CONNIE’S PLATFORM AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION

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TECHNOLOGY

 

Crossing the Digital Divide to Provide Equitable Access to Educational Technology 

• Ensure Equitable Access to Wireless High-Speed Internet for All Students and Families

• Secure Funding to Assure that All Students have one-to-one access to Digital Devices 

• Reinstitute Tech Help Desk Shared Resource Model in All-District Facilities

• Implement  Best Practice Assistive Educational Technology to Promote Inclusion for Special Education Students in the Traditional Classroom 

• Formalize STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) and Implement a Computer Science Curriculum Across All Grade Levels

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ACADEMIC

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Providing Academic Rigor and Engaging Curriculum for All Students

• Provide consistent support to students, teachers and families from Early Childhood to High School to reach their full potential

• Institute Communications Program to assist Students and Families in Making a Smooth Transition Between Pre-K, Elementary, Middle School, and High School

• Promote Awareness of and Access to Advance Placement Screening and Acceleration Act Guidelines as well as other job skills for All Students

• Continue to Collaborate with Parents to Educate Role and Rights in Special Education

• Promote Partnerships with Parkland College and UIUC to Expand Opportunities and Awareness for Project-Based Learning Opportunities

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SAFETY

 

Ensuring a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment for Students and Educators

• Expand Efficient District-Wide Covid-19 Testing For All Students, Teachers and Staff

• Expand Safe Spaces and Programs with Community Partners Both On and Off-Campus During Non-School Hours 

• Introduce Consistent Restorative Practices at the Pre-K and Elementary Level to Build Conflict Resolution Skills to Heal Trauma and  Promote Positive Relationships 

• Work With Community Partners to Increase C-U Mentorship Volunteer Participation

• Update Facility Master Plan and Complete Renovations at Wiley and Thomas Paine

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CONNIE: A URBANA TIGER, AN ILLINI ALUM AND AN EIU PANTHER

 

A graduate of Urbana High School and proud Urbana Tiger, Connie Dillard-Myers is dedicated to bringing equitable access to educational technology for all. Connie earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Gies College of Business, with a major in Management Information Systems and a minor in African American Studies, as well as an associate's degree in Computer Informations Systems from Parkland Community College. She received her Master of Science degree from Eastern Illinois University’s School of Technology in Training and Development. Connie also worked for many years in cataloging and other departments of the University of Illinois Main Library.

 

BRING TECHNOLOGY TO URBANA

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Committed to excellence in public education and driven to improve digital access to underserved neighborhoods, Connie seeks to utilize her experience in instructional technology and library science to prepare all students for the ever-changing needs of the 21st century. To underscore her commitment to bridging the digital divide, Connie represented the University of Illinois on the Urbana-Champaign Big Broadband (UC2B) project, a $30 million dollar federal grant to the State of Illinois, the City of Urbana, the City of Champaign, and multiple local agencies. The direct connectivity provided by UC2B provides a solid foundation for increased access to health care, educational and recreational institutions, public safety, social services, public computing centers, as well as a sustainable educational outreach program for vulnerable populations.