President and Executive Director
Center for Success For High Need Schools Inc.
Jan Fitzsimmons, Ph. D. is currently President of the non-profit Center for Success for High Need Schools that puts collaborating institutions at the cutting edge of school reform by convening colleges and universities and their PK-12 partners to recruit, prepare and retain talented and diverse teachers and leaders for PK-12 schools and classrooms, especially those serving Illinois low-income and marginalized students.
The Center also empowers BOTH pre-service college students in education who will be teaching in high need schools and PK-12 students enrolled in high-need schools with experiential education that provides access, resources and opportunities to both groups to grow and learn throughout the academic year and the summer, and from year to year. PK-12 students are provided with weekly and monthly educational supports and enrichments such as tutoring, college visits, book club and literature circles, panels, enrichment events like coding and chess classes, speakers, after school and evening study groups, homework help and summer enrichment camps that support the PK-12 scholars to succeed in their school classes and engage in forward educational thinking about college and career.
Previously, she taught and administered programs at North Central College (NCC) from 1985 – 2020, most recently as Executive Director of the Urban Education Laboratory. A former public school teacher, principal, and curriculum director, she is the founder of NCC’s Junior/Senior Scholars Program (serving 200 students from under-resourced communities in Chicago and East Aurora), Promise Teacher Corp, and the Urban Education Laboratory.
Saturday, February 17, 2024
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM MST