As a 20-plus year educator and longtime District 38 community member, I am confident in endorsing Jackie Burhans for the D38 Board of Education.
Jackie brings unparalleled preparation for this role. For more than a decade, she has closely followed board activity, attending meetings across the tenure of four superintendents and reporting faithfully on the district’s challenges and progress. She has also served on numerous committees and participated at the state level, gaining a firm understanding of education policy, budgeting, and governance. Jackie has thus developed a tremendous grasp on the history and trajectory of our local educational system. She has developed deep depth and robust breadth of insight into how our district operates.
I have known Jackie since 2017. We met at a D38 Deliberates event, bringing community members from all aspects of our area together to collectively advise the Board of Education. Jackie immediately struck me as an active listener and thoughtful contributor, with practical ideas that took the concerns of others into account.
During my later tenure on the Board of Education, she often commented publicly on the positive aspects of what she observed and offered her perspective regarding pathways for improvement. During those comments, and in all my personal interactions with her, she has remained respectful, willing to engage, and added important perspectives that, again, carefully considered the needs of all students.
Most recently, I continued to interact with Jackie as she participated on the Arts Education Task Force. She was instrumental in advancing that task force into a standing committee. She demonstrated her continued commitment to supporting the district while celebrating students’ many achievements.
D38 benefits with dedicated and knowledgeable board members. Jackie is a collaborative leader with the policy acumen needed to be exceptionally effective!
Theresa Phillips
D38 Board of Education, 2018-23
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