Balancing The District Budget

https://vimeo.com/210820159

Districts Using Grant Programs To Meet Budget Needs

Dr. Jill Gildea, formerly the superintendent of Freemont School District, a largely rural district northwest of Chicago, considers herself to be a “teacher first” type of superintendent. After spending nearly a decade teaching at the beginning of her career, Jill focuses on making a difference in the lives of children through student-centered practices.

Jill has been awarded a National School Public Relations Association Golden Achievement Award of Excellence for her communications work concentrating on the common core. She has been presented with the International Association of Business Officials Meritorious Budget Award and hosted three Board of Education panel presentations in 2014.

I took some time to talk to Jill at the AASA national conference in March 2017. I was impressed to learn that $1.3 million dollars in her district budget arrive from alternative revenue sources. Energy grant money and additional profit-making activities have bolstered school programs tremendously. The outside funding sources have helped Jill and her district balance the budget for the last seven years running, a notable accomplishment.

Jill was named superintendent at Greenwich Public Schools in Connecticut shortly after the conclusion of AASA Superintendent conference. I’m sure she will continue to excel in Connecticut as she did in Chicago and I look forward to catching up with her soon to hear of her accomplishments.

About Dr. Jill Gildea

Dr. Jill Gildea is currently superintendent of Greenwich Public Schools, CT after most recently serving as superintendent of Fremont School District 79, a large rural district in southwest Lake County, Illinois. The beginning of her education career was spent with ten years in the classroom at Lincoln Junior High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. She has administrative experience at all levels in rural, suburban, and urban environments.

She was Principal/Curriculum Director at Evergreen School in Union, Illinois, and was later promoted to Assistant Superintendent. She earned her Superintendent endorsement in the rural Marengo-Union School District #165. Jill served as a curriculum leader at suburban Libertyville 70 before taking the role of Superintendent of the Harrison School District in Wonder Lake, Illinois.

Jill has a B.A. in Education/English from Bradley University. Her doctorate, from Northern Illinois University, centered on Curriculum & Supervision. Her career in education includes grant writing and public presentations at local, state, and national levels on a variety of topics, such as parent engagement, curriculum development, and staff professional learning.

Jill is an active participant in the National Association of School Superintendents, EdLeader21, Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Horace Mann League, Education League of Illinois, Northern Illinois Roundtable Study Club, Suburban Superintendent Association, and Illinois Women Educational Leadership.

Follow Dr. Jill Gildea on Twitter

This article was originally published on Scholastic

AuthorDr. Berger is one of many industry education correspondents for the Mind Rocket Media Group, An educator and former school administrator. His video interview work and conversational podcasts have been featured in various media outlets. He often hosts education panel discussions and develops strategic content. As an academic Dr. Berger is a guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. A former assistant principal, he has been an adjunct undergraduate professor and developer of online college courses. He is a passionate Detroit sports fan who has also adopted Nashville sports teams as his own. 

Contact the Mind Rocket Media Group if you are interested in an industry interview and a placement on EdCircuit.
Further Reading

1. T.H.E. Journal – Duke Energy Powers K–12 Schools with Solar Energy Grants
2. EdTech Magazine – Teaching Students Digital Civility Goes Hand-in-Hand with Tech Rollouts
3. EdWeek Market Brief – Microsoft Unveils K-12 Operating System, Tools to Challenge Google