Dear IALAS familia,
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who attended our Educational Conclave – UNIDOS: Leading Together for Equity and Empowerment. Your presence and engagement made this event a truly enriching experience. A special thank you to the incredible Joliet School District 86 Mariachi Band students and their parents for joining us and sharing their talents with our community. Their performances were a powerful celebration of cultural pride, showcasing the beauty and significance of their heritage through music. Your dedication and passion were inspiring! We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the band directors who worked tirelessly to prepare their students for their outstanding performances, as well as to our presenters, whose thought-provoking sessions provided invaluable insights and inspiration to all attendees, elevating and empowering Latino educational leadership.
Last week, we gathered for an incredible evening of networking and collaboration at Puttshack, and I appreciate everyone who joined us! A special thank you to Sam Labs for generously sponsoring this event. Networking and building strong collaborations are essential to our mission of unifying and cultivating Latino educational leaders, and your participation strengthens our collective impact.
As we step into February, we proudly celebrate Black History Month—a time to honor the invaluable contributions of Black leaders, educators, and trailblazers who have shaped our communities and continue to inspire us. At IALAS, we remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering equity and empowerment for all students and educators. Our vision is to unify and cultivate educational leaders serving Latino communities by promoting equity and empowering all students. Through our mission, we strive to develop and sustain a strong network of Latino educational leaders and allies, advocating for policies and practices that ensure access, equity, and excellence in education.
Mark your calendars! Our Spring Conference will take place on April 11, 2025, at Marquardt School District 15, and we extend a special thank you to Superintendent Lucilla Davila for graciously hosting this year’s event. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to advancing Latino educational leadership. I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!
In unity,
Maria Burgos
IALAS President
We have one more available scholarship! What does that mean? If you are in a graduate program and currently serving a Latino/a district, we will subsidize your tuition by $1,000.
We have extended the scholarship by one more month. The new deadline to submit applications will be 2/28/25. Winners will be announced and awarded at our Annual Statewide Conference in April.
If you are interested in applying, please complete the Google Form HERE. You can email Nicholas Guerrero at Nguerrero@ialas.org with any questions.
Partnerships by Treasurer Kris Rivera
We extend our sincere gratitude to Ellie Brown and SAM Labs for their generous sponsorship of a successful mixer held on February 5th at Puttshack in Oak Brook. SAM Labs, a valued IALAS partner, is being highlighted this month alongside Right At School. Both organizations play a vital role in supporting the students we serve. We deeply appreciate their continued partnership and look forward to a long and productive collaboration. Below is a word from Ellie Brown of SAM Labs and Abby Prouty of Right at School:
Sam Labs
SAM Labs' STEAM program was designed to make STEM concepts engaging by integrating the arts, blending creativity with science, technology, engineering, and math to foster innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Our program aligns with NGSS, Iowa Science Standards, Common Core, and ISTI, ensuring that students meet essential learning goals while engaging in hands-on projects.
Students participate in project-based activities that promote collaboration, creativity, and leadership, developing skills like communication and teamwork. These activities make STEM relevant to future careers in fields like architecture, video game design, and urban planning.
By incorporating real-world problem-solving, students create portfolio-worthy projects that showcase their skills to potential employers, linking education directly to the demands of the 21st-century workforce.
This flyer goes over our elementary courses and this website gives an overview of our 6-8th grade STEAM Careers Pathways course. Lastly, this document provides all of our content and categorizes them into careers.
Right at School
Right At School becomes an extension of your district by fully facilitating, coordinating, and managing out of school time enrichment from start to finish. Our curriculum, expert on-site staff, and central office team work together to create a seamless experience—all without waiting lists or enrollment caps! Parents love our affordable, flexible options, and students have a blast with our Disguised Learning™ curriculum. We take care of everything so you don’t have to, including:
• Sourcing & hiring
• Background checks
• Training & supervision
• Marketing
• Curriculum & supplies
• Registration & payment
• Parent inquiries
• Student behavior
• Safety plans
• And more!
Our core offering is a parent-paid program that comes at no cost to your district. We can also offer our services as district-paid, hybrid-funded, or government-funded options. Learn more about Right At School or schedule a chat with us on our website!
Abby Prouty, M.A. Ed.
Membership Announcement and Career Opportunities by Members at Large Darlene Vargas
Now is the perfect time to renew or take advantage of a group discount when you sign up with three or more administrators!
As an IALAS member, you’ll gain access to valuable benefits, including professional development opportunities, networking events, and mentorship programs designed to support your growth.
Join IALAS today!
If you are interested in an individual membership click here!
If you are interested in an organizational membership click here!
For details on group discounts, contact Kris Rivera at Krivera@ialas.org.
We appreciate your continued involvement!
Advocacy by Historian Rocío del Castillo
How are schools responding to immigration policy shifts?
K-12 Dive
Heightened immigration enforcement is spurring dips in student attendance and elevated levels of fear and stress among educators and families, said teachers and civil rights advocates speaking on a press call Thursday hosted by the Century Foundation. Read More
Federal funding upheaval is harmful for children, parents and educators
The 74
Head Start and Early Head Start serve around 800,000 children from low-income families, offering reliable free child care and wraparound supports like parent workshops and access to medical screenings. These programs can be particularly essential in rural communities, where affordable, high-quality child care options are particularly difficult for families to find. Read More
Teaching for Deeper Learning: Tools to Engage Students in Meaning Making
by Jay McTighe and Harvey F. Silver
Far too often, our students attain only a superficial level of knowledge that fails to prepare them for deeper challenges in school and beyond. In Teaching for Deeper Learning, Jay McTighe and Harvey F. Silver propose a solution: teaching students to make meaning for themselves.
Contending that the ability to "earn" understanding will equip students to thrive in school, at work, and in life, the authors highlight seven higher-order thinking skills that facilitate students' acquisition of information for greater retention, retrieval, and transfer. These skills, which cut across content areas and grade levels and are deeply embedded in current academic standards, separate high achievers from their low-performing peers.
Drawing on their deep well of research and experience, the authors
- Explore what kind of content is worth having students make meaning about.
- Provide practical tools and strategies to help teachers target each of the seven thinking skills in the classroom.
- Explain how teachers can incorporate the thinking skills and tools into lesson and unit design.
- Show how teachers can build students' capacity to use the strategies independently.
If our goal is to prepare students to meet the rigorous demands of school, college, and career, then we must foster their ability to respond to such challenges. This comprehensive, practical guide will enable teachers to engage students in the kind of learning that yields enduring understanding and valuable skills that they can use throughout their lives.
Using "El Río de Dichos," a dynamic, game-based activity, participants tackled real-life challenges, drew on their cultural strengths, and reflected on underlying assumptions to promote inclusion and growth. Presented by Anna Marie Candelario, Director of Planning and Development at Oswego Community Unit School District 308, the session employed role-playing, limited resource management, and key leadership concepts to foster both emotional and intellectual connections.
Dr. Michelle Smith, Superintendent of Berwyn North School District 98, delivered an inspiring session titled "Using Brain Research to Improve Instructional Outcomes." Her dynamic insights offered clear, actionable strategies to transform teaching and learning environments.
Addressing labor relations complexities, scheduling constraints, and potential resistance, Dr. Kris Rivera, Superintendent of Lyons Elementary School District 103, led a session titled "Fidelity: Who's Checking What? & Why?" Alongside Ruth Poage-Gaines, Illinois MTSS Network Coaching Services Coordinator, Dr. Rivera introduced practical strategies to strengthen instructional fidelity for districts implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and serving underrepresented populations, including low-income students and English Language Learners.
Dr. Rachel Mahmood, 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year, delivered our keynote session that traced her journey from a student seeking belonging to a teacher dedicated to fostering it. Her heartfelt insights, gathered from traveling the state and engaging with educators, showcased how a deep sense of belonging can transform education in Illinois.
Erica Franco Rivera, Spanish Teacher at Valley View School District 365U, and Angie Behm, Enrichment Administrator, led the session titled "Empowering Latinx Students: Pride and Connection through Heritage Spanish and Cultural Schoolwide Events." Their presentation highlighted how a robust Heritage Spanish program can strengthen literacy and communication skills while fostering a strong sense of identity and community connection.
Dr. Minerva Garcia-Sanchez, Superintendent of DeKalb Community Unit School District 428, and Billy Hueramo, Director of Teaching and Learning, shared with our members their presentation, "Building Leadership Capacity: A Framework for Sustainable Instructional Leadership." They introduced a continuous improvement framework with actionable strategies to strengthen instructional leadership, culminating in a draft action plan and practical resources for immediate implementation.
Dr. Jeremy E. Burnham of Burnham Innovation Group presented a powerful session on how a “WE” culture guided his school’s transition out of the COVID era. Drawing on his experiences—ranging from coaching special needs athletes to pursuing advanced degrees at Seattle University and Loyola University Chicago—he shared how his district navigated 18 months of remote learning while addressing the trauma felt by staff and students
Attendees walked away with practical strategies to foster student engagement and nurture equity advocacy in their schools. Through her session, "Lift Every Voice: Cultivating Student Voice and Advocacy," Chanice Artis, Strategic Project Coordinator at Valley View School District 365U, explored the founding and evolution of two high school Student Advocates for Equity groups. The presentation traced the journey from student recruitment and training to the growth of equity advocates—highlighting the student-led initiatives carried out over the past two years.
