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Interviews for Educator of the Year 2018 Begin
Over the next several weeks, staff from the ROE will be traveling throughout Kane County to interview the nominees for Educator of the Year. This year's pool of 41 nominees contains representatives from all 9 school districts in Kane County. Make sure to follow the ROE on social media for behind the scene looks at the interviews and profiles on each of the nominees.

Mark your calendar for the big night on May 4th, 2018 at the Q Center in St. Charles! Tickets for Educator of the Year can be purchased by contacting your local school district office and go on sale March 30th.
Pranav Kollu is the Winner of the Kane County Spelling Bee
Giving the proper spelling to "dégagé", an adjective defined as free of constraint or relaxed, is how Pranav Kollu, a Cambridge Lakes Charter School student from District 300, secured his victory at the Spelling Bee.

As the winner of the Kane County Spelling Bee, Pranav and his family will be sponsored by the Dunham Fund and the Kane Excellence in Education Partnership, and will be flown to Washington DC to compete in the National Spelling Bee on May 27 - June 1. The ROE is appreciative of the generosity of all the sponsors for this event.

The Progress Report: Orthography
Who doesn't remember taking a spelling test in elementary school? But what if there are other ways to better help students grow their vocabularies and development as a speller? This week's Progress Report is about taking risks to try new techniques that empower students with the skills to find information themselves as they become lifelong learners!

The Progress Report is a collaborative discussion space for professional learning. Each post is written by Katie Algrim, the ROE's Director of Innovative Professional Learning. If there are any topics that you would like to see a post on,  please contact Katie Algrim.

Illinois Online Academy: Teaching in a Blended Learning Model
Illinois Online Academy has added a new online course called "Teaching in a Blended Learning Model". The course is designed for teachers who are new to blended learning or school leaders ready to embark on this new adventure.The course focuses on expanding skills by demonstrating specific strategies to optimize instructions.

This 60 day online course can be done at your own pace. The cost to register is $195 and you will receive 30 PD hours.

Scholarship Opportunity For Students Through KEEP
The Kane Excellence in Education Partnership (KEEP) is currently accepting applications for it's Homeless/Unaccompanied Youth Scholarship ($500-$1,000). This scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior who is a homeless or unaccompanied youth entering a post-secondary education program. 

Applications for the scholarship are due May 1st, 2018 and the recipient of the scholarship will be decided by June 1st, 2018. The application form can be found on the KEEP website.
Be a Presenter at the Raising Student Achievement Conference
The Raising Student Achievement Conference will be in St. Charles this year on December 3-4, and breakout session proposals are currently being accepted. Presenting at a breakout session is the perfect opportunity to share your expertise with fellow educators.

Breakout sessions should support the conference theme of raising student achievement and reflect current educational trends, educational research, and best practices in education. Proposals are due by May 4.

Upcoming Workshops
Google For Educators
  Online Course
60 Days at Your Own Pace
Cost: $40
Assessment Tools
 Online Course
60 Days At Your Own Pace 
Cost: $40
Gathering Evidence During Observations & Conferencing
  Date: April 12th, 8:00am - 4:00pm
Location: Kane County ROE 
Cost: $150
Teacher Evaluator Retraining:
Student Growth
  Date: April 19th, 8:00am - 4:00pm
Location: Kane County ROE 
Cost: $150