24340 AnnRept 2025 - FINAL v2

Executive Director’s Year in Review

Emily Warnecke stepped up when Madeline McCune left IASA to take the role of Director of Research and Appropriations in the Illinois House of Representatives. Emily advocated strongly and successfully for IASA members during the spring legislative session. We also welcomed graphic designer Brandon Turley to strengthen our communications efforts. Professional Learning Dr. Dawn Bridges, our Associate Director of Professional Learning, is finishing her first year with IASA and has made significant strides in expanding our professional learning opportunities for members. She led the launch of Super Region Workshops focused on embracing artificial intelligence to help prepare students for the future while equipping administrators with skills to streamline operations for themselves and their staff. IASA is introducing a new pathways concept to professional learning that will guide aspiring, early career and veteran superintendents throughout their journey, emphasizing continuous improvement with certification badges. We also launched new administrator academies on communications, AI and building ecosystems of support within school districts. Additionally, IASA continued its monthly webinar series on key topics including school safety, literacy and numeracy, providing valuable resources and connecting members with industry leaders. Sponsored Programs In addition to strengthening our internal capacity, IASA partnered with Schooldata.net to provide an alternative platform for school analytics and district dashboards. IASA also continued its efforts to provide another layer of safety through the Safe School ID program, a school vendor security system. Recognition IASA is honored to represent and support the extremely talented and dedicated members who lead Illinois schools every day. This excellence was highlighted when Dr. Sharon Kherat of Peoria SD #150 was named a finalist for National Superintendent of the Year after winning the 2025 Illinois Superintendent of the Year award. Thank you for your continued membership in IASA and your unwavering commitment to Illinois students. The energy and dedication you bring to this profession drive our work forward, and I’m excited to see what we’ll accomplish together in the year ahead.

As another fiscal year comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the steady progress we’ve made together in supporting Illinois schools. From the growing support for Vision 2030 across our state to the artificial intelligence workshops we’ve launched through our Super Regions, IASA has continued to evolve our services to meet the changing needs of school administrators.

This year has been marked by meaningful developments in advocacy, professional learning, and organizational growth. Our members have shown their commitment to systemic change, our staff has expanded to better serve districts across the state, and Illinois has once again earned national recognition for educational leadership. Here’s a closer look at the key developments from the past year. Illinois Vision 2030 The strength of collective action is clearly demonstrated in the overwhelming support for Vision 2030. Hundreds of Illinois school districts have adopted resolutions in support of this initiative, demonstrating the unified commitment of educators across our state to follow a blueprint for transformative change. This groundswell of support has already yielded early wins with the Illinois General Assembly around the key tenets of future-focused learning, shared accountability and predictable funding. The collective power of our organizational partners— IASB, IPA, IASBO, SCSDD, IARSS, AIRSS and IAASE—coming together is what makes Vision 2030 resonate with the Illinois General Assembly. We are especially grateful to The ECRA Group for their invaluable partnership in facilitating the comprehensive visioning process and creating the IllinoisVision2030.com website that serves as the foundation for our advocacy efforts. As we continue this important work, it remains critical for school administrators to stay unified and be strong advocates for the initiatives that will shape the future of Illinois education. We are still at the beginning of this journey, and sustained advocacy will be essential to fulfilling the promise of public education. Staff Changes and Enhanced Services Two Field Services Directors joined our team full-time on July 1: Dr. Brian Harris and Dr. Sheila Harrison-Williams, who have been instrumental in mentoring new and early career superintendents in the northeastern part of the state. IASA also continued targeted support to school districts through our Directors of Academic Empowerment, with Dr. Mable Alfred maintaining her role supporting districts and Dr. Denean Adams joining to help schools serving high percentages of underrepresented students in urban settings.

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Dr. Brent Clark IASA Executive Director

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