Episodes

In this episode, we talk to Lisa Kendall, the Director of the Heart of Illinois Low Incidence Association. HILIA was formed to promote, establish, and maintain a continuum of comprehensive services for children with the low incidence eligibility of Deafness, Hearing Impairment and/or Visual Impairment. Learn more about HILIA at https://roe17.org/programs/hilia

In this week's episode, we talk to Anita Beaman, the District Librarian at Blue Ridge CUSD 18. We discuss the process of becoming a school librarian, technology in the library, and keeping students in grades K-12 involved.

In this episode, we talk to Matt Sherrill, the Regional Educational Technology Coordinator for the East Central Region with the Learning Technology Center of Illinois. We talk to Matt about his role with LTC, AI in the classroom, and more! https://www.ltcillinois.org/

In this episode, we chat with Beth Steffens and Emilie Young, teachers at Chester-East Lincoln School. To kick off the school year they offered "Speed Date with a Book" as an activity to get their 7th and 8th graders excited about reading. We talk about this event and other ways they keep reading, such as fun and engaging, to develop lifelong readers.

Tina Rose has served as the teacher for the McLean County Juvenile Detention Center for 12 years. The JDC is a short-term secure facility that houses juveniles who have been accused of serious crimes or have been sentenced to confinement for a short period. The JDC serves the 11th judicial circuit in Central Illinois.

In this episode, we talk with Brian O'Kraski, a veteran teacher at the Regional Alternative School Bloomington Campus. Brian graduated with a bachelor's degree in History-Social Science Education from Illinois State University and also received a Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS 1) endorsement from Eureka College. Some of his current responsibilities at RAS include managing the Work Based Learning Program, postsecondary advising for students, job coaching and assistance, creating a Career Exp...

In this episode, we talk with Gary Tipsord, the Executive Director of the Illinois Association of Regional School Superintendents. Mr. Tipsord just completed his first six months on the job, he reflects on what he has learned, and what he hopes to see in the future. Learn more about IARSS at https://iarss.org/

In this episode, we chat with Rita DiVita, a veteran teacher at Normal Community High School in Unit 5. The Family and Consumer Sciences Department is nothing like the movie depictions of home economics of the 1950s. This modern department offers students the opportunity to learn about dietetics, finances, sewing, and career exploration. Students in the Education Pathway program even get the opportunity to observe classrooms to explore if teaching is the right career for them.

Dr. Anthony Jones currently serves as the Director of the laboratory school and Assistant Dean of the College of Education at Illinois State University. Before this position, he served as the Director of Equity, Director of Student Services, principal, assistant principal, teacher, and coach in Iowa and Tennessee. Dr. Jones has been in education for 24 years and is passionate about the role of equity, diversity, inclusion, sense of belonging, and access in leadership to create a welcoming enviro...

Candace Schmidt currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Lincoln Community High School. Her educational career began as a high school English teacher and later transitioned to middle school, where she spent the majority of her professional career. She is passionate about cultivating a positive and supportive school culture, and her enthusiasm and energy shine through this episode. We discuss how she strives to build a strong sense of community among students, staff, and administration. One...

Jenna Cicciarelli Wiesner is Vice President, Client and Community Relations Director for PNC Bank in Central Illinois. In this role, she allocates PNC’s philanthropic dollars locally and directs PNC’s local client and community relations activities, including event production, sponsorships, grant-making, employee engagement, and contract negotiations. In addition, she represents PNC in the community through board memberships, speaking engagements, and managing community relationships. 2024-2025 ...

In this bonus segment, we sat down with Roger Kutzner, a Livingston County War Museum historian. Roger shared the story of Eleanor Ewing, a Pontiac native, and mathematician who worked on the IBM Calculating Team during the Manhatten Project. Learn more about Eleanor at: https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/profile/eleanor-ewing/ Learn more about the Livingston County War Museum at: www.livingstoncountywarmuseum.com

Established in 2004 by World War II veterans Dal Estes and Neil Bach as a living, hands-on museum to recognize the sacrifices and service of U. S. military veterans from Livingston County and Central Illinois. The goal is to educate schools, civic groups, and the general public about the history of local veterans from World War I to the present conflicts. The museum is staffed by both veteran and non-veteran volunteers. Learn more at www.livingstoncountywarmuseum.com

This episode originally aired on 9/12/2023 Marilena Gozur was named the 2022 Illinois East Central Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education's Those Who Excel Awards. Mrs. Gozur is going into her 14th year at Cedar Ridge Elementary School in Unit 5, which is where she started her career. As a bilingual special education teacher, she works with students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

This episode originally aired on 1/16/2024. Jeff Spencer is a Science Instructional Coach for ROE # 17 with experience teaching at the college and high school levels. Through his work at ROE # 17, Jeff partners with school districts and K-12 teachers to design, adapt, and support classroom practices that align with the Next Generation Science Standards.

REPLAY: This episode originally aired on 1/9/2024. April Schermann is a math and computer science teacher at Normal West High School anda fierce advocate for STEM education. She is a 2023 Disney 100 Teacher, a 2023 Project Lead the Way National Computer Science Teacher of the Year, a multi-year recipient of the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Educator Award, a 2019 Illinois Classroom Teacher of the Year Nominee, and a Girls Who Code Advisor, among other things. In this episode, we talk to April a...

On this week's episode of ROE 17 POD, we sit down with Kyah Brogan-Shawback, a student at Pontiac Township High School. Kyah and her classmates recently did a project in Mr. Ritter's Environmental Science class that resulted in a permanent headstone marker for the final resting place of Pvt. William Clark, a Civil War veteran whose grave had been unmarked.

Sherri Morgan has been in public education for 25 years, the last 18 of those at LeRoy CUSD 2. Sherri serves as a third-grade teacher and a leader in her building. She has mentored many new teachers over the years and has fostered a welcoming environment for all. Sherri has received multiple "Regional Recognition" nominations for her work, most notably her "Kindness Week" and "One Book One Community."

On this week's episode of ROE 17 POD, we sit down with Mr. Glen Hoffmann just before he retires. Glen Hoffmann has served the ROE # 17 Regional Alternative Schools for the past 27 years and has been a leader in alternative education locally, statewide, and nationally.

On this week's episode, we chat with Ashley Burgard, a PreK and ECE Teacher at Mt. Pulaski Grade School. Ashley talks about the Early Childhood Block Grant that she secured for Mt. Pulaski which will allow the district to offer tuition-free PreK in their district as well as invaluable teacher resources and training. Listen now to learn more about the vital role PreK plays in the development of students.

On this week's episode, we travel to Olympia High School to meet with Britta Langley, the Career Coordinator at OHS, and Julia Collins, a high school senior who completed a teaching internship this past fall. We learn about the internship opportunities at OHS and how students can benefit from them, even if they aren't sure about their future career path.

In this episode, we sit down and talk with Eddie Breitwiser, Director of pt.fwd, a local nonprofit, and Stefen Robinson, staff advisor for the NCHS Experimental Music Ensemble. Both Eddie and Stefen have a passion for music in all forms and want to encourage students to try new things and enjoy the process. Learn more at https://www.ptfwd.org/

This week's guest is Nicole Corrigan, a Paraprofessional at our Regional Alternative School in Livingston County. Nicole's story is unique because she is a graduate of RAS and currently works there as a paraprofessional. She is also completing her bachelor's degree so that she can obtain her teaching license to teach in her own classroom at RAS. This full-circle story celebrates Nicole's success and the collective success of our RAS students.

This week we chatted with the Wilsons and their experience finding, training, and living with a service dog. McKinley is a local student, now in college, who has spent the last few years of school with her service dog, Lucky. She was connected with Lucky through Paws Giving Independence. In this episode, McKinley, and her mom, Kersten, explain the process of finding Lucky and how he has improved their lives.