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Ticknor ... cont’d. once per week for 30 minutes on Wednesdays. The groups will stay together for all four years of high school. “The purpose is to build a sense of belonging at Lemont, which also serves as a school safety measure,” Dr. Ticknor said. “Students learn how to ask for help; develop communication skills; set academic goals; learn about appropriate use of social media; develop listening skills and we promote ‘See something, Say something’ as a core component of our school safety plan. It’s not time for homework. We designed a curriculum focused on student health and well-being.” Leading a successful referendum in 2022 to increase the debt extension base and provide the district with a long-term stream of revenue to continually modernize and update facilities, will be transformative. Projects such as renovated classrooms, collaboration areas, infrastructure improvements—including HVAC upgrades and new roofs— plus a new cafeteria/commons and field house have all been identified in the district’s Master Facilities Plan. “We were able to increase our debt service extension base limit from $250,000 to $5 million and keep our tax dollars level,” Dr. Ticknor said. “It was quite an accomplishment and much needed for the district. With the Master Facilities Plan, we can now put pricing and sequencing in place for the community to see.” Outside of Lemont Twp HSD #210, Dr. Ticknor has been a member of the Federal Lands Impacted Schools Association, including serving as Chair of the Advocacy Committee. Her involvement is because Argonne National Laboratory resides within the district’s borders. FLISA’s mission is to secure federal funding, which reimburses eligible districts for tax revenue lost (for student programs) due to the federal government’s removal of land from the local tax rolls. “We go to Washington D.C. twice per year to advocate for this funding because it is frequently zeroed out of budget proposals,” Dr. Ticknor said. “In Lemont, we would lose about $1 million per year. That would be a significant cut for us.” Dr. Ticknor is also active with the South Cooperative Organization for Public Education, Illinois High School District Association and IASA’s Women in Leadership initiative.

Root ... cont’d.

Sangamon County, to the Abe Lincoln Region and throughout central Illinois. It’s important to embrace that communal mindset and try to work together to do what’s best for all students.” Dr. Root has also tried to take the lessons he’s learned in leadership and share them with new superintendents in informal settings. One area of focus is helping younger leaders keep up with the influx of new state laws and mandates each year. Most months he attends the Sullivan Group and shares challenges and successes with his peers in the region. The Sullivan Group is a longstanding meeting for superintendents in central Illinois. “We come together and listen to each other’s problems, provide feedback, share resources and collaborate,” Dr. Root said. “The challenges continue to evolve over the years, so it’s important to stay connected with your peers and learn new ways to navigate difficult issues.” Promoting education as a valuable and personally fulfilling profession has been a priority for Dr. Root. He regularly speaks at university classes to encourage young students to become educators and for young people to pursue education administration. His dissertation focused on school board member training and perceptions of their preparedness to serve. “A lot of school board members will run for office for one reason and then they get on board and realize the reason they were disgruntled is not valid,” Dr. Root said. “I call it the Casey’s rule. People hear something getting a donut at Casey’s, but it doesn’t pan out to be true. It’s important to educate the community and try to change motivations for serving on school boards. This work is important, and a successful organization needs everyone walking in the same direction.” In 2018, voters in Sangamon County approved the one cent countywide school facilities sales tax. The passage has produced millions of dollars in upgrades to schools across Sangamon County. In Auburn, where Dr. Root helped rally support, the funds have been used to make school buildings safer by relocating offices to the main entrance. As superintendent, Dr. Root has led numerous initiatives to improve the educational environment for students, improve facilities and support the mental health of students. The district has expanded technology, added a social worker and fostered a more welcoming environment. “The key is relationships,” Dr. Root said. “We work hard to connect with students and build up their self-image and self-esteem.”

21 LM September 2023