On Friday, March 1, the Kane County Regional Office of Education had the pleasure of hosting over 1,000 participants as part of Institute Day 2024. Between the groups that joined at the Q Center in St. Charles and the many who engaged in professional development in offsite locations, this marks the largest number of attendees for this event ever.
This annual event provides valuable opportunities for educators from across Kane County to come together, learn from each other, and explore innovative approaches to teaching in learning. This event would not be possible without the partnership of presenters from our Kane County school districts, who provided engaging sessions, workshops, and presentations covering curriculum, assessment, social emotional learning, technology integration, special education, and more.
The day also brought the first student panel to this event, as representatives from U-46 and Central Community Unit School District 301 joined together for a moving discussion on sense of belonging within their schools. Students from various backgrounds wrote essays and presented bout their own experiences in school, shared testimonials from students who could not be in attendance, and engaged in conversations about how educators can create more inclusive learning environments.
Lastly, we want to thank our featured speakers who traveled, collectively, thousands of miles to lend their knowledge:
- Dr. Doug Bolton
- Mona Iehl
- Frank Kros
- Heidy LaFleur
- John Meehan
- Briana Morales (2023 Illinois Teacher of the Year)
- Trevor Muir
- My Life Online
- Fabian Ramirez
- Lavanna Roth