(Courtesy: District U-46) | | |
The new school year is off and running! It has been wonderful to see images of students coming off the bus for the first time, high fives as they enter their buildings, and greeting new teachers. The red carpet was literally rolled out in some cases, and deservedly so!
We have been fortunate to be part of some wonderful events over the past month. Our Assistant Regional Superintendent, Katie Algrim, joined me at the ribbon cutting for Hawk Hollow Middle School in Bartlett, as well as the 2025 Kickoff Event for West Aurora 129. We were able to make vital connections, and our excitement for the school year has only grown.
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The Regional Office of Education has also stayed busy throughout the summer, and we have more opportunities to share with you. New faces, student competitions, and professional learning offerings are all included below.
Every new school year holds promise, and we hope yours has begun with positive momentum. We are ready, as your partner, to help continue that momentum moving forward.
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John K. Jonak
Regional Superintendent
| | Kane County Student Photography Contest begins September 8 | | |
It's time to get those camera kits in gear!
Our annual Student Photography Contest is around the corner, celebrating the creative talents of high school students in Kane County. Each week, we will review all submissions and select 10 photos to be showcased on the ROE’s website, in newsletters, and through social media channels.
Week 1 submissions are due Monday, September 8, and the contest culminates with a celebratory reception on Tuesday, November 18 at 6:00 p.m.
Full details, including weekly themes, can be found at the linked flyer below.
Interested high school teachers can contact Kourtney Lipps (klipps@kaneroe.org) to participate.
| | A partner in school safety | | |
One of the most important tasks our staff carry out is working with educators to ensure safe learning environments for themselves and students. The way we plan for situations, what we look for in facilities, and how we prepare others is often at the forefront of our minds.
Earlier this month, our office hosted Regional Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, and other staff from ROEs across the state for two days of Health and Life Safety Inspector Training. Our team walked the group through the steps to ensure compliance with state-level safety standards, what to keep an eye out for in their own areas, and also took a school site visit in preparation for the first day of classes.
Our Director of Operations and Technology, Phil Morris, was also invited to Immanuel Lutheran School in Batavia to lead staff through reunification training drills, originally designed by the I Love U Guys Foundation. Participants reviewed the various roles of staff members and emergency responders in a crisis situation, as well as how to effectively reunify students with family members or guardians.
We appreciate you hosting us!
| | | | Juvenile Justice Center welcomes new leadership | Did you know the ROE runs the educational program at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center (JJC)? Thanks to an agreement with St. Charles 303 and the Chief Judge, certified instructors are able to provide daily, year-round instruction in math, science, english, and social studies. | | |
We are pleased that Dr. Marisa Christoffel will join us as the new principal of the educational program of the JJC beginning next month. Dr. Christoffel brings over 20 years of educational experience in Kane County, having worked in District U-46, Batavia 101, and West Aurora 129.
She joins us as our current principal, Ivars Spalis, prepares for retirement after more than two decades with the JJC. We are grateful for everything he has provided to students and staff throughout the years, and we are excited to see Dr. Christoffel continue this work.
| | Hiring: Operations & Technology Specialist | | The ROE is in search of an Operations & Technology Specialist to ensure that all technological and operational systems of the office meet the needs of both staff and those seeking services through the ROE. By maintaining and improving current systems as well as developing new systems that support our work, this position is a critical link to support those the ROE serves. | | New Administrator Academies added to the Illinois Online Academy | | Several Administrator Academies have been scheduled throughout the 2025-26 school year, and registration is now open! | | |
One of our newest virtual offerings focuses on learning to use step-by-step guidelines, known as "protocols", to structure professional conversations or learning experiences and ensure that meeting, planning, or group collaboration time is used efficiently, purposefully, and productively.
In this academy, participants will learn:
- The value of and types of protocols, along with how to design various protocols for different types of professional learning conversations
- How to apply specific protocols for groups examining: a teacher's lesson or unit plans; students' work to address the learning and teaching; and a particular, concrete problem or issue from his/her classroom/professional life
- How to apply the use of protocols in planning a meeting with a group
| | Evaluator Academies still open for September | |
We are also offering four Evaluator Academies this September, with three online options (AA#3000, AA#2001, and AA#1801) and one hosted at the ROE (AA#4050).
Click below to browse those and more options.
| | | Below is a sampling of two new asynchronous, on-demand courses from the Illinois Online Academy that can be completed within 60 days. | | |
Every Day Counts:
Understanding and Addressing Chronic Absenteeism
PD Credit: 8
Price: $50
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Shifting the Balance:
6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom (Grades 3-5)
PD Credit: 8
Price: $50
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Inspire yourself to start the school year! | |
Our monthly subscription box, Inspire, is a passion project for members our Professional Learning team. It's an opportunity for them to connect back to why they got into education and provide a unique professional learning experience.
What does it look like to bring Inspire to life? Our Professional Learning Supervisor, Jordan Eggleson, takes you through the process below.
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Inspire can be part of your staff's development for the 2025-26 school year, with new themes each month and activities that can be immediately used in your classroom. Our team is ready to package engaging activities and ship them directly to you!
Choose your own subscription type, send us your school address, and we'll do the rest. All you'll have to do is unbox and enjoy!
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Order by the end of August to receive our September box:
Healing-Centered Classrooms: Teaching with Trauma Awareness & Compassion
*Note: materials in your Inspire box can also guide you through activities
to earn PD credits
| | Joining us for #RSAC2025? | |
Early bird registration is now open for the 2025 Raising Student Achievement Conference, set for this December in Oak Brook, Ill. This two-day professional development experience will feature two engaging keynote speakers, over 150 breakout sessions, and opportunities to make connections, share ideas, and to come away with new strategies for your classroom or school.
As attendees put it: "there's something for everyone"!
| | Click for information regarding the conference schedule, hotel, speakers, and frequently asked questions. We hope to see you there! | | | | | |
