New state superintendent of education aims to bring his accessible approach to ISBE
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune.Tony Sanders, state superintendent of education, takes a selfie with the school mascot Raptor and Co-Principal Janice Wells as he visits the Rich Township High School STEM Campus in Olympia Fields on May 19, 2023.
Sanders was born in New Mexico, where his father was a deputy superintendent. When Sanders was 9 years old, his family moved to Nevada so his father could step in as the state superintendent of education in Nevada. Then, when Sanders was 15, they moved to Illinois, where his father held the position Sanders holds now.
In leaving U-46, where his career grew exponentially, Sanders said it was bittersweet because his family still lives in Elgin and his children graduated from the district. District U-46 was one of the few in the state that stayed remote for a longer period of time and continued masking all the way until the governor’s mandate was lifted.
In 2014 as superintendent at U-46, Sanders created Dream Academy, an alternative high school in Elgin, to reduce expulsions and provide students with trauma-informed care.The school has 14 programs with an average class size of 15 to 18 students tailored to kids whose social, emotional and academic needs have made it difficult for them to learn in the traditional school environment.“By and large we need more social workers. We need more counselors.
Sanders stressed that there are over 3,000 vacant teaching positions across the state, adding that U-46 wasn’t immune to staff shortages. He said he stepped in several times to substitute teach classes as a result of an increase in retirements and a slowdown in hiring. Sanders emphasized the need for a diverse educator force, citing the work of U-46′s Grow Your Own program that allowed any paraprofessional, bus driver or support staff member who wanted to become a teacher in the district to return to school, with tuition covered.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Case for Taxing Vehicles by WeightMeet Deion Sanders’s Ford F-650 super-truck.
Read more »
Tony B: The Staten Island real estate agent making waves on social mediaTony B has become a social media sensation, following a very simple formula: tell the buyer what you're selling and what makes it great.
Read more »
Arizona State lands four-star Texas defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba - Rivals.com
Read more »
Biden administration announces $251M investment in carbon capture in seven states, including IllinoisThe Biden administration on Wednesday announced $251 million for carbon capture and storage projects in seven states, aiming to reducing reduce planet-warming pollution from power plants and other industrial facilities.
Read more »
Biggest Illinois Lotto jackpot in almost 3 years up for grabs Thursday nightThe largest Lotto jackpot in nearly three years is up for grabs Thursday night, when Illinois Lottery players have the chance to scoop up more than $15 million.
Read more »
Mother accused of abducting daughter in 2017 returns to Illinois to face chargesThe woman accused of abducting her daughter in 2017, in a custody dispute, has returned to Illinois to face her charges.
Read more »