Valley View Addresses Need For Teachers With New Intiative

ROMEOVILLE, IL — Twelve Valley View Community Unit School District 365U staff members are pursuing master’s degrees and special skill certifications that will lead to them becoming certified teachers and filling vacancies, thanks to financial support from the State of Illinois Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot program, according to a release from VVSD.

The District said its strategic plan prioritizes establishing a viable teaching pipeline to address the challenges posed by teacher shortages.

VVSD Director of Human Resources Dr. Rovel Pollock initiated Elevate U by piloting a Grow Your Own Program last year despite limited funding. The teacher vacancy grant played a crucial role in supporting the expansion of initiatives to develop paraprofessionals into qualified classroom teachers, the District said.

The District is working with BloomBoard, a talent development provider, on the program. A portion of the District’s annual grant will underwrite on-the-job degree and certification programs for educators currently working full-time in VVSD who also commit to an additional three years of service after completing the program, the District said.

Current VVSD Paraprofessional Dana Gilbreath, who is in her 16th year at the District, is one of the 12 who are part of the program. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in Teaching & Learning in English Language Arts.

“Teaching has always been a love of mine and something that I wanted to do. I earned my bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1999 and intended to become a teacher,” Gilbreath said in a release. “But life has a funny way of happening and taking you down different paths. With this program, I now have the chance to finish my working career doing exactly what I have always wanted to do.”

Dana made her commitment to becoming a full-time teacher official at a special “signing ceremony” hosted by VVSD in mid-November, according to the District.

"Securing funding through the teacher vacancy grant was a source of great excitement for VVSD, particularly because it allows us to expand our efforts by offering an on-the-job apprenticeship in collaboration with Bloomboard for our paraprofessionals,” Pollack said in a release. “Witnessing the realization of this program is a dream come true, as it brings to life VVSD’s strategic plan."

Superintendent Rachel Kinder said the District is excited to grow and advance its current staff.

“Thanks to the Teacher Vacancy Grant and BloomBoard’s apprenticeship model, we can make career advancement attainable and a benefit of employment in Valley View– while we also build our talent pipeline and work to fill critical teacher vacancies.”