February 16, 2016  Our Vision: Ignite Passion. Inspire Excellence. Imagine Possibilities. Local, State and Federal Collaboration is an Opportunity for All Students Dear District 41 Community, On January 19, approximately 200 superintendents, administrators, staff, and members of boards of education from around DuPage County attended a presentation sponsored by the Regional Office of Education on the newly passed federal legislation Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Replacing No Child Left Behind (NCLB), ESSA is an improvement for state and local education leaders, teachers and students. ESSA eliminates the punitive "failing school" status that resulted from the controversial measure of Adequate Yearly Progress and requiring contracted tutoring options without flexibility for how best to apply those dollars among other changes. Superintendent Gordon, staff from District 41 and I attended the presentation to learn about what ESSA means for Illinois schools and District 41. The law had been passed a month prior to the meeting and the Federal Liaison and Division Director from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) presented an overview of ESSA and the key changes in this new law. State and federal education laws are not far removed from the lives of the children in our five schools in District 41. In fact ESSA, IL State Laws and mandated, often unfunded programs, impact the work and decisions of the BOE, District 41 leaders, teachers and staff. Our voice can and does have an effect when we collaborate with others leaders locally and at the state level to lift up the needs and interests of D41 and our stakeholders. Board members recognize the need to understand external factors, which impact the internal decisions that support the important and complex work of our District administrators, teachers and staff. They then support and teach all our children to reach their potential academically, socially and emotionally increasing confidence to realize their individual goals and dreams. We are all connected with a single purpose...offer the best educational opportunities for all our children to achieve in an environment that is in constant flux. As stewards of the resources provided by the community we support school communities that give back. Congressman Bill Foster shared at the ESSA meeting his belief, which I agree with... "Good neighborhoods follow good schools." Thank you for the support and nurturing you provide to the children and staff of your elementary district, D41. Sincerely, Erica Nelson, President Glen Ellyn School District 41 Board of Education       Please direct your questions or comments about E-News to District 41 Chief Communications Officer Erika Krehbiel, ekrehbiel@d41.org. We ask that you do not reply directly to this email because such replies are not received and so cannot be answered. Thank you!