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Earlier this month, members of our team attended the National School Dropout Prevention Conference. October is recognized as National Dropout Prevention Month, and we were fortunate to glean some knowledge from the impactful presentations we witnessed, including from right here in Kane County. Dr. Cretia Kirkwood, an administrator at the Independence Center for Early Learning in District U-46, was among the presenters and spoke on the role of early childhood education in building a strong foundation for future academic success.
Along with this month-long time of awareness, this week is also dedicated to recognizing two important groups. The Illinois Principals Association celebrates Principal Appreciation Week from October 20-26. We would like to send our gratitude to all administrators across Kane County and throughout Illinois, including our own Mr. Spalis, Principal at the Juvenile Justice Center.
National School Bus Safety Week is also observed October 21-25, and the drivers that allow our districts to operate each day deserve a heartfelt "thank you". The Kane County ROE is proud to be a partner in training new drivers to safely transport our students!
We appreciate all of your leadership and services to our students, colleagues, and communities.
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Patricia Dal Santo, Regional Superintendent | |
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If you are interested in serving educators and students in Kane County with our team, we have multiple open positions.
Interim Director of Finance
This role will oversee bank accounts, investments, deposits, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, general ledger transactions, and various financial reporting under the direction of the Regional Superintendent. This person will also work with the County as Payroll Coordinator and execute bi-weekly PR processes from start to finish.
This position will start January 2, 2025 for a minimum of six months.
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Youth Outreach
This role will will work within our Alternative Programs to meet with school representatives, students, and families regarding attendance issues, conduct school conferences and meetings regarding potential dropouts, develop and monitor individual service plans for students on active caseload, and other duties.
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Educator Licensure Specialist
This position will work with guests and school districts on licensure inquiries, provide training to educators on the use of the Educator Licensure Information System, communicate with ISBE and local school districts on any updates and changes to licensure requirements, and other duties.
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We have passed the halfway mark of the 2024 Kane County Student Photography Contest, and we have collected over 1,000 submissions! Each week, we look forward to combing through the creativity that is evident in the work our high school students produce. As we move into the second half of the competition, we are elated to see what you come up with next. | |
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Week 4's theme, Nostalgia, had students take a trip down memory lane. The overall winning photo was "Alchemy" by Hayden Kropp, a junior at St. Charles East High School in District 303!
The rest of the top 10 selections from Week 4 are as follows:
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Michael Frederick, West Aurora HS (District 129) - "Adventure Waits"
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Willow Houck, Geneva HS (Geneva 304) - "Soapy Sky"
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Adrian Lamadrid, South Elgin HS (District U-46) - "For Sale"
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Lyla Dorman, Batavia HS (District 101) - "Outerwear Then and Now"
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Collin Renteria, Aurora Central Catholic HS - "Station"
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Martine Mika, St. Charles North HS (District 303) - "Childhood Toy"
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Marco Youash, Jacobs HS (District 300) - "Nostalgia"
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Julia Calzante, Bartlett HS (District U-46) - "Cameras Through the Years"
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Emad Ansari, Streamwood HS (District U-46) - "Henry the Cricket"
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Last week, students took thrilling photos that perfectly embody the theme: Action and Adventure. The overall winning photo for Week 5 was "Le'go Hiking" by Mason Whitt, a junior from Batavia High School in District 101!
The rest of the top 10 selections from Week 5 are as follows:
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Charles Dee, Marmion Academy - "To the Sunset"
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Camden Karloski, Cambridge Lakes Charter School - "Where Do We Go"
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Leo Perez, Streamwood HS (District U-46) - "Looking Out"
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Adrian Dominguez, Bartlett HS (District U-46) - "Japan Meji Shrine"
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Aiden Perez, St. Charles North HS (District 303) - "Take Off"
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Zach Murphy, West Aurora HS (District 129) - "Action"
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Kaitlyn Zito, Hampshire HS (District 300) - "Don't Look Down"
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Joey Deferville, Jacobs HS (District 300) - "Fred the Engineer"
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Kenna Kraus, South Elgin HS (District U-46) - "Go Skate Day"
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Visit our website to view all the winning photographs so far, and stay tuned for Week 6 results to be posted later this week! | |
Interested in signing your high school class up for our Student Photography Contest? It's not too late! Reach out to our Communications and Website Coordinator, Kourtney Lipps (klipps@kaneroe.org) to get started. |
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The deadline for early-rate enrollment for the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee competition is Thursday, October 31!
As the Bee celebrates its 100th year, the Kane County ROE is proud to once again be a regional partner. For a century, the Bee has inspired a love of learning for children, and your students can be a part of this milestone event!
Once a school is registered, you will receive all materials needed to organize classroom and school-wide spelling bees. Click below to learn more, begin the enrollment process, and find out if the next champion could 'bee' in your classroom!
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The 2025 Kane County Institute Day is set for Friday, February 28 at the Q Center in St. Charles, and we need your expertise. The window for school staff to submit presentations is now open!
Do you have a topic that is relevant to current educational trends, research, or best practices? We are looking for presenters to lead breakout sessions that will provide educators with the latest, research-based information and/or strategies that can be used to improve or enhance instruction and student achievement.
The deadline for proposals is Monday, December 2. You can find submission guidelines and submit your idea below.
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October is full of celebrations and recognitions, but did you know it's also Cybersecurity Awareness Month? This is a great time to check your online safety precautions.
In the latest Tuesday Tech Tip, Phil Morris shares useful advice from cisa.gov for ensuring you and your loved ones are safely browsing and posting online.
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The Illinois Online Academy has expanded its catalog of fully online courses.
These offerings can be completed online within 60 days.
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Google Keep, Forms, Google Arts & Culture, Google Search & Extensions for Education
PD Credit: 6
Cost: $40
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Understanding & Implementing Common Core
Standards
PD Credit: 45
Cost: $200
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See our full list of courses here.
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Resilience-Supportive Schools Illinois (RSSI) is a statewide collaborative with Regional Offices of Education to provide free and voluntary support for schools in order to assess and improve current policies, procedures, and practices through a data-informed approach to address the health and wellness of your students.
Schools can benefit from an intensive focus on mental health supports or SEL, while others may benefit from incorporating more trauma-responsive interventions or culturally responsive, anti-racist and equitable practices into their school community.
All participating schools will be given a free digital school-specific snapshot based on the survey results and other publicly available data, including the 5 Essentials Survey. The Kane County Regional Office of Education can assist schools in implementing a needs assessment and an action plan based on this digital snapshot.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Katie Algrim, Director of Innovative Professional Learning, at kalgrim@kaneroe.org.
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Looking for inspiration to help students with feedback and articulating their thoughts? The latest episodes of Branching Out are for you! | |
Constructive criticism is an important part in the learning process. The Shine, Refine, Align strategy offers three simple ways for students to give and receive positive and honest feedback! | |
This strategy has students write down independent thoughts, combine them, and compare with peers to see what each student took from a given lesson. This offers a unique way for them to not only collaborate, but also connect and retain content! | |
New episodes of Branching Out are released every Thursday across our social media platforms and our website. You can also browse our full catalog below. With over 100 episodes and counting, there's a video for every educator looking to branch out! | |
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Early bird registration has come to a close for the 2024 Raising Student Achievement Conference, but there is still time to secure your spot!
Join us in Oak Brook on December 9 and 10 for two days of innovative breakout sessions, state-wide networking, inspirational speakers, and more! RSAC offers educators across Illinois a wonderful professional learning opportunity to reflect, gather inspiration, and come away with practical strategies to implement in the classroom.
Among this year's keynote speakers is Dr. Todd Whitaker, who will present on Monday, December 9. Dr. Whitaker has been able to blend his passion with his career, and is recognized as a leading presenter in the field of education. His message about the importance of teaching has resonated with hundreds of thousands of educators around the world. He has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals.
Registration for #RSAC24 closes on November 20. As always, you can visit rsac.iarss.org to see our full list of speakers and schedule. We hope to see you there!
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