From the Desk of the Superintendent 

A stronger future for the Rockford Region begins with a strong, collaborative education system. At ROE4, we believe in the power of partnership, and we’ve teamed up with the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce to launch the new Partner in Education Award.

This award was created to honor those who’ve made a meaningful impact on our community’s education system. By recognizing their efforts, we hope to inspire even more community-driven support for our schools. 

Nominations are open until noon on April 17. Join us in celebrating the people, organizations, and businesses that strengthen our education system by submitting a nomination on the Chamber of Commerce’s website!

Take Care,

Scott Bloomquist

Regional Superintendent 

School Support Services

ROE4 & ROE28 Bring Crucial Conversations to the Region

ROE4 and ROE28 teamed up in February to bring a Crucial Conversations workshop to 23 participants representing four ROEs across Area 2.

Last year, ROE4’s Carrie Brockway and ROE28’s Dara Carr became officially qualified trainers through the ISBE Capacity Builders Initiative, allowing them to deliver this training anywhere in Illinois. During this two-day Crucial Conversations training, participants practiced skills for navigating dialogue and working through disagreements.

Thank you to Carrie, Dara, and ISBE Capacity Builders for making this workshop possible!

ROE4 Awarded Grant to Strengthen Special Education Leadership Across Illinois

We are proud to announce that we have received a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) allowing us to manage the Illinois Special Education Leadership Association (ISELA). This includes hosting ISELA's annual two-day Special Education Directors Conference which is taking place on June 22 and 23 in Bloomington, IL!

This year’s theme is Building What Works: 50 Years of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), and is focused on balancing the essential compliance-related and technical content with space for what makes special education leadership truly possible: building trust, leading through change, and sustaining yourself and your teams. 

As part of our work with ISELA, we’ve also launched a new Special Education Leadership Network and will hold a variety of Special Education workshops over the coming months.

Education Services

February's Visitors of the Month

The halls of Summit Academy were bustling with visitors throughout February as we welcomed a network of partners dedicated to helping prepare our students for their lives beyond school. 

+ Representatives from BMO Harris Bank hosted an informative financial literacy workshop that covered everything from budgeting and creating healthy financial habits to understanding credit scores. 

+ Rock Valley College gave students a presentation on grant-funded career pathways in skilled trades like Welding and Mechatronics

+ Rockford Park District hosted a hiring event where they conducted mock interviews and gave students the opportunity to both practice the job-seeking process and actually find employment with them. 

+ In observance of Teen Dating Violence Month, Remedies Renewing Lives brought our students important content about healthy relationships and dating violence as well as provided essential resources for safety and advocacy.

+ The Fatherhood Encouragement Project and Assistant Principals and MTSS team members from Jefferson High School stopped by for tours and to learn more about what we do and how our student-centered model prepares youth for success. 

Special thanks to all our visitors for investing your time and heart into our students! It’s powerful community collaborations like this that help us empower our students. 

Area 2 Social Emotional Learning Hub

Cherry Valley Elementary Holds Poverty Simulation

On February 9, our Area 2 SEL Specialist and School Support Services Team partnered with Cherry Valley Elementary to facilitate a Poverty Simulation for teachers and paraprofessionals. Staff were assigned family roles and asked to navigate limited access to essential resources such as transportation, money, and healthcare—while also working to get their children to school and sustain their own mental and emotional well-being.

Through pre- and post-surveys, educators reflected on their understanding of poverty. What began as definitions centered on “low income” evolved into a deeper recognition of poverty as an experience marked by ongoing stress and daily struggle.

Learn more about the experience through the lens of WIFR's news coverage below!

Save the Date!

Student Support Services

Student Success at Kinnikinnick with Mrs. Watt

Regional Services

Licensure Team Provides Support to RPS Paras

Recently, our Licensure Team partnered with Rockford Public Schools 205 to connect with 46 short-term paraprofessional license holders, sharing guidance and outlining possible next steps as they consider their career pathways.

Is your school or district in need of licensure support? Our team is here to help!

Upcoming Events

Sponsor the 2026 Summer Symposium

This summer, hundreds of area educators will gather for our fourth annual Summer Symposium, a full-day conference dedicated to inspiration and learning. Our theme this year, The Power of Us: Elevate Your Impact, is all about harnessing the collective power of educators to do our best work. 

We are looking for organizations that share the same spirit of growth and empowerment to partner with us in support of the Symposium. When you sponsor the event, you’re investing in the educators who shape our region’s future!

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