LM April 2026 - PUBLIC

Jason Grey Region: Kishwaukee | District: Riley CCSD #18 | Enrollment: 255

Dr. Chuck Lane Region: Kaskaskia | District: Centralia HSD #200 | Enrollment: 869

What made you decide to join the initial Reimagining Rural Leadership PLC? At Centralia High School, we’re always looking for ways to give our kids more opportunities without losing what makes our community special. The PLC really stood out because it was built for schools like ours. A lot of the conversations around education don’t always fit rural districts, but this one did. I also liked the idea of connecting with other administra tors across Illinois who are dealing with the same things— staffing, resources, and just trying to do more with less. It felt like a good opportunity to learn from others and see how they’re tying their work into things like EBF and College and Career Readiness. What’s one thing you took back to your district from the experience? One thing that really stuck with me was being more in tentional about how we talk about the work we’re already doing. At Centralia, we’ve put a big emphasis on dual credit and career pathways, and we’ve got a lot of students taking advantage of those opportunities. The PLC helped me think about how that connects directly to the CCR piece of the EBF model and, more importantly, how we communicate that to our board and community. It’s not just about offering the classes—it’s about making sure people understand the impact, whether that’s kids graduating with college credits, saving money, or having a clearer path after high school. What would you tell a rural educator who’s on the fence about joining? I’d tell them it’s worth it. Rural leadership can feel pretty iso lating at times, and this gives you a chance to connect with people who really get it. You pick up ideas you can actually use, not just theory. For me, it helped sharpen our focus at Centralia and better connect what we’re doing to bigger things like EBF and CCR. If you’re even thinking about it, I’d recommend going for it—you’ll get something out of it!

What made you decide to join the initial Reimagining Rural Leadership PLC? I joined the Reimagining Rural Leadership PLC because I believe strongly in the power of collaboration among rural leaders. We face unique challenges like staffing, resources, and isolation. This group gives us an opportunity to share solutions and learn from other rural leaders from around the state. What’s one thing you took back to your district from the experience? One thing I took away from the Cohort was learning about different ways and solutions other Rural School District’s from across Illinois are using to deal with staffing shortages and hard to fill positions. Those shared ideas have helped us in our own recruitment efforts. What would you tell a rural educator who’s on the fence about joining? The cohort is a great way to find real support from other leaders with similar issues. It is a great reminder that we are not alone as rural educators, and the cohort is a great way to make connections.

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LM April 2026