Superintendents

Building Bridges Together for A Brighter Future

Special Education District of Lake County (SEDOL) is an evolving, future-driven special education cooperative serving 31 school districts across Lake County.  Over 648 students are served directly through SEDOL programs and services supported by over 600 members of the exceptional SEDOL team. The SEDOL team brings their hearts and talents to this meaningful work every day to provide exceptional services to the SEDOL community. 

As co-interim SEDOL superintendents, we are proud of our respective careers in the field of special education, each having worked in districts, small and large, across several counties and most recently as superintendents in large, progressive special education cooperatives.  Beginning our interim roles in July 2024, we have since engaged with hundreds of staff, dozens of district leaders and board members, traveling across the member districts to meet district leaders, visit programs, and gain greater insight from SEDOL stakeholders on the most important priorities moving forward. The love and dedication of staff for this very purposeful and specialized work is evident daily.  Frequently engaged stakeholder dialogues around important changes will continue to enhance our partnership efforts as the interconnectedness of many complex systems need a shared focus on the needs of students. 

SEDOL is governed by an Executive Board and Governing Board who represent the 31 member districts. The Boards provide important oversight and guidance to the important work of this evolving organization. We are also fortunate to be supported by an incredibly dedicated SEDOL Foundation, a fundraising organization driven to best support SEDOL students and are truly making a difference for students and families through so many projects, grants and supports that support student and program needs. 

Building Bridges Together for A Brighter Future for students, the SEDOL theme this year, focuses on building and advancing deep connections with partners to enhance our work together. This focused work serves as a springboard for the necessary transitional changes that will create and advance increased opportunities for students in their educational journeys and build the skills and opportunities for a bright future into adulthood. 

Our SEDOL leadership team developed a Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) this summer, incorporating input from various stakeholders and carefully aligned to the Exceptional Learning System (ELS) report recommendations after an extensive cooperative review last year. This robust and ambitious SEDOL Continuous Improvement Plan (view here) has been designed to address four important priorities identified by stakeholders across the districts and SEDOL community that emphasize instructional practices, high expectations, fiscal restructuring and collaborative partnerships. The CIP will focus our action steps by building partnerships and connections critical for advancing systems and changes across SEDOL.

We are so fortunate to lead this special organization through an important transitional period as we rethink and refine processes that support change. Together as an organization, SEDOL will grow and convey a deeper sense of purpose, identity and connection as we build bridges together that provide the support students need to advance their educational journeys. 

Sincerely,

Judy Hackett, EdD and Tim Thomas, EdD

Co-Interim SEDOL Superintendents 

Excellence in education is when we do everything that we can to make sure 

our students become everything that they can.     

-Carol Ann Tomlinson