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What we’ve been up to... |
As we kick off this Newsletter, we want to acknowledge that school districts and postsecondary institutions across Illinois have continued to do great work during the opening months of this year despite the many external pressures that educational organizations are facing. We appreciate your work supporting students and educators at all levels in communities across Illinois!
ISBE Numeracy Plan Listening Tour – Last week, we hosted the ISBE Numeracy Plan Listening Tour at our NIU Naperville Conference Center. There was a great turnout from across Chicagoland and beyond with really specific, thoughtful, and actionable feedback provided. Thank you to ISBE for
holding these sessions and to everyone who attended!
District 211 Future Educator Conference – This past week, we welcomed hundreds of high school students who are considering careers in education to NIU for the first of three successive, customized, regional conferences for students. Students heard from Dean Mary Earick and engaged in hands-on breakout sessions with faculty members on topics ranging from disciplinary literacy to building community and belonging in the classroom to authentic learning.
Golden Apple Foundation Impact Award – In addition to its high-profile teacher and leadership awards, the Golden Apple Foundation continues to expand both its Scholars and Accelerators teacher preparation programs. In our work, we are able to partner closely with the Golden Apple Foundation on a variety of programs and projects, and we were excited to support their work by attending this year’s Impact Award.
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Register for Student-Centered Coaching Level 1 Today!
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The Educational Coaching Network is excited to collaborate with Diane Sweeney on an innovative new Student-Centered Coaching workshop series for this year! This series seeks to build leadership capacity in schools among coaches and administrators in order to fully leverage Student-Centered Coaching.
This year’s series includes six workshops divided into three levels. Participants can choose to attend as few or as many individual workshops as they want.
November 17–18 – Level 1 Workshops – DeKalb, Illinois
February 24–25 – Level 2 Workshops – Naperville, Illinois
April 14–15 – Level 3 Workshops – Naperville, Illinois
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| Learn more and register now
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Dual Credit and Weighted Grades – New Survey
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Please take just a few minutes to help provide updated information to Illinois’ statewide dual credit community!
During the 2021-2022 school year, the Illinois P-20 Network conducted a short survey on Dual Credit and Weighted Grades. The results of this survey were shared with districts across Illinois through an ILACEP webinar and slide deck. Read more about the 2021-2022 survey on the Illinois P-20 Network website. Since March 2022, the Illinois P-20 Network is aware that many school districts have reviewed and refined their practices. Now, we are launching this new survey to better understand the current state of grade weighting for dual credit courses across Illinois.
This new survey is confidential (your school district will not be disclosed). Please take this very quick and short, but very important, survey, and please share it with others!
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Join Us – A Teacher’s Shoes Documentary
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Join us on for an unforgettable evening celebrating the heart and soul of education.
“A Teacher’s Shoes” is a compelling new short documentary that offers a powerful look at a single day in the life of three teachers who are NIU alumni. This film follows their journey from home to the classroom and beyond, highlighting their dedication and the profound impact they make. Walk alongside these passionate educators as they navigate challenges, spark curiosity, and leave lasting imprints on their students and communities. Whether you're an aspiring teacher, a proud Huskie or simply someone who believes in the power of education, this screening will move you, inspire you, and remind you why great teachers matter.
The showing will take place on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, from 5.30 to 7.30 PM at Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center. The evening’s schedule is:
While registration is not required, you are encouraged to RSVP, so the NIU College of Education team can plan accordingly and acknowledge those attending.
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ISBE Redesigned Accountability Plan – Listening Tour |
ISBE has proposed a redesigned accountability plan that aims to make designations more transparent, informative, and useful for driving improvement. You can review the draft proposal on the ISBE website to learn how the proposed system better recognizes every school’s strengths and supports continuous improvement for all. Then, you can share your feedback at any of ISBE’s
three upcoming Accountability Redesign Phase II listening events:
Nov. 6: Huntley High School, 13719 Harmony Rd., Huntley, IL 60142
Nov. 7: Normal Community High School, 3900 E. Raab Rd., Normal, IL 61761
Nov. 14: O’Fallon Township High School District 203 Smiley Campus (Panther Center), 600 S. Smiley St., O’Fallon, IL 62269
All events take place from 10 AM – 12 PM, and you can reserve your invitation by visiting the ISBE Eventbrite page.
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FREE Adventure-Based Learning Workshop
Share with physical education teachers, counselors, social workers, and other educators!
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This free workshop will be held on Saturday, November 8, from 12 to 4.30 PM at Glenbard East High School.
The workshop is designed to meet the wide range of interests and varied experiences of educators who may be looking to introduce, refine, or elevate their offerings of Adventure-Based Learning (ABL). In this interactive workshop, participants will engage in a series of activities that reinforce key ABL principles (e.g., Community Building, Communication, Decision Making, etc.) and which support the work school districts are doing with students on Social and Emotional Learning and the ISBE Essential Skills.
The agenda includes an overview and sequencing of ABL both in physical education and in other settings, including: belaying, low elements, high level group initiatives, and high elements. Led by experienced Facilitators Nicole Miller and Jim Ressler, participants will leave with resources for instant implementation – including planning materials, facilitation guides, and a range of processing strategies to document and enhance the learning experience. Attendance is free, and Professional Development Hours are available!
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| Register for the Adventure-Based Learning Workshop
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2025 Illinois Report Card Released
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With implications and information for educators across the full spectrum of P-20, the 2025 Illinois State Board of Education Illinois Report Card was released this week as required by law. The report card is available at: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/
In addition to the report card itself, ISBE has provided other supporting resources to districts to help with communication around the report card. These are available on the ISBE Data and Accountability Illinois Report Card web page under the Resources section. These resources include sample parent letters in multiple languages, guidance related to the Equity Journey Continuum and explaining the Summative Designation, and explanations of key metrics that can be used with educators and other stakeholders alike.
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P-20 Network Email Newsletter —
Pass it along today! |
P-20 Network Newsletters will typically come out every two weeks on Friday. The newsletters include updates on critical policy developments, professional development opportunities, success stories from the Network and much more.
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You are receiving this message because you have previously attended a P-20 Network Meeting and/or have been on previous P-20 Network emails. We encourage
you to forward this email to others in your organization, such as principals, assistant principals, and department chairs by using the Forward to a Friend link below. Others can subscribe by simply completing this very short form.
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Forward this message by using the “Forward to a Friend” button below.
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Copyright © 2025 Illinois P-20 Network, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Illinois P-20 Network
Lowden Hall
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
United States
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