School districts meet to outline Vision 20/20

The school boards and administrators from Benjamin Elementary District 25, West Chicago Elementary District 33, Winfield Elementary District 34, and Community High School District 94 recently met to discuss common vision, leadership and direction.

This annual meeting of the boards and administrators serves many purposes, chiefly as a time to learn, reflect and collaborate with leaders who serve a common population. Meeting locations rotate through the four districts, the most recent being held at Leman Middle School in West Chicago in late January. Topics are chosen and developed by the board of education members.

This year, the topic was Vision 20/20 - the opportunity for educators and school boards to take back education, to be the architects of our own future rather than at the mercy of legislation. Vision 20/20 is a long-term plan that challenges the state legislature and governor, along with all stakeholders, to take action to fulfill the promise of public education in Illinois by the year 2020.

In November 2012, the Illinois Association of School Administrators initiated this visioning process in partnership with the Illinois Principals Association, the Illinois Association of School Business Officials, the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Superintendents' Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity, and the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools to unite the education community and to develop a long-range blueprint for improving public education in Illinois.

Vision 20/20 believes it is the responsibility of educators to reflect upon the current state of education in Illinois and take action to create an education system that meets the needs of all students.

Through Vision 20/20, four areas for prioritization emerged: Highly effective educators, 21st century learning, shared accountability, and equitable and adequate funding.

Vision 20/20 is a process that will lead to meaningful and lasting change and its intent is to be a decision-making framework to guide ongoing advocacy and align public educators around a common vision for the future. For more information on Vision 20/20, visit www.illinoisvision2020.org.

As the boards and administrators learned about this vision, talked with each other, and exchanged ideas, one thing became clear; more opportunities to collaborate were needed. The high school board of education has sought to meet with the feeder school boards to drill down through data analysis and discuss how we are serving students.

Several meetings have occurred and a greater understanding of each other, the issues that are faced, and the students we serve have led to meaningful collaboration and the opportunity to develop a shared vision to better serve our communities.

• Doug Domeracki is superintendent of Community High School District 94. His column appears in Neighbor monthly during the school year.