HR0855 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0855 LRB102 27473 LAW 39267 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Lori Casey, Ed.D. on the occasion of her retirement as superintendent of Woodland School District #50; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Casey received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Special Education from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa in 1988; she obtained her Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision from National Louis University in Evanston in 1992; she earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Concordia University in 2018; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Casey began her career in education at the Special Education District of Lake County; after working in the special education district, she worked with children who had learning disabilities and social emotional disorders at Northwood Junior High in Highland Park; she then joined Hawthorn Primary School District #73 and then subsequently Hawthorn Junior High School District #73; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Casey joined Woodland School District #50 as special education supervisor for Woodland Middle School in 1998; she then became assistant principal of Woodland Elementary East in 2000, principal of Woodland Primary School in 2005, and associate superintendent in 2010; she became superintendent in 2020; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure, Dr. Casey oversaw and evaluated the district and staff; she served as a member of the School Board Contract Negotiating Team for the most four recent contracts and previously served as the lead administrative negotiator; she was an active participant in the Staff Development Program and served on the Assessment Committee, the Reconfiguration Committee, the Building Report Card Committee, the Multicultural Committee, the Response to Intervention (RtI) Committee, the Liaison Committee, and the Board Policy Committee; she additionally led the district through the ever changing COVID-19 pandemic, negotiating the extended contracts of teachers and support staff; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Casey has served as a presenter or panelist at numerous local and state conferences, including the 2019 Joint Annual Conference for IASB, IASA, IASBO, the 2020 Champions Before/After School National Manager Conference, the 2021 Illinois Joint Annual Conference, and the 2021 Illinois Association of School Superintendents' Webinars with Women; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Casey belongs to the Illinois Principals Association, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, and the American Association of School Administrators; she also serves as a board member for the Exchange Club of Gurnee and Warren Township Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Casey has received a number of accolades during her career; she was named Special Education District of Lake County's Outstanding Educator of the Year in 1991 and Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year in 1998; she also received the Woodland Parent Teacher Association's Award for Outstanding Work in the Areas of Children's and Environmental Health in 2012, a commendation for her work in relation to school safety by the Gurnee Police Department in 2013, the National School Public Relations Association's Golden Achievement Award in 2014, and the Thought Exchange Bold Leadership Award in 2021; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Casey has served Woodland School District #50 with dedication for 24 years; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Lori Casey, Ed.D. on her retirement from Woodland School District #50 and wish her the best in her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Casey as an expression of our esteem and respect.