Chief of Staff Barb Bonner retires from U-46 after 37 years

For Elgin Area School District U-46, it's the end of an era.

After 37 years, district Chief of Staff Barb Bonner will retire at the end of this month.

At Monday's school board meeting, board member Karen Carney read a lengthy list of Bonner's accomplishments.

After beginning in the district as a business teacher in 1973, she moved to work as dean of students at Gifford Street Alternative High School in 1986. In 1990, she became the coordinator of vocational education and director of adult education.

Bonner, of Elgin, took the helm of Larsen Middle School in Elgin in 1994. In 2001, she moved to district headquarters, as an area superintendent.

In 2004, she was assistant superintendent for secondary education, before being named chief academic officer in 2005 and chief of staff in 2009.

"If there was something to do, someone went to Barb," Carney, of Bartlett, said. "To have that kind of dedication and commitment will be sorely missed."

Bonner told the board that she has "truly loved every job that I've had. I've held the belief that all children need to be priorities for all adults in this community."

Congratulations, Barb.

ECC's 'Kids College' begins its third year: This week, Elgin Community College began its third year of "Kids' College" a summer day camp which aim to step above the ordinary.

Open to students ages 6 to 15, classes include "duct tape art," starting a rock band, engineering, Lego vehicles and mud mania classes. Camps run through the end of July. For more information, www.elgin.edu/noncreditclasses.aspx?Category=KIDS#classes.

Elgin Leadership Academy helps Hillcrest students: For the second year in a row, the Elgin Leadership Academy has picked Hillcrest Elementary students to help in their spring service project.

Outgoing Principal Duane Meighan, a Leadership Academy Member, said the team focused specifically on Jeri Hofmann's first grade and John Alimi's second and third grade ELL class. Field trips were "delivered" to students, and members of the leadership academy also read aloud to classes on a weekly basis.

Students received school supplies, books and gift cards as an end-of-the year gift.

Meighan says he hopes the project will expand next year, even though he will be moving to a new district.