LM Jan 2023_hi

Education Elevat g Evers ... cont’d. refresher course with Dr. Blair and Sandye Brown is also offered. Dr. Bartelt is also well regarded for his efforts to promote Bartelt ... cont’d.

However, Dr. Evers said her time at Cairo USD #1 helped her become the leader she is today. She is proud of boosting the district’s graduation rate, despite immense adversity. She is also proud of the partnerships she helped forge with businesses, including a local mattress company that provided beds to families experiencing infestation from substandard living conditions. In addition, she helped launch a summer breakfast and lunch delivery program in 2015 to help feed needy families. She has presented to her peers on the initiative at conferences. Dr. Evers’ proudest achievement, however, is the deep connections she made with students and staff. “My why is all about the who,” Dr. Evers said. “I always try to get to know students by making those connections. I go to sporting events, choral events, church performances or anything they’re in just to show I care about them and believe in them. Cairo was a challenging situation, but I feel incredibly blessed to have made those connections with students and educators, who had the purest hearts and intentions.” At Murphysboro CUSD #186, Dr. Evers has supported the fine arts and expanded opportunities for students. The district purchased new musical instruments for students and has expanded performance opportunities, including online shows during the pandemic. Murphysboro CUSD #186 elected to stay open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and implement an extensive testing operation. The district was one of the first five schools in the state to get a CLIA license. Dr. Evers later helped her peers navigate the licencing process and set up COVID-19 testing programs on site. In addition, Dr. Evers said she is excited to develop an educator pathway program at Murphysboro CUSD #186 that will begin to create a pipeline of future teachers. The program has been strengthened by a recent event that brought together retired, current and future teachers. “When you saw those three groups together sharing stories, there was a real energy and connectedness that gives you optimism for the future of our district,” Dr. Evers said. Lastly, Dr. Evers participated in the first IASA Global Service Project, which performed charitable work in schools in the Dominican Republic.

mindfulness among his peers and staff at Bloomingdale SD #13. To help his peers, Dr. Bartelt led a mindfulness workshop with two other superintendents. He has also written a Leadership Matters article on tips to manage stress and promotes positivity and mindfulness on social media. Within Bloomingdale SD #13, Dr. Bartelt has facilitated mindfulness training and additional social-emotional support interventions for his staff. “We feel nobody’s problems are insignificant, and we can collectively work through anything together,” Dr. Bartelt said. Dr. Bartelt served on the IASA COVID-19 Transition Team during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team provided actionable tools and supports for superintendents across Illinois. The experience solidified his belief in the importance of superintendents collaborating and supporting each other. “This profession can be lonely unless you’re connected to a great group of superintendents like the ones I had on the Transition Team,” Dr. Bartelt said. “Having a support network like that keeps you grounded and gives you access to knowledgeable people who you can bounce ideas off and learn from.” Dr. Bartelt is hoping to improve networking and learning opportunities for superintendents by helping revive the Educational League of Illinois, a 142-year-old organization originally set up to provide a platform for educators to discuss the implementation of educational principles. “The group has historically met during the Joint Annual Conference, but we’re looking to do quarterly meetings and focus more on the needs of superintendents and other school leaders across our state.” Bloomingdale SD #13’s Board of Education has received governance awards for the past seven years. Dr. Bartelt has presented on board strategies, board relations and best practices at the Joint Annual Conference and IASA Annual Conference. Lastly, he has served on the boards of numerous community organizations, including the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce. “I am blessed to be around a phenomenal team of educators and a supportive Board of Education at Bloomingdale SD #13,” Dr. Bartelt said. “The success we’ve had is because of the hard work of the people in this organization and our supportive community. It’s truly a great place for all learners.”

13 LM January 2023