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Lawrence ... cont’d. Elevat g Despite limited funding, Mount Vernon SD #80 offers both after-school and summer-school programming to students. The district is one of the few in the area with a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant, which provides federal dollars for after-school programs. “It’s been such a major help for our students and families,” Lawrence said about the after-school program. “In addition to the academic support, we provide the students with meals. This pandemic has shown us how dependent a lot of families are for meals.” Lawrence also encourages her staff and other school leaders in the area to take advantage of grant opportunities to offset funding shortages. In addition, Lawrence has been someone her peers consult with questions about how to provide additional social-emotional support to students. Mount Vernon SD #80 has hired additional social workers and provided professional development for staff in recent years. “We have a lot of students dealing with trauma and our teachers were struggling with how to handle that trauma in the classroom,” Lawrence said. “Our students were hurting, so we needed to come up with a way to better support them.”

Mansfield ... cont’d. leaders have reached out to Mansfield about how to expand AP programming. Mansfield’s knowledge and passion for preparing students for college and careers also established a long connection with the College Board. Mansfield has served as a trustee and chaired the Membership Committee consisting of over 6,000 members world-wide. He has chaired conferences serving national and international educators sponsored by the College Board that focus on academic programming and addressing access and equity for all students. In addition, Homewood Flossmoor CHSD #233 became the first public high school in the Chicago suburbs in 2013 to offer a two-year International Baccalaureate program. “We needed to take down the walls and silos surrounding higher level courses,” Mansfield said. “We’re very proud of what we have accomplished with expanding access to our students through additional supports and resources. We’re one of only a few schools to offer both AP and IB programs.” Under Mansfield’s leadership, Homewood Flossmoor CHSD #233 also became one of the first schools to offer seven-day- per-week free tutoring to students. “It’s really another way we can support all students and not just those who may be struggling with a course,” Mansfield said. “We are providing another layer of support and assistance to ensure student success.”

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