On July 1st, Dr. Judith Campbell will begin her new role as superintendent of District 211, planning to prioritize student success and district engagement. Her initial contract with District 211 is for a period of four years. Dr. Campbell recently visited all D211 high schools and participated in a press conference with journalism students.
Dr. Campbell brings an extensive background in education to her new position. Prior to her career in administration, she started out in the classroom as a Special Education teacher. She holds a Bachelor in Science of Education from University of Kansas, a Master’s of Arts in Teaching with endorsements in Special Education and English Language Learners from the University of South Florida, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri.
Dr. Campbell is currently serving as the deputy superintendent of Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. During a recent conference, she touched on various important topics such as her future goals and current values. She discussed possible methods for ensuring that each student feels important and welcome, which is crucial in a productive learning environment.
Dr. Campbell believes in “The Power of One,” giving each child personalized tools to achieve success. “’The Power of One,’ for me,” she stated, “is that every child, everyday, will have the ability to show their learning when given the resources, the voice, the choice, and the opportunity to share their experiences today and in the future.”
During the press conference at Palatine High School, she expressed her plans to unify the district and give students a greater input on school issues. Regarding steps she took to achieve this in her former district, she stated, “We started off quarterly, meeting with a group of students from all of the high schools to get input on some of the most pressing issues, and things that students wanted voice and choice around.”
Dr. Campbell plans on combating chronic absenteeism in the classroom using a holistic approach. Chronic absenteeism by definition is when students miss 10% or more of the school year. During the 2023-2024 school year, Schaumburg High School’s absenteeism rate was 17%. Discussing chronic absenteeism in her former district she said, “Part of absenteeism was related to some things that we were doing as a system. When we were suspending kids that does not help with absenteeism.”
Dr. Campbell plans to build off of Dr. Lisa Small’s wellness program and Student Readiness Plan. She hopes to create a system where each student feels supported and prepared for success after high school.
She takes a multifaceted approach to teaching: “We operate by being engaged and interactive. We operate by having conversations. We operate by writing things down.”
Combining different, vital aspects of the educational process, Dr. Campbell ensures that students can connect with the material on a deeper level. Her methods can help students retain knowledge and engage with others. We join school board and District 211 in welcoming Dr. Campbell to our communities.