SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) board member Kevin Settle yesterday presented Richard J. Nogal of Consolidated High School District 230 with the 2018 Thomas Lay Burroughs Award for the State's Outstanding School Board President. Nogal has served on the District 230 school board for eight years and has served as its president for six.
ISBE created the Burroughs Award in 1991 in memory of the late ISBE Chairman Thomas Lay Burroughs. The award recognizes extraordinary local leadership, in particular in advancing student learning and educational excellence, expanding equal educational opportunities, and resolving major crises or difficulties. ISBE presents the award each November in Chicago at the Joint Annual Conference of the Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Administrators, and Illinois Association of School Business Officials.
“Richard Nogal expected each student to succeed," said State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “He changed the systems and structures of his district to benefit more students. He supported the whole child by expanding academic opportunities as well as social-emotional supports. President Nogal understands and values the interconnectedness of our school districts and communities. Our entire state is better because of Richard Nogal's leadership."
Nogal championed collaborative leadership and decision-making structures by including representatives from across the district's stakeholders and staff on the Board's goal-setting and idea-generating committees. Nogal created Community Connection meetings to bring together partner school boards, mayors, police and fire chiefs, and township and county officials in dialogue to improve their communities collectively.
Nogal's advocacy also contributed to the passage of the state's historic Evidence-Based Funding overhaul last summer.
“Richard Nogal's leadership brings whole communities together on behalf of better outcomes for students," said Settle. “President Nogal demonstrates a deep understanding of the power of positive relationships in making schools safer and communities stronger. I am honored to present the Burroughs Award to President Nogal on behalf of the entire State Board."
Nogal's collaborative leadership resulted in a program called “Period 2: Advisory, Enrichment, and Intervention" that provides dedicated time during the school day for social and emotional learning, individual academic supports, advanced opportunities, and lessons such as digital citizenship, mental health, and post-high school planning.
A district analysis had revealed that students did not have fair access to the supports and opportunities offered before and after school due to personal or co-curricular responsibilities. The Period 2 program increased participation in Advanced Placement and honors courses and simultaneously decreased the number of students earning Ds and Fs. The district's college enrollment and college persistence rates rose. The percentage of sophomores reporting substance use dropped.
“Students are confident taking more rigorous coursework because they know the supports are in place to help them achieve," said District 230 Superintendent Dr. James M. Gay in his nominator of Nogal for the Burroughs Award. “President Nogal has provided leadership that encourages innovative approaches to provide academic, social emotional and enrichment opportunities for all students."
Students have the same Period 2 advisory teacher throughout their high school years. Advisory teachers conduct weekly wellness checks and encourage students to access all available resources to help them succeed. The district attributes its 16 percent drop in safety-related referrals to the strength of these student-teacher relationships.
District 230, headquartered in Orland Park, serves approximately 7,300 students.
