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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to
3recognize Superintendent John Price, Ed.D., of North Chicago
4Community Unit School District 187 (North Chicago CUSD 187) on
5being named Lake County Superintendent of the Year by the Lake
6County Superintendents' Association; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Price became the superintendent of North
8Chicago CUSD 187 in 2017, where he has focused on stabilizing
9the district's leadership and implementing aggressive
10instructional improvement initiatives to better support
11students' well-being, academic success, and, ultimately, their
12futures; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Under Dr. Price's guidance, North Chicago CUSD
14187's graduation rate has improved from 56% to 82%, the
15freshman on-track rate reached 94% last year, kindergarten
16readiness has increased from 3% to 25%, the number of
17elementary students reaching growth targets has increased in
18both reading and mathematics, teacher retention has increased
19from 60% to more than 75%, and commitment to diversity in
20teacher recruitment has led to a teaching staff that better
21reflects the student population, improving from 0% of new
22teachers hired identifying as candidates of color to more than
2350% in 2022; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Dr. Price has been instrumental in North Chicago
2CUSD 187's financial health score improving every year, and
3the district has had surplus budgets for four years in a row;
4he has additionally overseen the district receiving millions
5of dollars in direct and indirect philanthropic support from
6an array of community partners and philanthropic
7organizations; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Over the course of his tenure, Dr. Price has
9maintained a good working relationship with the teachers'
10union, operating in partnership with them to successfully
11negotiate two contracts; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Working with a group of dedicated volunteers, Dr.
13Price helped found the North Chicago Public Education
14Foundation (NCPEF) in 2019, a not-for-profit organization that
15strives to send every graduate of North Chicago Community High
16School (NCCHS) to college without cost; through the Warhawk
17Lancer Scholarship, their efforts have provided 36 NCCHS
18graduates in the past three years with the opportunity to
19study at the College of Lake County; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Thanks to Dr. Price's tremendous leadership,
21North Chicago CUSD 187's dual language program will be active
22in each grade and each school from kindergarten through 8th

 

 

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1grade by 2027, and the district's first cohort of educational
2apprentices will complete their degrees and be eligible to
3return to the district to serve as teachers by 2026; and
 
4    WHEREAS, During the Lake County Superintendents'
5Association selection process for Superintendent of the Year,
6Dr. Price was noted for having the heart of an educator and the
7skill of a CEO in addition to embodying the vision, character,
8and skills a superintendent should aspire to possess; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Dr. Price, a California native, has lived in
10Chicago with his wife, Cheryl, and their two children since
112001; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize
14Superintendent John Price, Ed.D., of North Chicago Community
15Unit School District 187 (North Chicago CUSD 187) on being
16named Lake County Superintendent of the Year by the Lake
17County Superintendents' Association; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That we thank Dr. Price for his inspirational
19leadership and dedication to ensuring all students receive a
20great education while attending North Chicago CUSD 187 that
21prepares them for an even greater future; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to Dr. Price as an expression of our esteem and
3respect.