Mr. Dan Oakley, Superintendent
Dan Oakley, Superintendent
Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year! We have an exciting year ahead of us, one that will most likely see the ending of one era and the beginning of a new one.
As most readers of this post are aware, the Avon school district continues to face decreasing enrollment issues combined with a severe reduction in state aid that has become debilitating to the district. Financially, the district has, in all likelihood, reached the end of what it is able to do to provide a quality education to its students. Fortunately for the students of the Avon district, the Abingdon district has been working with us in order to produce a consolidation initiative that recommends combining the Avon and Abingdon districts into a unit district, with high school in Abingdon, middle school in Avon, and the current two elementaries remaining in place. The vote on this initiative will be November 6, 2012.
In other news: Last fall, I attended a meeting with State Superintendent of School Chris Koch. In response to a question, he stated "Anything about education in Illinois that can be changed will be changed." We are continuing to see that in a rash of changes that have been rapidly put in place and have deadlines that must be met in a relatively short period of time. Changes in administrative and teacher evaluations systems, adjustments to seniority and hiring practices, and changes in curriculum through the implementation of the Common Core Standards are but three of the major initiatives that all districts in the state must wade through.
Needless to say, there is a lot going on and a lot to be done. In the end, however, it is our best hopes for the students, both present and future, of Avon school district and its successor that these changes will make an even better, more promising school system.
Have a great year!
Sincerely,
Dan Oakley, Superintendent
About me
I grew up in southern Illinois just north of Newton, Illinois. I graduated from Newton Community High School in 1982 and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics Education at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston Illinois in 1986. I received my Masters of Science degree in Educational Administration from Western Illinois University in Macomb Illinois in 1997, and my Education Specialist certification in 2007. I am currently enrolled in the Doctoral program at Western Illinois University, with anticipated graduation in 2013 (I have completed all but the dissertation as of this writing.)
Beth and I were married in 1991. Beth is an administrative assistant for the Vice-President for Student Services at WIU. We have raised two children, Andy (married to Callie) and Amy (married to Curtis). Andy and Callie are geologists for Anadarko Oil in Denver, CO. Amy is a Crime Scene Technician in Ormond Beach, FL, and Curtis is an EMT studying to become a physician's assistant.
My hobbies are music (both listening and singing), reading, writing, watching a lot of sports, as well as giving the family pets - a Himalayan cat and a Shicon puppy) lots of attention.
Work history
2007-present Avon CUSD #176, Avon, Illinois - Superintendent
2003-2007 Hamilton Schools, Hamilton, Illinois - Hamilton Junior-Senior High School principal
2002-2003 Colchester Schools, Colchester, Illinois - administrative assistant, athletics and technology
1996-2002 Colchester Schools, Colchester, Illinois - athletic director and technology coordinator
1994-2002 Colchester Schools, Colchester, Illinois - high school mathematics
1988-1994 Colchester Schools, Colchester, Illinois - junior high school mathematics
1986-1988 RUCE Schools, Reddick, Illinois - jr-sr high school mathematics
Coaching and extra-curriculars - Elementary basketball, junior high baseball, basketball and math teams, high school baseball, JETS/WYSE, scholastic bowl, and other academic teams
Organizations
Illinois Association of School Administrators
Delabar CTE System
-President, 2011-2012
-Vice-President, 2010-2011
-Secretary, 2009-2010
Western Illinois Administrators Roundtable
-President, 2011-2012
-Vice-President, 2010-2011
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Delta Kappan