LM August 2023hi

Education Elevat g

Stachowiak ... cont’d. Palos SD #117, nearly 60 percent of students are low income and nearly 40 percent are English Learners. “It comes back to having an unbelievable staff that is hard working, believes in our mission and is deeply committed to doing everything they can to make sure our kids learn and get prepared for high school,” Dr. Stachowiak said. At North Palos SD #117, Dr. Stachowiak has been instrumental in developing highly regarded EL programming, fostering a robust co-teaching model and expanding the district’s mentoring program for new teachers. Technology is also emphasized. The district is 1:1 and has its technology director work directly with the teaching and learning department. Some other keys to success are that North Palos SD #117 invests heavily into professional development that is embedded into the district and emphasizes the use of data to make informed decisions. Individualized instruction, accelerated learning, intervention programs, enrichment activities and after-school programming that targets students needing extra help with reading and math is also paramount to the district’s educational mission and philosophy. “We are fortunate to work in a school district governed by a school board that supports our goals and is fully invested in the students in our community,” Dr. Stachowiak said. “Our team is continually looking for ways to improve, and the Board trusts the recommendations we bring to enhance the learning opportunities throughout the district.” With 13 years experience as superintendent, Dr. Stachowiak said she also believes in supporting her peers and sharing best practices. She and her leadership team have presented at education conferences and she has welcomed other superintendents to her district. “I believe education is the greatest equalizer and every student needs to have the same opportunity regardless of where they come from,” Dr. Stachowiak said. “I am happy to share ideas and strategies to help my peers expand supports and opportunities for students in their districts. What always happens is when people come here, we learn from them too.”

Schurman ... cont’d.

“We have been fortunate to renovate and enhance every square foot of our K–12 facilities. Our buildings are older, but they have been completely updated with new lighting, new electrical, new flooring, new technology infrastructure, and a new geothermal HVAC system, which enabled us to air condition 100 percent of our facility.” Schurman said. Attracting and retaining high quality teachers has also been a priority. A new Collective Bargaining Agreement struck this year raises the base salary of new teachers by $9,000. “You are not going to get the best teachers unless you can offer them a competitive salary out of college,” Schurman said. “We negotiated and eliminated salary schedules for teachers in exchange for higher salaries for our teaching staff. In three years, the starting salary for a new teacher will be $46,000 per year.” While enhancing facilities and the quality of education in Chadwick-Milledgeville CUSD #399, Schurman has maintained fiscal responsibility. The district’s fund balance was below $400,000 when he started in the district in 2005 and now stands above $6 million. “I am proud that our district has never had a deficit budget during my tenure, and yet we were able to continuously invest in our staff, facilities, technology, and in our students while still increasing our fund reserves,” Schurman said. Schurman has helped expand career and technical education opportunities for area students through his role on the Whiteside Area Career Center Board of Directors. In addition, he has served on the IASA Board of Directors for the past six years following a six-year run as IASA Northwest Region President. His time on the Board of Directors has helped him better understand the challenges his colleagues face across the state and make professional connections that have elevated his superintendency. One example is IASA helped enhance his district’s communication strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The IASA staff, the COVID-19 support team and fellow directors provided feedback and guidance, which helped me enhance our district’s communication strategy during the pandemic,” Schurman said. “The checklists, form letters and communication we received from the IASA were of great help during a difficult time. The IASA Staff is the best in the nation, and we are blessed to have them working on our behalf.” Schurman is also active in his community. He has served as Grand Knight for his local chapter of the Knights of Columbus and as lector and eucharistic minister in his church.

15 LM August 2023