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Rural school leadership comes with a distinct set of rewards — and a distinct set of challenges. Finding peers who truly understand both has never been easy.
This year, IASA is expanding Reimagining Rural Leadership professional learning community into four regional cohorts across Illinois — bringing together rural superintendents, principals and central office staff from the same part of the state to connect, learn, and grow together.
A New Regional Format — Four Cohorts, Four Facilitators
Each cohort is organized around a quadrant of Illinois and led by an experienced facilitator who knows rural education and will guide meaningful conversations, encourage collaboration, and help participants turn ideas into action back home.
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South Region — Dr. Lori James-Gross, retired superintendent, Unity Point SD #140 and Murphysboro CUSD #186
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South-Central Region — Dr. Scott Doerr, Superintendent, Nokomis CUSD #22
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North-Central Region — Dr. Ryan McGuckin, Superintendent, Pontiac Twp HSD #90
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Northwest Region — Dr. Terri VandeWiele, Superintendent, Silvis SD #34
Free to Participate — PD Hours Awarded | Supported by Sponsors
This year, participation is free. The Reimagining Rural Leadership initiative is made possible through the generous support of GRP Wegman and OPAA! Food Management Inc., who are sponsoring the entire program. Individual regional cohorts will also be supported by their own local sponsors. PD hours will be awarded for each session attended.
In-Person Sessions Across Your Region
Each session is hosted in person at a different location within your region — an intentional choice that puts participants inside rural schools and communities, sparking ideas and connections that virtual learning simply can't replicate.
What You'll Experience
Across these sessions, participants will:
- Build meaningful connections with rural leaders from across their region
- Engage with innovative voices from education organizations and districts who bring fresh ideas and real-world perspectives
- Explore innovative schools through immersive site visits
- Examine current education trends and research and consider their application in rural settings
- Share successes, challenges, and solutions with peers who truly understand the rural school experience
Your region. Your facilitator. Your schedule.
It's all in the PDF below — click to find your cohort and see your session dates. Once you've reviewed the dates, register for your quadrant.
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