DeKalb CUSD428

We welcome Maurice McDavid as the first principal of Dr. Leroy A. Mitchell Elementary and share his excitement about the transformative presence Mitchell Elementary will bring to D428 students, families, and the entire community.

Rewarding opportunities await! District 428 (D428) is hosting a Paraprofessional Job Fair on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at DeKalb High School (501 W. Dresser Rd) from 1 to 4 p.m. The event aims to recruit individuals to work as instructional assistants, also known as paraprofessionals, within the district.   The job fair, which can be easily accessed through the Huskie Line bus route 18 (stop #689), will allow attendees to speak with hiring professionals and participate in on-site interviews. Anticipated starting salaries for these positions begin from $15.50 per hour, and a 3-year paraprofessional license can be obtained with just a high school diploma.   “Being an instructional assistant is incredibly rewarding, ” said Lisa Becker, Ph.D., assistant director of Student Services. “Every day is different, and you’ll have the chance to positively impact the lives of students in our community.”   Benefits of the job include earning a pension, the opportunity to work at the same school as your child (for DeKalb residents), tuition waivers to further your education at Northern Illinois University (NIU), and all major holidays, weekends, and summers off. Health insurance and other benefits are also available.   Childcare and refreshments will be provided for attendees while they speak with the hiring professionals. For more information, visit dist428.org or call Karen Isham at 815-754-1024.

I believe in the work I do. I believe that all children should have an accessible engaging education. I believe in community schools. I believe it takes all of us to make it happen. Today, in DeKalb CUSD428, we broke ground in a community where 31% of my students live but get on a bus everyday. And, we named our school after a man who brought the true meaning of CHANCE to DeKalb. We aren’t talking equity, we are enacting justice.#soproud

Tune into WGN-TV tonight at 9 p.m. to catch this cover story about DeKalb High School student Jaden Teague Núñez. Jaden is an amazing talent who recently won the 2024 Craig-Mailing Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition. He is the first steelpan player to have achieved this prestigious honor. This is just one of Jaden's many accomplishments. Our DeKalb 428 family is incredibly proud of Jaden, who is a testament to the diverse opportunities available to our students to find and pursue their passions and to the dedicated and talented educators who support them.

It's not often that the State Superintendent is able to spend time in DeKalb, so Dr. Minerva Garcia-Sanchez was honored to host Dr. Tony Sanders for a visit this morning. We greatly appreciate the time he spent listening and learning more about our successes, challenges, and plans to invest in the future for our students and community.

AI is here, and its use and impact on our world is expanding rapidly. How to incorporate this powerful technology into our classrooms to support teaching, learning, and student success is the topic for today's Institute Day. The District recognizes the potential of AI in public education and acknowledges both opportunities and ethical challenges. We are focusing on human-centered AI, emphasizing tools for the 21st-century classroom with guidance that empowers teachers, personalizes student learning, and ensures fairness and access. We're proud to be leading conversations and guidance on AI use in public education. WREX: DeKalb school district could potentially bring new A.I program into classrooms this fall: https://lnkd.in/gEZKsGtf

Our thanks to Technology Director Ben Bayle CETL, who, along with his team, ensures D428 is at the forefront of proactively addressing the increasing cybersecurity risks faced by school districts. According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, "for K-12 schools, cyber incidents are so prevalent that, on average, there is more than one incident per school day."

I am always excited about sharing the wonderful things happening in my district, DeKalb CUSD428. I am humbled to share this article that speaks to the great work happening here. Thank you Jason at IASA for taking the time to listen. #DeKalbProud

Today is recognized as School Board Members Day by the Illinois Association of School Boards. This year's theme is Learn Together, Lead Together, which is what it takes to keep moving our district forward on behalf of our students. Especially today, we thank our board members, President Deyci Ramirez, Vice President Steve Byers, Secretary Ariel Owens, members Christopher Boyes, Vanta Bynum, Amanda Harness, and Andre Powell, along with our student board representative Jenna Zimmerman, for their service. Even though board members are elected or appointed, they are volunteers who devote a tremendous amount of time and effort as our front-line advocates for providing a vision for the district and a pathway to success for our students. As we learn together, we lead together, and together, we are making a difference. We are grateful for your service and partnership! #ThankaBoardMember #Schoolboards #SchoolBoardMemberDay #publicschools

It was our pleasure to host Superintendents from DeKalb, Kane, McHenry, Boone, and Winnebago counties today for the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) Kishwaukee Region meeting. These meetings provide valuable time for district leaders to discuss current issues facing districts, legislative updates and communication, and more. Following the morning meeting, the Illinois Administrators Acadamy offered a presentation and training on superintendent and school board relations and effectiveness. Thanks for joining us in DeKalb! #superintendents #schooldistricts #leadership