2010 President: Joseph Alesandrini, Pekin

More than half of IASB’s divisions increased the percentage of newly elected board members who attended training or workshop opportunities during the Association’s “20% Challenge.”

Data show page views for the IASB website topped 1 million for the first time in 2009. The site’s 142,244 “unique visitors” averaged 11,854 monthly visits and 382,813 site visits during. The site, launched in 1996, was redesigned in 2008 and now has more than 1,700 pages online.

IASB’s Targeting Achievement through Governance (TAG) Program and the Five-State Policy Project: Targeting Student Learning (TSL) received the 2010 Thomas A. Shannon Award for Excellence in School Board Leadership from the National School Boards Association.

A new packet of materials, “Recruiting School Board Candidates,” is released to help boards and communities recruit prospective school board candidates during the next election cycle or during an appointment process.

Association membership reached an all-time high of 97.8 percent. As of February, only 11 districts in Illinois were not members, the lowest count ever recorded in the number of districts that have chosen not to belong to the Association.

Approximately 936 Illinois school leaders attend the NSBA conference in Chicago April 9-12.

Three long-time staff members retired in 2010: Douglas P. Blair, with 34 years; Dave Love, and Kora Searcy with 10 years each. Patrick Rice is hired to replace Love as director of field services for the Association’s Egyptian, Illini, Shawnee and Wabash Valley divisions.

IASB hosted its Fourth Biennial LeaderShop Academy Symposium. Keynote speaker was Jim Nowlan, a former state lawmaker, author and newspaper publisher. Theme for the symposium was “Building Trust through Transparency.”

Mary Ellen McElligott, a 32-year-veteran district secretary from Marquardt SD 15, received the Holly Jack Outstanding Service Award. The award is named after long-time IASB administrative assistant Holly Jack, who died in 2008.

2011 President: Joseph Alesandrini, Pekin

A survey showed that respondents see field services staff as “helpful/supportive” and “professional, and that the services provided are “educational,” “high quality” and have a “good reputation.” Respondents also said they value in-district content workshops.

Executive committee members elected for 2011 are: Ben Andersen, East Dubuque CUSD 119; Karen Fisher, Ottawa THSD 140; Tom Neely, Morton CUSD 709; and Roger Pfister, Carbondale ESD 95. They joined IASB officers President Joseph Alesandrini, president; Carolyne Brooks, vice president; Mark C. Metzger, immediate past president; and Dane Tippett, treasurer.

Illinois delegates for NSBA’s 2011 Federal Relations Network conference in Washington, D.C., were: Joseph Alesandrini, Pekin CHSD 303; Carolyne Brooks, West Richland CUSD 2; Mike Kelly, Plainfield CUSD 202; Mark C. Metzger, Indian Prairie CUSD 204; and Michelle Skinlo, Mattoon CUSD 2.

Michael D. Johnson, executive director emeritus, was named the 2011 recipient of the Thomas A. Shannon Award for Excellence in School Boards Association Leadership at the National School Boards Association annual Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Johnson was cited for doubling the size of IASB’s staff to meet district needs, reaching an all-time high membership percentage and leading three capital improvement projects, in addition to fostering partnerships and entrepreneurial funding, and finding new revenue opportunities.

IASB/IASA/IASBO Joint Annual Conference registration materials were posted online for the first time, making access more equitable than by mailing registration packets to districts.

Sharon Studinger Kennedy retired after 16 years as an IASB policy services consultant. Before coming to the Association, she had been a teacher, counselor and coordinator for academically gifted students at Morton High School.

IASB Executive Search Services rolled out an online application process in addition to posting openings online that include salary information and closing dates.

Karen Carney, Kishwaukee Division, announced her retirement from the Board of Directors because she was not seeking reelection to her local board.

Anthony G. Scariano, an equity partner with Scariano, Himes and Petrarca in Chicago, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by NSBA’s Council of School Attorneys.

A national search began for a replacement for Michael D. Johnson, executive director emeritus, who will retire July 1, 2012. Members of the IASB Board of Directors, led by President Joseph Alesandrini, will conduct the search.

Changes to the Board of Directors include: Dr. Tariq Butt, who represented Chicago Public Schools District 299 for 15 years, retired. Linda Eades replaced Felton Jose Jr. to represent the Kaskaskia Division. Dale Hansen, Grant Park CUSD 6, was named interim treasurer after Dane Tippett was not reelected to his local board.

Recent staff changes included: Nesa Brauer retired as consultant/board development. Sandra Kwasa was promoted from consultant to director/board development. Susan Hilton was promoted to director/governmental relations. Kim Munch, Julie Niewinski and Angie Powell were promoted to administrative assistants.

Beginning with the July 2011 issue, the Illinois School Board Newsbulletin became an online-only publication, available in both print and PDF versions.

The Resolutions Committee, chaired by Vice President Carolyne Brooks, reviewed 20 proposals to put before the 2011 Delegate Assembly on a variety of topics, many related to funding concerns and the financial difficulties that districts are facing.

John Cassel retired at the end of August after nearly 18 years as a field services director for the North Cook, DuPage and Starved Rock divisions. Laurel DiPrima assumed Cassel’s duties on September 1, moving from policy services consultant. The move also precipitated a realignment of divisions. DiPrima will serve Kishwaukee, Northwest and Starved Rock. Field services director Barbara Toney will serve Lake, North Cook and DuPage divisions. Brian Zumpf joined IASB policy services as a full-time consultant. He had been an extern in 2010 in the office of general counsel.

The Board of Directors approved the final six sets of division bylaws to complete the process for all of IASB’s 21 divisions.

Jesse Ruiz, former chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education, was named to the IASB Board of Directors to represent Chicago Public Schools.

IASB staff developed an online course to meet the requirements of SB 7 for mandatory board training on financial oversight and accountability, education and labor law, and fiduciary responsibility.

Attendance at Joint Annual Conference topped 11,000 with 85 percent of member districts sending at least one representative. The 738 districts represented 79 more than in 2010. The Delegate Assembly adopted resolutions to support legislation to exempt school districts from the scope of the Prevailing Wage Act and another to require the state to pay interest on late state aid payments, among others.

Shelly F. Marks, president of the Homewood SD 153 school board, received the Thomas Lay Burroughs Award from the Illinois State Board of Education, and Dottie Crews, district administrative secretary for New Berlin CUSD 16, received the Holly Jack Outstanding Service Award.

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