly crossed that the weather will be spectacular and the beauty of downtown Rockford and the Rock River can be enjoyed by all who attend. Thanks to Embassy Suites for their assistance! | |
ROE 4 Central Office Updates | |
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Director of Licensure and Professional Services Leah Blake is pictured with balloons (along with a delicious fruit tray from Edible Arrangements), recognition for her continued assistance to our educational community. The gifts were sent from a recent Regional Office customer, thanking Ms. Blake for going above and beyond in her duties at Boone Winnebago Roe 4. We are proud of Leah for her attention to each an every customer who utilizes the services at our office. We really do have the best customers ever. Thanks to our regional communities!
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New Office Newsletter for ROE 4 | |
Thanks to Marketing Specialist Hannah Bailey, the Regional Office and Summit staff are now enjoying a fun intra-office newsletter each month. Shout out to Hannah for bringing an added personal touch to the ROE 4 work family! | |
2024 Regional Spelling Bee Set for March 6th | |
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The Regional Spelling Bee is having a birthday! The 2024 Bee is set to mark its 40th year in Boone and Winnebago Counties. This year will feature 27 of the areas best spellers.
Schools who enrolled their building spelling competition on spellingbee.com are eligible to send their winning speller on to the regional stage. The Regional Bee is scheduled for Wednesday, March 6th and will once again be held in the Harlem High School Auditorium.
The community, family, and friends are all encouraged to come out to support these young scholars next Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.
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We'd like to also spotlight Madelynn Glenn this month, our front desk coordinator, who does an amazing job keeping all of our departments well connected with our customers! Thank you for all you do for the Regional Office, Madelynn! | |
Join Us for the Quarterly Nurse Network April 3rd | |
Regional Attendance Success Stories | |
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As an attendance interventionist, we often must seek out the small wins, as those small wins are usually enormous for students and their families.
I have one student who has been to school every day, on time, for the last EIGHT days in a row. This is the first time that has happened all year!
I also have another student who all year has typically gone to school only one or two days a week, or not at all. Since changing her bus stop, she has been to school 18 out of 21 days. The days she missed were because the pipes burst at her home and because her baby brother was in the hospital.
Also, I just received an email from a social worker about a conversation she had with a parent whose family is dealing with homelessness and domestic abuse. The parent shared with the social worker how much she appreciates all I have been doing to help her.
It takes a village!
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Stay tuned for big stories from At-Risk Student Services in our March newsletter. The Illinois Coalition for Educating At-Risk Youth (ICEARY) Conference takes place next month, and our ARSS Team always sends out those amazing ripples during that event. We can't wait to hear all about it! | |
- Tiffany Johnson: Special Ed Paraprofessional
- Jeremy Lichtfuss: Facilitative Teacher
- Jaiden Lovelace: Intern
- Brooke Michowski: Building Substitute
- Jermaine Robinson: Special Ed Paraprofessional
- Dena Thorsen: Special Ed Paraprofessional
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Next Human Resources Advisory Council Scheduled for 3/12
The HR Advisory Council is a resource on current issues, trends, and topics related to human resources. It also acts as an opportunity to collaborate as education professionals in order to ensure we all have the latest tools and information necessary to support our employees.
The Febuary HR Advisory meeting welcomed featured speaker Attorney Sara Boucek, winner of the first Shelli Anderson Award and a partner at the law offices of Kriha Boucek. Ms. Boucek is a great resource for our continued HR questions and touched on multiple topics during the February meeting. Those included Life in Human Resources After Covid-19 or the "Pandemic After the Pandemic", chronic absenteeism, social emotional status, new hiring issues, labor bargaining and negotiating tips, and finance.
The next advisory meeting will be held from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on March 12th. Guest speaker will be Ben Sondgeroth of LTC with an "AI Tools for the HR Department" workshop. We recommend participants attend in-person as this will be a hands-on session.
EVERYONE is welcome to attend. Simply navigate to this link and fill out the Google registration form by clicking the orange REGISTER button. We offer both in-person (at Boone-Winnebago ROE 4, 300 Heart Blvd, Loves Park, IL 61111) and virtual attendance. Register to be included and to receive the appropriate Zoom link. This event is open to HR staff members across all of Illinois and meets the second Tuesday of each month.
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Several Positions Open at Summit Academy | |
Summit Academy is currently hiring for the following positions.
We hope you'll consider joining our awesome Team! | |
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Careers 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. Plus, stay tuned as the Regional Office and Summit Academy will soon be posting open positions at both locations on their very own CAREERS page on the www.roe4.org and www.saeagles.org websites!
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Learning Technology Center of Illinois ROE 4 #TechTip
Hey, Friends! Join LTC for "Improve Parent Communication by Sharing Your Google Classroom Calendar" during the latest #TechTip share. It's an awesome way to spend five minutes of your day!
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Quote of the Month:
“Just be yourself, there is no one better.”
~ Taylor Swift ~
American singer-songwriter
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300 Heart Boulevard, Loves Park, IL 61111 • (815) 636-3060
www.roe4.org
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