LM Sept 2021

Education Elevat g We continue our series highlighting tremendous educators across Illinois who have given their time and energy to ele- vating the superintendency and public education as a whole. Each month, we will feature two educators who are going the extra mile and truly making a difference beyond their school districts and local communities. While we are aware of many of the contributions administrators are making, we are open to any suggestions for someone to feature next month. To make a recommendation, contact Jason Nevel, IASA Director of Social Media and Publications, at jnevel@iasaedu.org or by calling 217–753–2213. Andy DuRoss Schaumburg CCSD#54 TraceyFair Four Rivers Sp. Ed. Dist.#801

Who: Andy DuRoss, superintendent What: Helped develop and implement Schaumburg CCSD #54’s innovative approach to education focused on the 3 P’s: People, PLCs and Positivity. Presented at numerous conferences and events. Where: Schaumburg CCSD #54, Cook North.

Who: Tracey Fair, Special Education Director What: Elevating the quality of special education services at Four Rivers Sp. Ed. Dist. #801, which serves 19 school districts in west central Illinois. Where: Four Rivers Sp. Ed. Dist. #801,Two Rivers and Kaskaskia regions. When: Special Education Director at Four

When: Superintendent in Schaumburg CCSD #54 since 2013. Why: Andy DuRoss made the jump from teacher to administrator because he felt he could impact more children’s lives by supporting other educators. At Schaumburg CCSD #54, DuRoss has been the driving force behind systemic changes that have improved student success. “The success of a child is built around the success of an adult and the systems you create,” DuRoss said. The innovative approach in Schaumburg CCSD #54 is based around the 3 P’s: People, PLCs and Positivity. DuRoss and his colleagues began to focus on “People” and “PLCs” dating back to 2005-2013 when he served as principal and the district’s assistant superintendent of human resources. During that time, the district revamped its hiring practices and recruitment efforts and implemented new

Rivers Sp. Ed. Dist. #801 since 2020. Psychologist and case manager in Springfield SD #186 for 23 years. Why: Tracey Fair discovered she could be a calming presence and positive influence after the unexpected death of her uncle when she was a freshman in high school. Her uncle left behind three daughters, the youngest a 2-year-old who struggled to cope with the loss of her father and stopped communicating with anyone. “I was holding and comforting this little girl, and she looked at me and began to talk,” Fair recalls. “My aunt started crying and encouraged me to pursue psychology.” Four Rivers Sp. Ed. Dist. #801, located in Jacksonville, serves 19 school districts in Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Macoupin, Morgan, Pike and Scott counties. Superintendents in the area credit Fair for implementing significant changes since she was hired in 2020 that have elevated special education services to students.

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LM September 2021