# data[].attributes.headline
Updates for North Central College Educational Partners

# data[].attributes.subject
Updates for North Central College Educational Partners

# data[].attributes.headline
LEARN ABOUT NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION!

# data[].attributes.subject
LEARN ABOUT NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION!

# data[].attributes.body
Saturday, March 14, 2026

10:00am-1:00pm

@West40 Gym

415 Lexington St. Maywood IL, 60153

# data[].attributes.headline
Updates from North Central College for School Leaders

# data[].attributes.subject
Updates from North Central College for School Leaders

# data[].attributes.headline
North Central College Dec. Info Sessions 

# data[].attributes.subject
North Central College Dec. Info Sessions 

# data[].attributes.headline
North Central College November 2025 Info Sessions

# data[].attributes.subject
North Central College November 2025 Info Sessions

# data[].attributes.headline
September 2025 issue of ISBE's Multilingual/Language Development Department newsletter

# data[].attributes.subject
September 2025 issue of ISBE's Multilingual/Language Development Department newsletter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UPDATED! WIDA Releases FY 2025-26 Self-Paced PD

# data[].attributes.headline
North Central College - Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Education in Educational Leadership Info Sessions - September & October 2025

# data[].attributes.subject
North Central College - Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Education in Educational Leadership Info Sessions - September & October 2025

# data[].attributes.body
Now accepting applications for the Principal Preparation program for Spring 2026!

# data[].attributes.headline
FREE Early Childhood Family Concert Event featuring Jim Gill

# data[].attributes.subject
FREE Early Childhood Family Concert Event featuring Jim Gill

# data[].attributes.body
Who: Families with preschool-aged children (children must be accompanied by an adult; max 2 adults per group) (limit 100 people)

What: An exciting concert for children with an emphasis on growing literacy at home followed by an art activity for children. Each family goes home with a FREE copy of Jim Gill's book.

Where: Gym, West40 Lexington (Enter through Door 7N)

When: Saturday, October 18th, 9-11am

REGISTRATION OPENS SEPTEMBER 1

# data[].attributes.headline
FREE Early Childhood Literacy Event for Teachers (PreK-K)

# data[].attributes.subject
FREE Early Childhood Literacy Event for Teachers (PreK-K)

# data[].attributes.body
Who: PreK & Kindergarten Teachers (limit 40)

What: Incorporating the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan into your Early Childhood Classroom

Where: 415 W. Lexington St., Maywood, IL 60153

When: Friday, October 17th, 12-3pm

REGISTRATION OPENS SEPTEMBER 1

# data[].attributes.headline
We'd love to see you and your students at our Future Teacher Conference!

# data[].attributes.subject
We'd love to see you and your students at our Future Teacher Conference!

# data[].attributes.body
We're excited to offer your students a great opportunity to explore careers in education as the Illinois State University College of Education hosts the Future Teacher Conference on Friday, November 7. This event is open to all high school students.

We hope you'll bring a group of students to Illinois State for a full day of exploring and engaging in careers in education. This free event will include a dynamic opening session and a variety of sessions for students to choose from about timely topics in teaching, plus student panels featuring current education students.

Registration is open until capacity is reached. All school personnel and students should register individually. This year school personnel will use a separate registration link than students.

School Personnel Registration Form

Student Registration Form

It is very important for each student to complete their own registration form so they can select their individual sessions.  *If you don't plan to stay for the final session from 1:25 - 2:00pm, please tell your students not to choose a session for that time.
School personnel will receive periodic student registration lists for your school.

Students can review the conference sessions prior to registration. At the time of registration, school personnel will have an option to sign up for a campus tour.

The event will run from 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m., with check-in beginning at 8:30 a.m., and will include complimentary lunch.

If you have any questions, please email the College of Education at ksappel@ilstu.edu.

Kelli Appel

Director of Recruitment, Retention, and Student Services

College of Education

Illinois State University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Future Teacher Conference | College of Education | Illinois State

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A conference for high school students who are considering a career in education. This conference informs and inspires students about the process of becoming a teacher, and what to expect after graduation as they enter the classroom. Since its inaugural year in 2019, this conference has served nearly 5,000 students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
West40 ISC#2 - ACE Tuition Discount_Raffle.pdf

# data[].attributes.headline
Illinois educators have free access to Learning Blade – an engaging, supplemental tool designed to boost STEM learning and career exploration in your classrooms.

# data[].attributes.subject
Illinois educators have free access to Learning Blade – an engaging, supplemental tool designed to boost STEM learning and career exploration in your classrooms.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.edynamiclearning.com/learning-blade/

# data[].attributes.headline
North Central Collage - Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary & Secondary Education

# data[].attributes.subject
North Central Collage - Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary & Secondary Education

# data[].attributes.body
Upcoming Info Session Aug. 12, 2025 - 12:00pm

# data[].attributes.headline
North Central College Master of Education in Educational Leadership program

# data[].attributes.subject
North Central College Master of Education in Educational Leadership program

# data[].attributes.body
Upcoming Info Session - August 6, 2025 - 9:30am

# data[].attributes.headline
BECOME A NATIONAL BOARD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL - National Board Resource Center 

# data[].attributes.subject
BECOME A NATIONAL BOARD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL - National Board Resource Center 

# data[].attributes.body
TRANSFORM LEARNING.

ELEVATE EDUCATORS.

STRENGTHEN YOUR SCHOOL.

# data[].attributes.headline
Informational Flyer - National Board Resource Center

# data[].attributes.subject
Informational Flyer - National Board Resource Center

# data[].attributes.body
Take the Next Step in Your Teaching Career with

National Board Certification

# data[].attributes.body
Master of Education in Educational Leadership Virtual Info Session on ZOOM: Wednesday, August 6th at 9:30 AM

Register:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/v6td_5qTR4K-kyViN9RHag#/registration

﻿

# data[].attributes.headline
NLU-Unlock The POWER OF AI in PK-12 Education

# data[].attributes.subject
NLU-Unlock The POWER OF AI in PK-12 Education

# data[].attributes.headline
NCC: MEd/MAT Info Sessions May 12th @ 11:30am

# data[].attributes.subject
NCC: MEd/MAT Info Sessions May 12th @ 11:30am

# data[].attributes.headline
NCC: Updates for our Educational Partners

# data[].attributes.subject
NCC: Updates for our Educational Partners

# data[].attributes.headline
NCC: Updates for our Educational Partners

# data[].attributes.subject
NCC: Updates for our Educational Partners

# data[].attributes.headline
Character Education Cert Cohort: March 2nd

# data[].attributes.subject
Character Education Cert Cohort: March 2nd

# data[].attributes.body
North Central College - Character Education certificate - We have another cohort launching March 2nd and are currently accepting new students for the program. This online asynchronous certificate provides 45 professional development hours and focuses on using tools to foster a school culture of character that is caring, empowering and inclusive for students and school staff.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Upcoming West40 Administrator Academies 

# data[].attributes.headline
Fwd: Introduction and Educational Resources from the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

# data[].attributes.subject
Fwd: Introduction and Educational Resources from the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

# data[].attributes.body
Any district that is able to secure a group of students for a cohort for any of the programs, would get 30% off.

In this brief info session on Zoom, we'll be sharing info about our:

Master of Education in Educational Leadership (principal prep) program

Director of Special Education and Learning Behavior Specialist endorsement courses

Trauma Informed Practices Certificate/degree program

Character Education certificate program (45 hrs. of professional development earned)

All who register will be sent a recording of the info session in a follow up email.

# data[].attributes.headline
NCC: Happy New Year! Spring 2025 Updates

# data[].attributes.subject
NCC: Happy New Year! Spring 2025 Updates

# data[].attributes.headline
Learning Technology Center New year, new K-12 cybersecurity threats

# data[].attributes.subject
Learning Technology Center New year, new K-12 cybersecurity threats

# data[].attributes.headline
West40 Professional Learning AA 4114 and AA4106

# data[].attributes.subject
West40 Professional Learning AA 4114 and AA4106

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Families may be the key to ending chronic absenteeism, a pandemic-era problem that has only gotten worse

While much of the world may have returned to a semblance of normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing has not: kids in many districts are not showing up for school.

An "unprecedented wave of chronic absenteeism" across the country has fostered an "attendance crisis," according to Attendance Works, a nonprofit focused on getting children to go to school. Prior to the pandemic, 8 million students were chronically absent - defined as missing more than 10% of the school year - but now that number has doubled.

"It's really bad!" exclaims Eyal Bergman, Ed.M.'14, Ed.L.D.'21 , senior vice president of Learning Heroes, a nonprofit focused on ensuring parents have accurate information about students' academic progress. "And if you're in high-poverty urban schools, it's atrocious, it's really devasting. Kids are just not coming to school."

Twenty-eight percent of students across the country were chronically absent during the 2021-22 school year, nearly twice as many as 2018-19, according to The New Yorker, citing data compiled by Thomas Dee, a professor of education at Stanford University. Alaska leads with 49% chronic absenteeism in 2021-22, versus 29% pre-pandemic, followed by the District of Columbia (48%), New Mexico (40%), and Michigan, Oregon, Nevada, and Colorado (each with 36%), according to District Administration magazine. In Massachusetts public schools, chronic absenteeism grew by 72% between 2019 and 2023, prompting public service announcements on TV and billboards in which State Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, Ed.M.'00, urges, "School is where kids belong."

Experts have theories on why exactly kids haven't returned to the classroom after the pandemic. Just as many adult employees are resisting returning to the office instead of working remotely, and for children, school routines were broken and norms and expectations have shifted, suggests Todd Rogers, a behavioral scientist and professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, who studies strategies to address and improve attendance.

"I think people grew accustomed to the idea that there will be absences, and they got a lot more lenient," says Serapha Cruz, founder and principal of the Bronx School of Young Leaders in New York, a Title 1 school where 100% of students are eligible for free lunch.

Before the pandemic, around 27% of her students were chronically absent, Cruz says. "Believe it or not, 27% chronically absent is pretty good with our population of students," she says. With a big push on attendance, they were making huge strides, expecting to end the 2019-2020 school year with absenteeism rates in the single digits, "which is practically unheard of in New York," Cruz says. Then the pandemic hit, and with kids attending class virtually, chronic absenteeism soared to 45%.

"We found that in schools with stronger relationships between teachers and families before the pandemic ... they're not showing near the declines as everyone else post pandemic."

Today, through a pervasive emphasis in the school culture on attendance, they expect to end this year with pre-pandemic rates. But it's not easy. For one thing, staff are absent at higher rates than before the pandemic, "so they might not put pressure on the students missing school. We haven't swung fully back to [the idea] that this isn't the norm," Cruz says.

Numerous studies demonstrate how important it is for kids to be in school; they not only do better academically but are less likely to be held back, drop out of school, or be suspended. Indeed, under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, a large majority of states and the District of Columbia use some measure of chronic absenteeism to evaluate the performance of school districts. "There are one or two exceptions to this rule, but usually kids with attendance problems don't do well," says Cruz.

"There are many reasons why it's important for children to be in school: for socialization; for best chances for learning; for other supports and opportunities that students get through their school, whether it's meals or counseling, in addition to what's happening in the classroom," says Lindsay Page, Ed.M.'04, Ed.D.'11, who teaches education policy at Brown University. "I think we should think about the entire social ecosystem of school and how that plays a role in the functioning of families."

So, especially post-pandemic, how do you get chronically absent kids to show up?

"Nudge Letters" Work

Rogers is a numbers guy. A behavioral scientist with a Ph.D. received jointly through Harvard's Department of Psychology and Harvard Business School, he believes in data. When someone proposes a theory on why a problem exists or whether a solution will help, Rogers insists on rigorous testing using large data sets and randomized controlled trials.

About 10 years ago, he got involved in the issue of chronic absenteeism. Working with Karen Mapp, Ed.D.'99, a professor of practice at the Ed School and an expert on the importance of school-family engagement, Rogers set out to prove whether chronic absenteeism could be reduced by mailing (via the U.S. postal service) monthly personalized letters to families informing them of how often their child was out of school. He ran multiple largescale, randomized studies involving more than 100,000 families across 12 school districts around the country.

The results were striking: These socalled "nudge letters" reduced chronic absenteeism by 10-15%. The results were consistent across grade levels and were most effective with students around the threshold for being chronically absent.The letters work best when they are easy-to-read, written in the language spoken in the home, mailed regularly, and inform a family of precisely how many days their child has missed so far that year, as well as how their child compares to others in the school. The tone, Mapp and Rogers say, should be one of partnership with families, rather than scolding, and include useful information on community resources like food banks. Letters, as tangible items, were more effective than texts or emails, the study found. (Texting parents, for example, reduced students' chronic absenteeism by 2.4-3.6%, according to the American Institutes for Research.)

Why do nudge letters work? Families tend to significantly underestimate how much school their kids have missed, Rogers explains, and they have no idea how their child's attendance compares to others. (Including the comparison feature was prompted by research showing that people significantly reduce their home energy usage if they receive a mailing comparing their usage to their neighbors.)

Nudge letters are easy to do across entire districts, and they are one-fiftieth as expensive as the next best proven intervention, which is absence-focused mentors and truancy officers, says Rogers. (For comparison, a new program in 15 districts in Connecticut, in which outreach workers visit homes of chronically absent middle and high schoolers, increased attendance by 15-20% - but cost $24 million.)

But they aren't a silver bullet. Nudge letters reduce chronic absenteeism by 10-15%, which is "a cost-effective start, but it's not nearly enough," says Rogers.

Still, the results of their research were so significant and consistent that, in 2016, at the request of school districts across the country, Rogers co-founded EveryDay Labs, which mails out nudge letters on behalf of districts. (Rogers describes himself as EveryDay Labs' chief scientist; his work there is independent of his role at Harvard.) During the pandemic, EveryDay Labs also began overlaying text messages with attendance information and tested to see how much extra these helped. The answer: Not very much. Parents are just too overloaded with text messages, although offering information on food, shelter, transport, and other resources "seems to create value for families and districts," Rogers says.

Rogers is now considering other proposed interventions for absenteeism in order to devise trials to test their effectiveness. This ongoing work, he says, "was important when we did it 10 years ago and it's twice as important now because kids are missing twice as many days."

The (Family) Ties That Bind

But sending nudge letters is a tactic, not a strategy. And there is a strategy that works incredibly well in fostering and improving student attendance: strong family-school partnerships. In mid-2020, during what Mapp calls the twin pandemics of that year - the murder of George Floyd and COVID-19 - she, Rogers, and Bergman, who was an Ed.L.D. student at the time, set out to answer a question: Would schools with pre-existing strong family engagement better weather the disruptions to education?

They analyzed data on family engagement from 3,000 schools collected for the 5Essentials Survey in Illinois, and what they found stunned even them: Schools with the strongest family engagement experienced six percentage points less chronic absenteeism post-pandemic than schools with the least family engagement.

"We were hoping to see something, but we didn't know what to expect - and we were quite shocked," Bergman says.

They analyzed data on family engagement from 3,000 schools collected for the 5Essentials Survey in Illinois, and what they found stunned even them: Schools with the strongest family engagement experienced six percentage points less chronic absenteeism post-pandemic than schools with the least family engagement. "We were hoping to see something, but we didn't know what to expect - and we were quite shocked," Bergman says. "We found that in schools with stronger relationships between teachers and families before the pandemic, those relationships buffered them so that they're not showing near the declines [in student attendance] as everyone else post pandemic," adds Rogers.

The researchers were so surprised that they ran the numbers multiple times to make sure they were correct. The results were consistent: A school in the 10th percentile for family engagement had a 21% chronic absenteeism rate while a school in the 90th percentile had a rate of only 15% - a six percentage points difference.

Since schools in high-poverty communities tend to have much higher chronic absenteeism than those in high-income communities, the team also compared the effect of poverty versus family engagement and found it was a half percentage point less influential. "The effect of family engagement [on chronic absenteeism] is as large or larger than poverty," explains Bergman. And while six percentage points "may not seem like a lot," he adds, "show me a school that doesn't want to lower its chronic absenteeism by 6%."

For 20 years, Mapp has promoted family engagement as critical to school and student success, including in a 2022 book she co-authored, Everyone Wins!: The Evidence for Family-School Partnerships and Implications for Practice. She also partnered with Bergman and Marissa Alberty, Ed.M.'14, Ed.D.'21, to co-author Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (Version 2).

The findings on how family engagement affects chronic absenteeism are only the latest support for her work. "For far too long, the effort and time it takes to build partnerships between home and school has been seen as burdensome and unnecessary to the short- and long-term goals of schools," Mapp says. "This study soundly disrupts that thinking and demonstrates the profound value-add of partnerships between families and educators."

Even though family engagement is one of the five essential factors in school success and improvement outlined in the 5Essentials initiative - the others are school leadership, professional capacity, a student- centered learning environment, and instructional guidance - it is often overlooked, even ignored.

"Schools must understand that family and community engagement is as important as the other four," Mapp told educators in 2023 at "Supporting Success through Authentic and Effective Family Community Engagement," presented by EdRedesign's Institute for Success Planning Virtual Learning Series.

"I don't know if other schools [emphasize attendance] with the same excitement we do. People really want to be at school because it's a nice place to be. It's a nice vibe."

Yet most educators receive little if any training on how to build successful partnerships with families and communities. To the contrary, there is a long history of families, particularly those in underserved or marginalized communities, being undervalued by educators, Mapp noted. Most districts put very few resources toward teacher training and other supports in the area of family engagement, although exceptions include Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Richmond, Virginia. "It has to be a core element of your plans to improve your schools, not an add-on," Mapp said in her talk, adding, "It's real when I see it on your budget sheets."

The new research on how family engagement influences student attendance may help turn that around. "Hopefully this data gives school leaders and teachers what they need to make the case internally that family engagement is a worthwhile investment, to promote more professional development around family engagement, and to allow teachers the time they need," Bergman says.

Mapp has long argued that family engagement must be woven into the entire culture in a school and school district, with a strong infrastructure supporting family-school partnerships. It's an approach that should be multifaceted - simply notifying families of a school event, say, isn't nearly enough - and family engagement must be part of every department from IT to human resources to classrooms, so that "we are not doing things to families, we're doing things with families," Mapp said. It is especially important to build trust in communities that have historically been disrespected by educators, she emphasizes.

"I agree completely," says Cruz, principal at the Bronx School. "Engagement doesn't necessarily mean [the parent] coming to school and going to events, but a parent who is really promoting a relationship with the school, like understanding where the student is in terms of their grade, and why they should be in school and promoting that with the child."

Mapp, Bergman, and Rogers are now following up their findings with a qualitative analysis. They'll be talking to teachers, principals, parents, and caregivers that had strong pre-pandemic family engagement and strong post-pandemic outcomes, versus schools with the opposite. "We want to understand the polices, practices, and mindsets that allowed for strong engagement," Bergman says. After those interviews, they plan to design a new measurement tool "so we can offer recommendations to schools in how to improve their data on family engagement."

Coming to School Actually Matters

At the Bronx School, attendance is seen as so important to student success that it's emphasized and supported in myriad ways. There are rewards for perfect attendance and improved attendance, and contests between classes where the prizes include trips to amusement parks or gaming chairs. Each morning, guidance counselors visit the homeroom classes to share a positive armation and remind students of the importance of coming to school ready to get to work. Incentives are both non-academic, like the prizes, but also academic, in that attendance leads to better grades, and good or improved grades are recognized with prizes as well. Rogers did a study that showed that mailing students a certificate for good attendance that they weren't expecting actually disincentivizes going to class, because kids interpret it as saying that regular attendance is unusual. But the Bronx School puts coming to class as something everyone does and is recognized for.

"I don't know if other schools [emphasize attendance] with the same excitement we do," says Svati Mariam Lelyveld, Ed.M.'12, who has been teaching eighth grade at the Bronx School of Young Leaders since 2012. Despite budget cuts that mean a broken PA system and classroom clocks that are stuck at 12, "people really want to be at school because it's a nice place to be. It's a nice vibe."

But there's a big difference, Cruz notes, between kids who miss a day of school occasionally for a doctor's appointment or a cold and those who are chronically absent. "With chronically absent students you have to get to know on an individual basis why they are missing school. Almost always it's something not related to the child but to the whole family," she says. It might range from a student who is staying home to care for younger sibling while the parents are working, to a student who has serious trauma or other psychological issues that need professional intervention. Cruz and her staff work with these kids to understand their particular circumstances and try to solve them.

A few years ago, Lelyveld had a student who lived across the street from the school but rarely attended. A guidance counselor began picking the girl up every day, knocking on her door at 7:30 in the morning, which made an impression on the family. "That really incentivized them to get her up and out," Lelyveld says. Once the girl's attendance was consistent, her achievement improved significantly.

Regular, "asset-based" communication, where families are supported and respected as partners, is a key part of family engagement, Mapp, Rogers, and others say. Although regular communications with families by themselves are not enough, if offered in a culturally sensitive way - recognizing that families are competent partners with schools - they are one way to start to build respectful relationships.

"We reached out to families on a regular basis to check in with them particularly when their child was absent, never in a punitive way but instead with a supportive tone with the goal of supporting the family."

These communications should be "extremely partner-focused," says Rogers, written in what Mapp calls "asset-based language" instead of pointing a finger of blame. "A lot of the ways that schools think about families is through a deficit lens," he says. "Solutions are often about circumventing families instead of treating them as partners or even recognizing that they are the experts in their kids and want their kids to thrive."

"Texting, we know, is a best practice" with regard to contacting parents about something specific, says Bergman. "Parents prefer it usually, so it's an easier way to get to people." But he emphasizes that people respond faster to texts from someone with whom they already have a relationship and may not respond at all to texts from someone they don't really know. Again, that's why building a strong, respectful relationship with families is key.

A few years ago, Page, working with an AmeriCorps volunteer and others, created a pilot program at two kindergarten classes in Pittsburgh that sent a weekly text message to parents.

The texts were sometimes a general reminder of how important attendance is, or a specific message notifying them that the school noted their child was absent that day, or an informational message about community resources. Over time, families began responding, explaining, for example, why their child was out. In one case, the family's text noted that their child had no clean clothes for school because the washing machine was broken. The AmeriCorps volunteer, who was bilingual in Spanish - many families in the area spoke Spanish as a first language - connected the family with a community group that provided a new washing machine. And the volunteer helped other families overcome obstacles keeping a child from school.

"We reached out to families on a regular basis to check in with them particularly when their child was absent, never in a punitive way but instead with a supportive tone with the goal of supporting the family," Page explains.

The result? The rate of chronic absence among the kindergarteners fell from 30% to 13%.

Page believes other schools could replicate these results at a reasonably low cost, especially with an AmeriCorps or other volunteer organization involved. "Absolutely, there are interventions that can work" in getting kids to school, says Page, who was also involved in a 2022 brief for EdResearch for Recovery, "District Strategies to Reduce Student Absenteeism," which emphasized providing timely information to parents about their child's absences, making sure students have safe and reliable transportation to school, and other home visits to foster stronger family-school connections.

"One thing I think is an issue for some students with their attendance is having clean clothes to wear to school or weather-appropriate clothes," agrees Lelyveld. Teachers have pooled their resources to buy a warm sweater or sweatpants for a child, and the school connects families with local centers that provide food and clothes.

Overall, the point is that strong partnerships between schools and families are essential to education. Indeed, family engagement is so influential in student success - including reducing chronic absenteeism - that Bergman is excited to promote the study's findings, including in webinars offered by the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement.

"In a world of really bad news, this is a good news story," says Bergman. "This is something schools can do."

Elaine McArdle is a writer based in New York. Her last piece for Ed. focused on librarians and book bans

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Families may be the key to ending chronic absenteeism, a pandemic-era problem that has only gotten worse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
24/25 SY Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Network

# data[].attributes.headline
Crissy Mombela's Slides on Trauma Responsiveness, Communities of Practice, and Dissolving Resistance

# data[].attributes.subject
Crissy Mombela's Slides on Trauma Responsiveness, Communities of Practice, and Dissolving Resistance

# data[].attributes.body
There are some great episodes here about how to dissolve resistance and be curious.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, shares her wisdom about coaching, leading teams, and designing and facilitating transformational professional development.

Try It On: Supercharge Your Learning

Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, brings weekly tips, tools, and wisdom to educators with one goal: to help you thrive.

Become a Friend of the Podcast

Our listeners are the reason for our podcast and we couldn't do it without your support.

We know support comes in many forms. For some, the way they can or want to support us is via shout-outs on social media, likes on Instagram, sharing the podcast with friends and reviews on Apple Podcasts. Those make a big difference for us and we are so grateful for each and every one.

For those who can and want to do more, we invite you to become a Friend of the Show. For the cost of a cup of coffee a month, our Friendskeep our show ad-free and accessible to all. They also receive an in-episode shout-out, automatic entry for a spot in our Onward Book Club, the opportunity to submit questions and ideas to our podcast team, and special invitations, such as being offered the opportunity to be coached by Elena on our coaching conversation episodes.

If you love the show and are able to support our work, we would be incredibly grateful if you became a Friend.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Join hundreds of other leaders from across the nation.

Led by our expert Bright Morning facilitators

FREE Coaching Demonstration

Community Webinars

Our monthly webinars are free to our community! These power-packed learning experiences provide a boost of development and connection around timely topics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Bright Morning Podcast: Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, brings weekly tips, tools, and wisdom to educators with one goal: to help you thrive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
23/24 SY Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Network

# data[].attributes.headline
Alexandria City, Virginia Director of Equity (2014)

# data[].attributes.subject
Alexandria City, Virginia Director of Equity (2014)

# data[].attributes.headline
Reporting Student Gender Identify and Sexual Orientation (Public Act 102-0543)

# data[].attributes.subject
Reporting Student Gender Identify and Sexual Orientation (Public Act 102-0543)

# data[].attributes.headline
Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC) Equity Audit

# data[].attributes.subject
Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC) Equity Audit

# data[].attributes.body
This tool was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but do not necessarily represent policy from the U.S. Department of Education.

# data[].attributes.headline
Unconscious Bias: When Good Intentions Aren't Enough by Sarah E. Fiarman (Nov. 2016)

# data[].attributes.subject
Unconscious Bias: When Good Intentions Aren't Enough by Sarah E. Fiarman (Nov. 2016)

# data[].attributes.headline
Synthesis of literature on culturally responsive school leadership

# data[].attributes.subject
Synthesis of literature on culturally responsive school leadership

# data[].attributes.body
http://middlegradesnetwork.pbworks.com/f/Review%20of%20Educational%20Research-2016-Khalifa%20(Cuturally%20Responsive%20)-0034654316630383%20(1).pdf

# data[].attributes.headline
Arlington, Virginia Public Schools Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer (2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
Arlington, Virginia Public Schools Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer (2021)

# data[].attributes.headline
MBAR Diversity Curriculum Workshop Auditing Your Curriculum

# data[].attributes.subject
MBAR Diversity Curriculum Workshop Auditing Your Curriculum

# data[].attributes.headline
Equity Organizational Self-Assessment University of Michigan

# data[].attributes.subject
Equity Organizational Self-Assessment University of Michigan

# data[].attributes.headline
BIPOC or POC? Equity or Equality? The Debate Over Language on the Left by Amy Harmon (Nov. 2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
BIPOC or POC? Equity or Equality? The Debate Over Language on the Left by Amy Harmon (Nov. 2021)

# data[].attributes.headline
Cambridge Massachusetts, Director of Instructional Equity (2010)

# data[].attributes.subject
Cambridge Massachusetts, Director of Instructional Equity (2010)

# data[].attributes.headline
Curriculum Equity Audit Tools from Several States (W40)

# data[].attributes.subject
Curriculum Equity Audit Tools from Several States (W40)

# data[].attributes.headline
Brookline Massachusetts, Senior Director of Educational Equity (2019)

# data[].attributes.subject
Brookline Massachusetts, Senior Director of Educational Equity (2019)

# data[].attributes.headline
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (North Carolina) (2014)

# data[].attributes.subject
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (North Carolina) (2014)

# data[].attributes.headline
Evanston/Skokie Manager of Equity, Diversity and Family Community Engagement

# data[].attributes.subject
Evanston/Skokie Manager of Equity, Diversity and Family Community Engagement

# data[].attributes.headline
Farmington (Michigan) Director of Instructional Equity and Achievement (2016)

# data[].attributes.subject
Farmington (Michigan) Director of Instructional Equity and Achievement (2016)

# data[].attributes.headline
U46 Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

# data[].attributes.subject
U46 Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

# data[].attributes.headline
Oak Park River Forest HS Executive Director of Equity and Student Success (2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
Oak Park River Forest HS Executive Director of Equity and Student Success (2021)

# data[].attributes.headline
Shaker Heights (Ohio) Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
Shaker Heights (Ohio) Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (2021)

# data[].attributes.headline
South Orange Maplewood (New Jersey) Assistant Superintendent for Access & Equity (2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
South Orange Maplewood (New Jersey) Assistant Superintendent for Access & Equity (2021)

# data[].attributes.headline
Stevens Point, Wisconsin Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Coordinator (2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
Stevens Point, Wisconsin Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Coordinator (2021)

# data[].attributes.headline
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Director of Systemic Equity and Inclusion (2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin Director of Systemic Equity and Inclusion (2021)

# data[].attributes.headline
West40 High Needs Remote School - Open to West40, North Cook, and South Cook -  4th - 12th grade

# data[].attributes.subject
West40 High Needs Remote School - Open to West40, North Cook, and South Cook -  4th - 12th grade

# data[].attributes.body
We serve medically and emotionally fragile students that may struggle with in-person school environments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FINAL AND APPROVED Shoreline race and equity tool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr. Ivette Dubiel (she/her/ella) is the founder, CEO and Chief Equity Officer for Systemic Educational Equity, LLC, a full-service diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm. Systemic Educational Equity, LLC offers a wide-range of customized services for public and parochial school districts, non-for-profits and private corporations.

Dr. Dubiel's passion for equity work stems from her identities. Born and raised in Chicago to young, Puerto Rican parents, her first years of life were met with financial struggles and transient challenges, in that, she attended six schools K-8. She was the first in her family to attend college. Prior to Systemic Educational Equity, LLC, Dr. Dubiel started out her career as an Investigator with the Chicago Police Department, Office of Professional Standards. In that capacity, she was responsible for investigating allegations of excessive force, police shootings, deaths in custody, and domestic violence among members of the Chicago Police Department. She also served as an Investigator for the State of Illinois, Office of Executive Inspector General, wherein she was responsible for investigating allegations of malfeasance, fraud and misconduct among State of Illinois employees. After almost a decade, Dr. Dubiel changed career paths to become a teacher.

Dr. Dubiel was an ESL-sheltered and general education teacher in a public school district. She taught intermediate grade levels and sponsored several extracurriculuar clubs including Spanish classes for students and ESL courses for adults. She also served as the grade-level teacher leader at her school. Immediately following her years in the classroom, Dr. Dubiel served as an Assistant Director of Special Programs overseeing the EL department, Gifted/Talented program and Parent Outreach for Oswego School District 308. In 2014, she became the first Director of Educational Equity for Indian Prairie School District 204. Five years later, Dr. Dubiel served as the Executive Director of Equity and Professional Learning for the DuPage Regional Office of Education. After simultaneoulsy serving as a consultant for over six years to a variety of entities, Dr. Dubiel launched her own DEI consulting firm.

Dr. Dubiel currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at two universities. She teaches undergraduate and graduate-level courses on diversity, social justice, and critical transformative leadership as well as foundational pedagogical theories to support instructional practices in working with diverse student populations.

Dr. Dubiel is a co-founder of the Illinois Coalition of Educational Equity Leaders (ICEEL), and was the founder and Board President of the Illinois Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (IALAS). She also served as a co-founder and Board President of the non-profit, Happy Helpers, a 501C3 that organizes volunteer opportunities for families and children aged five and up. Dr. Dubiel also served on the Diverse Learner and Teacher Ready Network for the Illinois State Board of Education.

Dr. Dubiel was a former contributor with Huffington Post, Latino Voices, and has authored these blogs: My Educational Experience, Pedagogy of Love and You Don't Talk Like You're Puerto Rican.

Most recently, Dr. Dubiel was selected to serve as a member of the Community Leadership and Equity Advisory Council for U.S. Representative, Lauren Underwood, for the IL 14th Congressional district.

Dr. Dubiel has earned a bachelor degree from Northern Illinois University, a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in Education from Aurora University and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership also from Aurora University. Dr. Dubiel earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a social justice emphasis from Lewis University. Her reserarch on transformative leadership led to her dissertation, A Case Study of Care and Relationships in Education: Opposing the Neoliberal Agenda.

Systemic Educational Equity, LLC has, and continues, to support over 100 organizations in their equity work. The most sought after services are Equity Audits, Equity Action Plans, and customizable professional development sessions and trainings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dr. Ivette Dubiel (she/her/ella) is the founder, CEO and Chief Equity Officer for Systemic Educational Equity, LLC, a full-service diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm. Systemic Educational Equity, LLC offers a wide-range of customized services for public and parochial school districts, non-for-profits and private corporations. Dr. Dubiel's passion for equity work stems from her identities.

# data[].attributes.body
From employee assistance, ie. counseling to DEI Training for Municipalities & School Districts

# data[].attributes.body
Dr. Teresa Lance the ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF EQUITY AND INNOVATION in U46 is a great resource around the use of this tool. Email: teresalance@u-46.org

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.nationalequityproject.org/blog/the-schools-our-youth-demand

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Youth don't need adult saviors to liberate them or create equity for them; adults can be co-conspirators who aren't afraid to concede power and let youth lead. Demands put power in students' hands to make decisions about their own day-to-day lives, overall dignity, and destiny. Having real agency is an experience that is very rare for most young people, especially BIPOC/queer/working class/marginalized youth. Making demands is an act of liberation in itself.

If you're an adult educator, you may feel uncomfortable or even defensive when it comes to the idea of students making demands of you and their schools. This requires commitment to dismantling the inequitable and hierarchical thinking we have been conditioned to believe. Our schools are designed in a hierarchical structure where the voices of adults are generally valued more than students. When we experience discomfort, it's because we are experiencing a shift in power relations and making steps toward a new equitable structure that centers the needs of students rather than the position of adults.

Resisting the status quo is hard and uncomfortable because the structure of our schools was designed to protect it. A structure that does not make space for students to lead is not a structure in which equity and liberation can exist.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Schools Our Youth Demand - National Equity Project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Student voices must lead our work in building equitable and liberatory schools. Youth demands put power in students' hands to make decisions in their schools.

# data[].attributes.body
https://yparhub.berkeley.edu/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
YPAR is an innovative approach to positive youth and community development based in social justice principles. This hub features expansive curriculum and resources to enrich YPAR projects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
22/23 SY Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
22/23 SY Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Network

# data[].attributes.headline
Metro Chicago Mathematics Initiative (MCMI) PD Offerings for Teachers, Instructional Leaders & Administrators.

# data[].attributes.subject
Metro Chicago Mathematics Initiative (MCMI) PD Offerings for Teachers, Instructional Leaders & Administrators.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
teacher offerings overview

The professional development is designed to provide opportunities for teachers to explore problems of practice and provide high-quality experiences for students by:

Building a collaborative professional community of reflective mathematics teachers;

Developing teachers' understanding of what it means to provide equitable access to a wide variety of learners;

Enhancing participants' abilities to use high-quality mathematics tasks to engage in formative assessment processes and support the development of students' robust understanding of mathematics;

Expanding participants' vision of mathematics teaching and strengthen teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge;

Deepening teachers' understanding of Mathematics by promoting the Mathematical Content and Practices within and across grade levels.

offerings graphic

Collaboration at Multiple Levels

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The professional development is designed to provide opportunities for teachers to explore problems of practice and provide high-quality experiences for students by: Building a collaborative professional community of reflective mathematics teachers; Developing teachers' understanding of what it means to provide equitable access to a wide variety of learners; Enhancing participants'

# data[].attributes.headline
Birth to Five Illinois - Family Council Recruitment

# data[].attributes.subject
Birth to Five Illinois - Family Council Recruitment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you seeking any kind of assistance for your housing, health, education, or other needs? Partnership For Resources, with Find Help, is a simple and free resource to discover numerous services available near you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Partnership for Resilience - Integrating education, health, and community to support the whole child.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch the full video Partnership For Resilience , Community , Education , Health , The Whole Child Integrating education, health, and community to support the Whole Child. Initiatives Contact Us Our District Partners Our Mission The Partnership for Resilience works to improve academic, health, and social outcomes for children by fostering trauma-responsive schools alongside effective family, school,...

# data[].attributes.body
Affirming Voices was founded in March 2020 by Dra. Alexandra Escobar, a Chicagoland social justice equity leader with over sixteen years of experience, addresses the lack of educational equity and the impact of racism and injustice in school communities.

# data[].attributes.body
The book Well-Being in Schools has a chapter that goes through some of the major criticisms of well-being and how to address them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Andy Hargreaves is director of CHENINE (Change, Engagement and Innovation in Education) at the University of Ottawa, research professor in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College, and honorary professor at Swansea University in the UK. He is cofounder and president of the ARC Education Project, a group of nations committed to broadly defined excellence, equity, well-being, inclusion, democracy, and human rights in education.

Hargreaves was president of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement 2017-2019, served as education advisor to the premier of Ontario 2015-2018, and is currently an advisor to the first minister of Scotland. He holds honorary doctorates in the Education University of Hong Kong and the University of Uppsala in Sweden. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He has been honored in the United States, the UK, and Canada for services to public education and educational research.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Well-Being in Schools: Three Forces That Will Uplift Your Students in a Volatile World

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This timely resource for teachers, leaders, and policymakers provides breakthrough insights into how to improve students' well-being in schools. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, students' well-being

# data[].attributes.headline
 The Loft is Now Open to 7th and 8th Grade Students!

# data[].attributes.subject
 The Loft is Now Open to 7th and 8th Grade Students!

# data[].attributes.headline
Free English as a Second Language Classes at the Center of Integration and Development! 

# data[].attributes.subject
Free English as a Second Language Classes at the Center of Integration and Development! 

# data[].attributes.headline
Chase Mielke - What's a stressful thing you're doing this week?

# data[].attributes.subject
Chase Mielke - What's a stressful thing you're doing this week?

# data[].attributes.headline
Graduate Programs for Educators School Professionals

# data[].attributes.subject
Graduate Programs for Educators School Professionals

# data[].attributes.headline
Do you need professional development this summer? Or, are you looking for something to satisfy your own personal enrichment? VESi offers online continuing education courses to fit your educational needs. Take courses when and where you want!

# data[].attributes.subject
Do you need professional development this summer? Or, are you looking for something to satisfy your own personal enrichment? VESi offers online continuing education courses to fit your educational needs. Take courses when and where you want!

# data[].attributes.body
To Register: https://bit.ly/IllinoisOnlineAcademy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Online courses that can be taken by education professionals for recertification or salary advancement purposes.
If you are having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Online courses that can be taken by education professionals for recertification or salary advancement purposes.If you are having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online.

# data[].attributes.headline
 Mental Health Awareness Month_ You Are Not Alone💚

# data[].attributes.subject
 Mental Health Awareness Month_ You Are Not Alone💚

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Administrator Academies | West40 Website _v2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This 2-day Academy is required for future administrators who need to be qualified in order to evaluate principals. This training will fulfill the INITIAL PRINCIPAL AND PRINCIPAL RETRAINING Requirements. Presenter: Dr. Sonya Spaulding

# data[].attributes.body
An innovative way to teach 21st century skills all year round

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2024-08-21-Fwd_ STEM follow up conversation

# data[].attributes.headline
Two More PD Opportunities Left: Teaching about the Asian American Experience: A Primer

# data[].attributes.subject
Two More PD Opportunities Left: Teaching about the Asian American Experience: A Primer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2024-08-27-Fwd_ Two More PD Opportunities Left_ Teaching about the Asian American Experience_ A Primer

# data[].attributes.headline
"Back to School" Free Resources - Brookfield Zoo Chicago

# data[].attributes.subject
"Back to School" Free Resources - Brookfield Zoo Chicago