District 117 Educators Share Their Expertise on State and National Stages!
By: Dr. Alan Wahlert
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction
When our community wrote the Portrait of a Graduate in 2023, they said a District 117 graduate collaborates by “inspiring and motivating others through the sharing of ideas toward a common purpose.” Our students learn every day from adults who do that themselves! Last school year, more than 20 of our teachers, coaches, counselors, and leaders took their best ideas beyond their own classrooms and offices and shared them with educators across Lake County, Illinois, and the nation.
During the 2025-2026 school year, staff and leaders across District 117 shared their expertise at numerous state and national conferences. Major national and state-level presentations featured prominently, such as the AP Annual Conference in Boston in July 2025, where Gina Baur, Sophia Liarakos, and Jaclyn Orlov shared insights on topics like AP Boot Camps and empowering student success. Instructional coaches Stacy Krabbe and Sarah Ogborn presented at the Teaching, Leading, and Coaching National Conference, while Megan Troyer and Jaclyn Orlov showcased targeted support strategies at the Raising Student Achievement Conference in Oakbrook, IL. Additionally, several staff members, including the instructional coaching teams, presented at IDEACON 2026 in Schaumburg.
Local and regional professional development saw CHSD 117 educators continue to serve as presenters, particularly during the Lake County FeBRRRuary Institute Day hosted at Lake Zurich High School in February 2026. Several departments were represented at this event: PE teachers Bryn Nottoli and Jamie Walton shared engaging activity ideas like “Minute to Win It” and “Games Galore,” while Sophia Liarakos and Jori Bowen presented on “Ladies Leading and Learning”. Instructional coaches such as Tyra Stall focused on data-driven coaching, and other staff members like Kelly McCracken, Tina Bairstow, Randie Reynolds, Travis Shepherd, and Sarah Ogborn led various sessions to support their peers across the county.
CHSD 117 staff also demonstrated their subject-specific expertise at specialized workshops and association meetings. Science educators Rob Schrader and Jackie DeCaro presented at the Northern Illinois Science Educators (NISE) Conference, while Social Studies Department Chair Anne Eichman collaborated with Science Department Chair Gina Baur and Fine Arts teacher Michael Riggs for a presentation at the national AP conference in Boston. Student Services staff Kelly McCracken and Taylor Travers spoke at the Illinois School Counselor Association (ISCA) event, and Christine Zucker participated in a Women in Coaching Panel for ITCCCA. Additionally, district leadership engaged with the broader community, such as when Andrew Seketa from the District Office Special Education department presented at the Rotary Club of Antioch and spoke about the unique needs and experiences of students with learning differences.
Standing in front of a room full of fellow professionals takes the same skills we ask of our students every day. Our community said a graduate who communicates “articulates ideas clearly and works to understand the audience”, and each of these presenters did exactly that for colleagues who will carry those ideas back to their own students. Thank you to all of our presenters for sharing your expertise and representing our community on all of these stages!
