Sheila Ogilvie, Kingman Primary School
It was pure chance Sheila Ogilvie, this year’s recipient of the District 150 Superintendent’s Award, went into teaching at all. Living in Chicago, newly divorced with two small children and no marketable skills, she moved back to her native Peoria and began taking classes at Illinois Central College. "The only two classes I could get that were back to back were a sociology class and an education class. My teacher for the education class was wonderful, and the experiences I had that semester working with students made me realize I wanted to be a teacher," she said.
Her sister was a special education teacher, and Ogilvie decided to go into the same field. After attending ICC for two years, she finished her degree at Eastern Illinois University, and was hired by the Peoria Public School District to teach in a second grade learning disabilities class.
After teaching for one year, she enrolled in the masters program at Bradley University, and received her masters degree two years later.
"Over the next several years I taught at several schools in the district, changing grade levels and classification of students. I finally landed at Hines Primary School in a first and second grade special education class," she said.
Ogilvie moved away from special education after 13 years, and began the following year as a second grade teacher.
Her experience during that year, however, changed the course of her career. "I was asked by the principal to full in for him while he was out for surgery. I was acting principal for two months before returning to my classroom to finish the year."
The following year included a new twist in her career path as well. "The day before school began, I was asked to take the position as director of the STAR Program, which is the district’s pre-kindergarten program for at-risk students. I took down all of the bulletin boards, sorted through the materials in the room, and packed up 14 years of teaching."
She was the STAR director for more than three years, until another opportunity came knocking.
"I interviewed previously for a principal position, and was contacted in December of 1993 about taking the position at
Kingman Primary on an interim basis. Once again, I quickly packed and said my good-byes. I began at Kingman in January of 1994, and I was appointed full-time principal at the end of the school year," Ogilvie said.
Though being principal is much different from being a classroom teacher, Ogilvie said the reason she chose to pursue a career in administration is the same reason she stayed in the classroom for so long.
"I was a classroom teacher for 14 years before becoming the director of the STAR program. Up to that point I had never considered becoming an administrator. I loved teaching, as it is such a rewarding profession. I was interested in leaving the STAR program because I missed the children and had very little contact with them in the position of director."
A typical work day for Ogilvie begins at 6:45 a.m., when she arrives at school to do paper work.
At 8 a.m., she’s either in a meeting or greeting students as they arrive at school. "I try to visit the classrooms as often as possible, even if it’s just sticking my head in the door," she said. "A large amount of my time is spent in the classrooms evaluating teachers and working with students with behavior problems. I also supervise the students on the playground at lunch recess as often as possible."
Ogilvie takes her commitment to her students seriously, not only inside school walls, but outside as well. "I take students home when they’re ill and their parents have no phone. I also take students home to talk with the parents if they are having problems," she said.
Time for projects and paper work is in short supply during the day, and she reads professional journals and books in the evenings and over the weekend.
Her dedication was rewarded in December, when she received the Superintendent’s Award. "All administrators in the district are eligible for this award," she explained. "I have the most wonderful staff in Peoria, and they are the ones who nominated me. That made it very special."
Teaching in District 150 can be a formidable task, but Ogilvie remains optimistic about the future of her students. "I think all of us in District 150 are faced with many challenges, but I think we embrace those challenges as we work to ensure our students will grow up to become productive members of society. The Kingman teachers are committed to our families and students, and work extremely hard helping students develop academic and social skills so they will be successful. The struggles we have are with students who make it impossible for the teachers to teach and students to learn. These students account for about 3 to 4 percent of the entire school population, but take about 90 percent of our time."
The most rewarding aspect of her job is all around her, Ogilvie said. "The best part is working with a staff that’s truly dedicated to the students. The climate at Kingman Primary is one of caring. Also, I enjoy working with parents and helping them as well as the children."
She has already accomplished her biggest goal—getting her education while rearing two children—but there are plenty of things yet to be done. "One goal is to have all of the students reading at grade level when they leave Kingman Primary. I would also like parents to realize the importance they play in the education of their children," she said.
If anyone can achieve those goals, experience says Ogilvie is just the principal to do it. TPW
Her sister was a special education teacher, and Ogilvie decided to go into the same field. After attending ICC for two years, she finished her degree at Eastern Illinois University, and was hired by the Peoria Public School District to teach in a second grade learning disabilities class.
After teaching for one year, she enrolled in the masters program at Bradley University, and received her masters degree two years later.
"Over the next several years I taught at several schools in the district, changing grade levels and classification of students. I finally landed at Hines Primary School in a first and second grade special education class," she said.
Ogilvie moved away from special education after 13 years, and began the following year as a second grade teacher.
Her experience during that year, however, changed the course of her career. "I was asked by the principal to full in for him while he was out for surgery. I was acting principal for two months before returning to my classroom to finish the year."
The following year included a new twist in her career path as well. "The day before school began, I was asked to take the position as director of the STAR Program, which is the district’s pre-kindergarten program for at-risk students. I took down all of the bulletin boards, sorted through the materials in the room, and packed up 14 years of teaching."
She was the STAR director for more than three years, until another opportunity came knocking.
"I interviewed previously for a principal position, and was contacted in December of 1993 about taking the position at
Kingman Primary on an interim basis. Once again, I quickly packed and said my good-byes. I began at Kingman in January of 1994, and I was appointed full-time principal at the end of the school year," Ogilvie said.
Though being principal is much different from being a classroom teacher, Ogilvie said the reason she chose to pursue a career in administration is the same reason she stayed in the classroom for so long.
"I was a classroom teacher for 14 years before becoming the director of the STAR program. Up to that point I had never considered becoming an administrator. I loved teaching, as it is such a rewarding profession. I was interested in leaving the STAR program because I missed the children and had very little contact with them in the position of director."
A typical work day for Ogilvie begins at 6:45 a.m., when she arrives at school to do paper work.
At 8 a.m., she’s either in a meeting or greeting students as they arrive at school. "I try to visit the classrooms as often as possible, even if it’s just sticking my head in the door," she said. "A large amount of my time is spent in the classrooms evaluating teachers and working with students with behavior problems. I also supervise the students on the playground at lunch recess as often as possible."
Ogilvie takes her commitment to her students seriously, not only inside school walls, but outside as well. "I take students home when they’re ill and their parents have no phone. I also take students home to talk with the parents if they are having problems," she said.
Time for projects and paper work is in short supply during the day, and she reads professional journals and books in the evenings and over the weekend.
Her dedication was rewarded in December, when she received the Superintendent’s Award. "All administrators in the district are eligible for this award," she explained. "I have the most wonderful staff in Peoria, and they are the ones who nominated me. That made it very special."
Teaching in District 150 can be a formidable task, but Ogilvie remains optimistic about the future of her students. "I think all of us in District 150 are faced with many challenges, but I think we embrace those challenges as we work to ensure our students will grow up to become productive members of society. The Kingman teachers are committed to our families and students, and work extremely hard helping students develop academic and social skills so they will be successful. The struggles we have are with students who make it impossible for the teachers to teach and students to learn. These students account for about 3 to 4 percent of the entire school population, but take about 90 percent of our time."
The most rewarding aspect of her job is all around her, Ogilvie said. "The best part is working with a staff that’s truly dedicated to the students. The climate at Kingman Primary is one of caring. Also, I enjoy working with parents and helping them as well as the children."
She has already accomplished her biggest goal—getting her education while rearing two children—but there are plenty of things yet to be done. "One goal is to have all of the students reading at grade level when they leave Kingman Primary. I would also like parents to realize the importance they play in the education of their children," she said.
If anyone can achieve those goals, experience says Ogilvie is just the principal to do it. TPW