Illinois State Superintendent Visits East Aurora Schools

Aurora IL

27 April, 2022

1:00 PM

Description

Press release from East Aurora School District 131: AURORA, IL — The East Aurora community was treated to a visit from a familiar and welcome face on Tuesday, April 26. Illinois State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Carmen Ayala, stopped at Bardwell and Rollins Elementary to visit with students and staff in the dual-language classroom. A former teacher, Director of Bilingual Services, and Assistant Superintendent of District 131, Dr. Ayala is no stranger to East Aurora schools and their tradition of excellence. The State Superintendent was welcomed into elementary classrooms to view the exciting growth of our students under the dual curriculum. At Bardwell Elementary, students got to show off their work on Oracy and language development, while students at Rollins Elementary got to share which animal they'd rather give a hug to as Dr. Ayala read aloud from the book I Need a Hug. Dr. Ayala currently serves as the 30th State Superintendent and the first woman and person of color to serve in the role. During her storied tenure as a bilingual educator throughout Illinois, Dr. Ayala worked in the classroom at Rollins Elementary in East Aurora before moving into administrative leadership roles in the district beginning in 1994. Even through the building renovations that have changed the layout of Rollins school in recent years, Dr. Ayala was still able to find the classroom she once taught in, admiring the original view out the window and reminiscing on the kinds of projects she used to do with her students. As the State Superintendent moved through the halls, current East Aurora staff members who shared time with Dr. Ayala as working peers were able to share their support and gratitude for both her work in the state and visit to our district. Reading Interventionist Lenore Hernandez at Rollins and current Bardwell principal Armando Rodriguez were among those who remembered their time together as Tomcats. District 131 is grateful for Dr. Ayala's time as she made connections with our students and staff. As a leader and continuous educator, Dr. Ayala's trajectory shows our students what it means to reach their full potential. This press release was produced by East Aurora School District 131. The views expressed here are the author's own.