For U-46's departing 'proud Superintendent' Sanders, it was always about the students

You can ask Tony Sanders what he'll miss most about his job leading Elgin Area School District U-46, but the answer is obvious — the students.

Not only are students the center of his work philosophy, but Sanders also has made it his mission to get to know students, listen to and address their concerns, and share in their successes.

His Twitter feed describes him as a “proud Superintendent” and is littered with selfies of Sanders with U-46 students.

Throughout his tenure leading the state's second-largest school district, Sanders regularly visited schools. He would attend plays, concerts, sporting and other special events to show his support for students.

“The blessing of working every day in a school district is if you're having a rough day, you can visit a school, and being around students just fills your bucket and keeps you going,” Sanders said.

This week, students, parents, alumni, teachers and community members said goodbye to Sanders, who is leaving to become the state superintendent of education. His last day with the district is Wednesday.

During a reception this week at South Elgin High School, attendees thanked Sanders for his years of service in U-46. The event included performances by members of the various high school bands, a Bartlett High School string quartet and South Elgin High School student Xitlali Garcia. Members of Sanders' cabinet shared stories and presented him with a trophy crafted out of a coat rack that featured various trinkets representing his time with the district.

“He's a great guy,” said Tarani Kalagara, a South Elgin High School junior who attended the farewell reception. “It's pretty cool to see someone from our district go (to serve as state superintendent).”

Chris Romeo, an Elgin man who also attended Wednesday's event, said, “The best thing about him is he stands up for what he believes in to do what's best for the students.”

Sanders started his career in education in 2004, as acting director of communications and governmental relations for the Illinois State Board of Education. After serving a year in that role, he went on to head up the communications office for St. Louis Public Schools before joining U-46 in 2007 as the district's chief communications officer.

Sanders worked his way up, earning a master's in business administration, a chief school business official endorsement and finally a superintendent endorsement.

During his tenure, U-46 launched a full-day kindergarten program, expanded its dual-language and dual-credit programs, and revamped its disciplinary policy so that expulsion now rarely is used as a means to deal with disruptive behavior.

Sanders also lobbied for a change in the state's funding formula that helps steer more resources to under-resourced schools, a move that has helped U-46 over the years.

“My philosophy here has been that we need to change our structures until they measurably work for all kids,” Sanders said. “And that's the same imperative that I'll take with me to the state of Illinois.”

It's that philosophy, coupled with his ability to connect with students, that trickles down to classrooms, those at Wednesday's reception said.

“Kids want to learn and excel, in part, because you make it so,” Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein of Congregation Kneseth Israel in Elgin said during her remarks at Wednesday's reception.

Though Sanders did not start as a teacher, he says he is well aware of the challenges teachers face in today's classrooms and will work to ensure that schools across the state have the tools necessary to meet student needs.

“We have great teachers. We have great support professionals,” he said. “We just need to make sure that the systems that support teaching and learning are in place across the state.”

Sanders views himself as educators' “biggest fan” and considers the work of teachers “the most noble profession.” He comes from a family of educators. He now finds himself in the same spot as his father, Ted, who brought his family to Illinois in the 1980s to take a job as the state's superintendent of education. His father later was named as undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Education under President George H.W. Bush in 1989.

“He's very excited,” Sanders said of his father. “He's been sending me articles ever since (the announcement).”

U-46 employees and board members also are proud to have one of their own lead the state board of education.

“We are blessed to have him, and now we will be blessed to share him with the rest of the students throughout the state of Illinois,” said Ann Williams, deputy superintendent for operations.

Sanders noted U-46 is at a pivotal time. The district is seeking voter approval in April to borrow $179 million to help pay for a building program expected to cost more than $300 million.

Approval would not increase the district's tax rate as it would replace retiring debt with new debt.

Sanders said he regrets the timing of his departure but remained hopeful that voters would see the benefits of upgrading the district's aging schools.

“I'm hopeful that they'll see the benefits of replacing buildings that were built in the 1880s and giving students the opportunity to be in 21st-century learning environments,” Sanders said.

Though he could not officially endorse the proposal, he made sure to mention it during his parting remarks Wednesday and encouraged voters to get information before heading to the polls. “Our kids deserve the best of the best, and this is an opportunity for the community to send that message to us and do it in a way that does not increase their taxes.”