PHOTO COURTESY DISTRICT 186
Jennifer Gill with a pupil at a Matheny-Withrow Elementary College ebook occasion
Jennifer Gill’s youngsters had been in center college when she accepted the job to be the District 186 superintendent in 2014. Now, her youngsters are in school, and Springfield colleges have modified over the last decade of her management.
Gill has labored as a trainer, principal and administrator in Springfield colleges since 1994. Her superintendent contract ends after the 2026 college yr, and she or he is not able to determine if she’ll proceed.
“I am not trying to the longer term past this proper now, as a result of I am proper in the midst of serving this district,” mentioned Gill, age 54. “I do not suppose my age is in query to anyone however in due time, I will announce my subsequent steps and discuss that a bit of bit extra.”
In 2023, Gill obtained a two-year contract extension and pay raises to be carried out by the top of 2025. Her wage is $209,664, up from $195,000 in 2014 when she was employed. She is now one of many highest paid superintendents in central Illinois, in keeping with Illinois Board of Schooling knowledge, and wishes to barter her wage for the 2025-2026 college yr by March 1, 2025.
A decade of reappointment: stagnant or steady?
Gill took workplace in an unsteady time for the district, when her predecessor, Walter Milton, left underneath a controversial settlement settlement. The district had a projected $5 million deficit, a scarcity of minority academics and the necessity to implement a brand new statewide curriculum.
Neighborhood members wished extra steady management on the time.
“The soundness of getting somebody in right here on a extra everlasting foundation goes to be nice,” Karen Stapleton-Crump, principal at Jefferson Center College, mentioned on the time. “I do not suppose, I do know, that’s what our district wants.”
Years later, Gill’s contract has been renewed thrice, and some members have warned towards stagnant management. Present board president Micah Miller voted towards the three-year extension in 2023, expressing frustration with commencement charges and take a look at scores.
“Whereas I respect her service and her vitality, I’m keenly keen on what a contemporary perspective might carry the district,” Miller instructed Illinois Instances not too long ago, clarifying his 2023 stance. “My no vote was to not provide any extensions previous the ten years, as a result of I’m desirous to see what that new imaginative and prescient can carry to our college students, households and academics.”
In 2017, longtime and now retired board member Judith Johnson voted towards Gill’s five-year contract extension, advising towards contracts over three years throughout unsure monetary instances.
How has the district modified underneath Gill’s decade?
In 2017, Sangamon County voters handed a college tax referendum that funds a mean of $13 million to high school facility enhancements yearly. Gill says that is her greatest accomplishment.
“We would have liked extra house in a lot of our amenities, and we would have liked to enhance upon the house and the educational setting,” mentioned Gill. “In order that has been an enormous problem to assault all of these issues, nevertheless it’s a real reward from our neighborhood for giving us public permission to do this work by saying sure to the 1% gross sales tax.”
On the time, there have been 25 cellular educating items, in keeping with Gill. Now, these have been eradicated. The tax has funded a $93.2 million reconstruction of Lanphier Excessive College, renovations at Springfield Excessive College, new athletic amenities, cafeterias and extra.
The tax has additionally helped guarantee all colleges now have double-door entrances, in keeping with Gill.
And after a number of security threats, the college board voted in 2022 to make use of the tax funds to put in steel detectors in colleges.
The newest safety addition got here from the Elementary and Secondary College Emergency Aid funds. Academics now carry safety badges with emergency name buttons for employees. The calls are despatched to the primary college workplace.
Room for enchancment
Gill says the COVID-19 pandemic was the toughest problem of her profession.
“It was a disruption that was two years lengthy, and it is taken us about two years to dig again out of that gap and do the fitting factor for teenagers,” mentioned Gill.
For the reason that pandemic, Gill has observed an elevated want for social-emotional studying.
“We have adjusted our curriculum to have alternatives to show expertise round social-emotional studying and the right way to be a very good buddy, and the right way to give attention to ensuring everyone has a way of belonging and popping out of COVID,” mentioned Gill.
Ken Gilmore, college board member for sub-district 4, says the board can also be involved about subjects such because the district’s new cellphone coverage and lecturers, particularly after commencement charges and testing scores had been down in 2023 in keeping with the ISBE Report Card.
And within the background of the district enchancment work is its $20 million deficit. The ESSER pandemic reduction funds ended Sept. 30, 2024.
“We’re scrutinizing our spending now in order that hopefully we cannot should make such painful cuts or such noticeable cuts, that we will preserve the most effective of some issues and nonetheless transfer ahead in a productive means, however to not the width of what we had been shifting,” mentioned Gilmore.
Trying ahead
Gilmore says the board will start the detailed superintendent analysis course of in 2025.
“The analysis is a fairly vital piece, and that is the place you establish whether or not they can proceed, or you are going to give them one other yr or two or make a plan for enchancment,” mentioned Gilmore.
Gill is ready to announce her subsequent steps, however she is aware of she desires to remain within the space.
“I do not know if I’d have ever utilized for a superintendency if this one had not come open,” mentioned Gill. “I’ve met so many nice folks in our neighborhood that they offer again in so some ways. This neighborhood actually works for District 186 and helps us thrive in so some ways, and I am so appreciative of that. The chance to serve the place I’ve lived my entire life is so cool.”
Gill is a lifelong resident of Springfield and graduate of Springfield Public Colleges. She obtained her grasp’s diploma in Instructional Administration from College of Illinois Springfield and serves on six native group boards.
She desires to proceed serving to the district “stage up,” a phrase she coined from her present favourite ebook, Leveling Up, by Ryan Leak.
