LM Nov-Dec 2025

Education Elevat g

Wollerman ... cont’d.

Sutton ... cont’d. courses than in traditional classrooms. Positioning the district for success under those circumstances has been a challenge but, under Dr. Sutton’s leadership, Addison School District #4 has seen three schools go from Targeted designation on the Illinois Report Card to Commendable. The key ingredients to that success have been professional development, curriculum alignment and student engagement. Addison School District #4 has cultivated an environment of continuous improvement, where teachers embrace peer-to-peer learning. That collaborative approach extends to curriculum as well, with aligned instruction across the district’s seven schools creating a more equitable environment for students and teachers alike. Perhaps most uniquely, Addison School District #4 has relentlessly focused on student engagement. Dr. Sutton oversaw the development of a six-point categorical framework that objectively defines what engagement looks like. “Category one is completely disengaged, and category four is what you see in traditional classrooms—the teacher lectures and students listen. But categories five and six are where we want to be, where students demonstrate skills and create products. I can walk into any classroom, even if I don’t speak Spanish, and identify which category we’re in based on the actions of the instructor and students. It doesn’t matter what language is being spoken—we’re looking at what’s actually happening in the room.” Dr. Sutton has also been an early embracer of AI and encouraged members of his leadership team and teachers to innovate with new technology. In September, he led a breakout session at the IASA Annual Conference on AI. After hearing feedback from his peers about the need for strategies and tips, Dr. Sutton partnered with IASA and the Learning Technology Center to create QuickCharge AI 15, a 15-minute virtual meeting series held the first and third Wednesday of each month. “This technology evolves so rapidly—if you attend a session once a year, three weeks later it’s outdated. We’re covering topics like AI as it relates to plagiarism, policy, and teacher evaluation. That’s why we designed brief, regular sessions. As long as there’s value and the audience is engaged, we’ll keep providing it.”

closely on solutions that are best for kids, schools, and communities,” Wollerman said. Wollerman is proud to have greatly expanded the ROE’s attendance prevention/intervention program. She has also focused on alternative education. Over the course of her career at ROE #3, alternative education services have expanded from one classroom to three sites, each offering both junior high and high school programs. “We offer services so kids and schools have another option,” Wollerman said. “It’s like flipping a light switch— helping students see the skills they already have. We focus on teaching not only academics but also life skills that many of our kids are missing. Our goal is for our students to graduate and be good citizens, good neighbors, people you’d want living next door. We want to help them take that next step.” Professional development has been another focus area. ROE #3 has three instructional coaches who provide professional learning services to teachers and schools across the region. In addition, the regional office has recently hired a multilingual specialist to assist districts experiencing an influx of ESL students and families. “We work with both our teachers and student families,” Wollerman said. “We assist teachers and help districts with assessments, curriculum and more. But before we even get into the classroom, we need to help our non English speaking families get their students into school. We work to prepare staff and students so they can work better together. It takes a lot of work on all sides to see student success.”

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17 LM Nov–Dec 2025