Genoa-Kingston # 424 Superintendent: Vision 2020

Vision 2020
October 7, 2011
Vision, 2020 vision, wouldn’t we all like to have perfect vision? What defines a leader’s vision of his or her group? A learning community has been formed to answer these and other exciting questions about the academic future of Genoa-Kingston CUSD # 424. October 17, 2011 will be the date for the first meeting of community members, parents and staff who will come together to research the best learning practices for our school district. This group will share ideas, hear from nationally known consultants, and be encouraged to look to the future educational needs of our students.

This year’s fourth graders will graduate from Genoa-Kingston High School in the year 2020. We want to focus our efforts to have in place the learning environment that we envision for the year 2020.
The task that our group Vision 2020 has is simply this; to create a template that defines the direction our school district should follow toward the year 2020 in the area of curriculum, technology and school learning climate. Understanding that the world we live in currently is changing faster than at any time in modern history, it is vital for the group’s success to create a plan that is flexible and has the ability to reflect ever changing opportunities in the field of education. The template will be shared with our board of education, community groups, and our families that make up our district. John Scully once stated that “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” The possibilities are endless for our students. The Vision 2020 group will have a great task determining what the future holds for us.
Rich Voltz, from the Illinois Association of School Administrators, will be in attendance on our first meeting on October 17th. Rich is a former superintendent of schools who now does professional development classes for administration throughout Illinois in the area of technology. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States studying the uses of technology in today’s schools and will share his knowledge and findings with the Vision 2020 group.
Educational leader Warren Bennis defines leadership in this statement, "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” I am excited to begin the work ahead of us because rarely we have the opportunity to spend time with our community members to focus on educational opportunities and discuss the image we possess for what a learning environment should be in the future for all our students. We hope to turn our vision into the reality of being pacesetters in the area of curriculum and learning.
Please look for Vision 2020 information on our district website and on my blog attached to the superintendent’s link at www.gkschools.org .

All about me

Superintendent Biography
August 2011
Joe F. Burgess, Jr. is entering his 28th year of education, twenty-four of which have been in public school administration.

Mr. Burgess is married (Kathy) and has three children, (Joe III -age 25, Mike- age 22, and Amie-age 20). Mr. and Mrs. Burgess are both 1984 graduates of Monmouth College, Monmouth IL. Joe III is a 2008 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and is currently a business teacher and coach at Olympia School District near Bloomington, IL. Mike is a recent graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and is pursuing a career in political science. Amie is currently attending Kishwaukee College in Malta, IL.

Mr. Burgess started his educational career in 1984 at R.O.V.A. (later R.O.W.V.A.) # 208 in Oneida, IL. He was an elementary teacher and coached football and basketball. In 1988, Mr. Burgess was named elementary principal and head teacher at Rio Elementary, and two years later named to the same position at Wataga Elementary, a school newly petitioned into ' the R.O.W.V.A. School District. In 1989, he was named Knox County's Teacher of the year by the local media.

1992, Mr. Burgess joined the Galesburg # 205 School District as an elementary principal and a year later was named Title One Director for the district along with his principal duties. While Title One Director Mr. Burgess was honored by the State Board of Education in 1997 as a Gold Star of Excellence Award winner for innovative practices in the area of Title One.

In 1998, he became Superintendent of Schools at Saunemin Elementary District # 438 in Saunemin, IL. This K-8 district was a feeder district to Pontiac High School and Dwight High School. Saunemin was noted by the State Board as one of the first school districts in the state to complete the differentiated instruction process of having an individual educational plan for every student in the district.

2003 was Mr. Burgess' first year as superintendent at Tuscola CUSD # 301 in Tuscola, IL. In 2006, Tuscola's elementary school North Ward was honored as a National Blue Ribbon school for academic excellence.

2010 Mr. Burgess assumed the duties as Genoa-Kingston #424 new superintendent. He looks forward to his second year of guiding Genoa-Kingston and maintaining the excellence in education that the district is known for in the Northern part of Illinois.

During his career Mr. Burgess has been active both professionally and civically. He has held several offices in the Illinois Association of School Administrators including the president of both the Cornbelt and Illini Divisions. He has been an active Lion, Rotarian, and United Way board member. In addition he has been a member of the Pontiac Library Board, Saunemin Educational Foundation Board, Tuscola Economic Development Board and numerous civic committees.

Education

BA Elementary Education
Monmouth College, Monmouth IL -1984
MA Educational Administration
Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL -1992
Ed Sp Educational Administration
Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL -1998
Ed D Educational Administration
Illinois State University, Normal, IL - continuing