West Aurora School District 129 has created a new position focusing on educational equity in all grade levels.
The West Aurora School Board recently approved the appointment of Valerie McCall as the director of educational equity for the district for the 2020-21 school year.
McCall is the first individual to be named to the role after an extensive interview process, district officials said.
“The new position is designed to promote and sustain equity, inclusiveness and diversity in all facets of the district, from teaching methods to hiring practices,” West Aurora School District Superintendent Jeff Craig said.
The administration began to plan for the position last year, he said.
“It will help identify some of our known and unknown gaps which will educate us through awareness and then look at solutions to narrow those gaps,” Craig said.
Among her first priorities will be to learn about the district and immerse herself in some professional development opportunities related to conducting an audit of the district, officials said. The next steps will include creating awareness and educating and sharing strategies, the superintendent said.
The district received 23 applications from individuals seeking the position. The search was narrowed to 12 applicants who interviewed in a video screening. There were seven in-person interviews in the first round and two finalists in the second round of interviews, district officials said.
McCall comes to the district with nine years as associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction for kindergarten through eighth grades in Cary Community School District 26. Her role included communication with stakeholders with the intent of promoting inclusion, West Aurora School District officials said.
McCall has also been a member of a Huntley School District 158 Equity Task Force and has done classroom research on multicultural literature, district officials said.
She previously worked five years as director of reading in Elmwood Park School District 401, where she oversaw reading programs for kindergarten through 12th grades, and was responsible for restructuring the middle and high school models to devote more class time to reading.
Her prior experience includes being a kindergarten, first- and third-grade teacher as well as a reading interventionist in Rondout School District 72 in Lake Forest, Peoria Public School System 150 and Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools in Gahanna, Ohio.
McCall received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Dayton, a master’s degree in educational administration from Bradley University and a doctorate in educational leadership administration at Aurora University.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
