It is hard to believe that we have already completed a quarter of the school year and are quickly approaching the end of the first semester.

As we enter the heart of the fall season, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your hard work and dedication. Your commitment to our students and families is truly inspiring and makes a significant impact on their lives every day.

This month we also honor and celebrate the courageous men and women who have served in the armed forces. Thank you for your dedication, sacrifice, and commitment to protecting our freedoms. Your service will never be forgotten.

We are here to serve and support at ROE #51. Please reach out if you have questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Shannon Fehrholz, Regional Superintendent

ROE 51 Capital Area Career Fair

ROE 51 Capital Area Career Fair

The ROE 51 Capital Area Career Fair was a success on October 2. The fair served nearly 2,000 students throughout the day. Students were able to visit post-secondary booths from colleges and universities within Illinois as well as outside Illinois. The fair also provided resources from the military. Mark your calendars for the ROE 51 Capital Area Career Fair next year on October 8, 2025!

ROE 51 Fall Forum

ROE 51 Fall Forum

Thank you to our school districts who participated in the ROE 51 Fall Forum at the Crowne Plaza on October 11. The event was a huge success! Thank you to our keynote speaker, Lani Lawson, as well as our breakout session presenters. Each session brought a different dynamic and resource to the table for our teachers and administrators. The event would not have been as successful without our presenters. Finally, thank you to our sponsors as the day would have not been possible without their generous donations! ROE 51 looks forward to hosting the event in the future!

Reminders

If you failed to renew your Professional Educator License prior to the August 31 deadline, you will need to reinstate your license. To learn more about license reinstatement, please visit ISBE's reinstatement requirements. If you do not have 9 semester hours of coursework, you must submit the reinstatement fee which is $50. In addition, you must submit payment for all back registration fees.

All recent retirees need to update their PD/Employment status in their ELIS account to "retired." Find step-by-step instructions here. If you retired and do not update your PD/Employment status to reflect as "retired," your license will lapse if not renewed.

Updating your license to a "retired" status waives the renewal fee and professional development requirement.

All outstanding professional development/administrator academies must be completed prior to reinstating your license. Professional development can only be completed through an approved Illinois provider. You can find a list of approved Illinois professional development providers here.

School Bus Training

Participants for initial and refresher bus driver training courses must be registered with ROE 51 prior to attending the course. Please visit our website for scheduled dates and registration information. You can find courses in September and October.

Administrator Corner

Beginning July 1, 2024, new administrator academy updates were implemented by ISBE. Here are the key takeaways:

-AA 4050 became initial training and retraining for principal evaluators only

-AA 3000 will continue to be retraining but for teacher evaluators only

-AA 1865 will no longer be offered as a new student growth academy is being developed and will be available in the fall

To learn more, please visit ISBE's website.

Upcoming Administrator Academies

Do you need an administrator academy to continue evaluating teachers or administrators or to fulfill your renewal requirement for licensure? Sign up for an upcoming administrator academy here.

Reminder

Please remember that if you are working in an administrative position you must complete one administrator academy per fiscal year in order to successfully renew your Professional Educator License. If you miss an administrator academy, you will owe the academy you missed in addition to a penalty academy for that year. It is recommended administrators review their ELIS account on a regular basis to ensure compliance with ISBE. A common mistake made is administrators not completing their evaluation survey. The evaluation survey must be completed in ELIS prior to credit being awarded for the academy completed.

Staff Spotlight

Learn more about your local ROE 51 staff members!

This month we are featuring Dr. Mary Loken!

This month’s ROE staff spotlight shines on Dr. Mary Loken, a remarkable educator with deep roots in Mason City, Iowa. After graduating from college in 1954, Dr. Loken began her career at a children’s hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, during the challenging polio outbreak.

In 1965, she and her husband relocated to Springfield, Illinois, when he accepted an engineering position. Initially planning to stay home, Dr. Loken’s plans changed when she learned about a shortage of substitute teachers in the local schools. Without hesitation, she joined the substitute teacher list, and within a week, she transitioned from substitute to the director of special education. This was a pivotal time, as Illinois had just enacted a mandatory special education law, requiring public schools to serve students with disabilities. Dr. Loken quickly became a beloved figure in the district, significantly impacting the community. One of her most notable achievements was collaborating with the school board to establish Lee School, designed specifically for special education students in Springfield.

Today, Dr. Loken continues to inspire others in the field of education, celebrating an impressive 70-year career, entirely dedicated to special education. When asked about her greatest impact, she humbly stated, "The mentoring of men and women who wanted to be teachers of kids with disabilities." Her passion for mentorship remains strong, as she loves guiding new teachers and helping them realize their potential in the classroom and beyond. Her advice to aspiring educators is simple yet profound: "Keep your eyes open and listen—listen to the kids, families, and school officials. Strive to make a difference."

The ROE 51 family is truly enriched by Dr. Loken’s presence, and we are incredibly grateful for her contributions!

SCLA

SCLA Congratulations!

Congratulations to 17 of our Sangamon County Learning Academy students as they earned honor roll for the first quarter of school. They are celebrating with a pizza party!

Upcomig Professional Development

Professional Learning Opportunities

ROE 51 has multiple professional development opportunities approaching in the months of November, December, and January. Please visit our professional learning webpage to learn more!

Homeless

Food Baskets

The ROE 51 homeless liaisons will be delivering food baskets to over 100 families in need across Sangamon and Menard counties. With the generous support from Hope Church we are able to provide families with nutritious food to last for several weeks.

As we continue our mission, we remain committed to working closely with homeless families to ensure they receive the essential resources they need. Together, we can build a stronger, more compassionate community.

Project Impact

A team from Washington Middle School (WMS), including the ROE 51 Project Impact team, recently participated in the Pathways to Restorative Leadership training led by Kevin Jones. This training focused on the practical application of Restorative Practices within educational settings.

During the session, the team discovered that Restorative Practices in schools have a long-standing history, originating from approaches used in the criminal justice system. Mr. Jones provided specific, effective strategies for implementation. A highlight of the training was the importance of proactive language. This type of communication helps express feelings, opinions, and thoughts in ways that resonate with others, reinforcing positive behaviors and redirecting undesired actions while fostering a supportive classroom community.

Affective language was identified as essential vocabulary for classroom circles, restorative conversations, and quick communications aimed at behavior correction. The WMS team is looking forward to additional training sessions with Mr. Jones throughout the school year, eager to deepen their understanding and application of these vital practices.

Illinois Teacher Resources

The Illinois State Museum (ISM) can serve as a great resource for you and your classroom. ISM is committed to working with educators to be a resource for ALL of Illinois. This short Teacher Resources Survey provides critical data to help us fulfill our responsibilities as a public institution. Let us know how we can help you!