Peoria Profile
Illa Conklin: Washington Gifted School
It’s no wonder Peoria Public School District 150 continues to support Washington Gifted School. With Principal Illa Conklin in her eleventh year at the helm, this 34-year commitment to gifted education continues to flourish.
"I certainly admire District 150 for keeping the school going through all of the ups and downs concerning gifted education-during the years when people thought it was important and the years when people thought it was elitist," Conklin said. "I’ve worked in three different districts, and I’ve been involved first-hand with varied methods of teaching gifted children. Washington offers the best option."
Though the previous schools in which she taught worked with strategies for gifted students, she said it’s difficult to effectively attach the curriculum to a pullout program. "First, you’re working with different groups of students in different classrooms. At Washington, in everything we do, we’re working with gifted students and appropriate strategies to teach the established curriculum. We’re able to be more cohesive. To be fair to our gifted children, they need to be together in an environment where they play off of each other, give each other ideas, and move forward from there."
And Washington Gifted School provides an environment where children can grow to become responsible, self-directed, lifelong learners through a positive partnership of family, school, and community.
Conklin is an excellent example of a lifelong learner. She’s enjoyed working with young people since her early days of babysitting and caring for children in her church nursery. She recalled being influenced by several very effective teachers. "I loved middle school myself; it was so much fun. Maybe that’s why I’m so comfortable with leading a middle school."
She said her home economics teacher was also one of her role models. Although she was never interested in teaching the subject, Conklin clearly remembers the way she ran her classes and the way her teacher made her feel special. "Mrs. Gardner showed me how important a teacher can be; she inspired me to go forward. I was also involved in Future Teachers of America, and Mrs. Gardner was one of the teachers I helped. I always loved school; I think most good teachers have always enjoyed school."
Born in Champaign, Conklin was raised in Houston, Texas, until she was a high school sophomore, when she returned to Illinois. Because of her move back to the area, she ended up studying at Bradley University. "I hesitated to make my college choice; I had a room at both Southern Methodist University and Bradley University. But I was close enough to my family that I didn’t want to go very far from them."
Conklin began her career in 1969 as a third grade teacher at Keller West. From 1977 to 1992, she taught at Wilder-Waite Elementary, Banner Elementary, and Pioneer Junior High in Dunlap, where she initiated a pullout program for gifted students. In 1992, she became assistant principal at Illinois Valley Central’s Mossville Grade School and worked with its gifted program. "I was ready for a change, yet I knew I still wanted to be in education. I’d had the experience of starting and coordinating the gifted program for Dunlap, so I had a little taste of what administration would be like. I earned my supervisory degree at Bradley and became an administrator at Mossville. I liked what I did, but I guess I wanted to have my own school. When the Washington opening came along, it seemed like an excellent fit."
Her career as principal at Washington Gifted School followed the 20-year principalship of John Garrett, a strong supporter of gifted education in the community. "I had big shoes to fill, as John Garrett did a fine job and has been a wonderful resource. Since most middle school principals are in overdrive, it was comfortable to move into a situation that had already been established in such a good way. It made my transition easier," Conklin said.
As principal of Washington Gifted, Conklin not only works with the identification of gifted children in her own district, but also with gifted committees at other schools. In addition to the usual subjects, Washington’s curriculum includes learning French or Spanish. "If the students come in with French in fifth grade, they stay in French through eighth grade and vice versa. We accelerate in math and basically cover two years in fifth grade and two in sixth grade, finishing seventh and eighth grades with algebra. They’re then prepared to enter the second year of math in high school."
The curriculum also includes a lot of research and presentations, she said. "In fact, they give so many presentations that by the time they’re in eighth grade, I can honestly pick any one of them, and he or she could easily talk in front of a group. It’s just amazing to me. We have seventh grade speech and eighth grade debate, and that, of course, helps them with their communication skills, as well."
The community has taken a strong interest in Washington Gifted and has embraced its students. Four Adopt-a-School partners-CGN & Associates Inc., Illinois-American Water Company, Philips Swager Associates Inc., and N.E. Finch Company-have not only provided financial support, but also manpower. When the students expressed interest in establishing a garden, for example, the companies jumped right in. Philips Swager sent an architect to school to talk about scale drawings and gave the students some landscape architectural ideas, the N.E. Finch Company contributed construction material, and Illinois-American Water donated a water fountain.
Another recent project the seventh grade tackled was to research problems the Peoria area faced. CGN & Associates provided an employee who came to the school to talk about problem solving and, specifically, how a business problem is solved. The students researched possibilities for solutions and planned what actions they could take.
Conklin believes it’s very important that her students contribute to the community they’ll someday lead in hopes that, as adults, they’ll continue to feel a strong commitment to their community. The Washington School Builders’ Club, an affiliate of the Suburban Kiwanis, has a representative from each grade. Every year the club selects a different charity. Recent philanthropies have included conducting a toy drive for The Children’s Home, donating to the dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa research association, and wrapping gifts for women and children from the Center for Prevention of Abuse during the holiday season. In addition, the Environmental Club sponsors animals at the Glen Oak Zoo and donates funds to Wildlife Prairie State Park each year.
Above all, the environment of the middle school itself is an excellent example of a strong community at work in Peoria. "I want to emphasize how dedicated and exceptional our faculty is. Our parents are also very important to us here; that’s the crux of our program," Conklin said.
Under her leadership and dedication to education, Washington Gifted School has developed many future leaders. And while Washington will continue to do so, this school year is Conklin’s last as principal, earning a well-deserved retirement with her husband and family. TPW
"I certainly admire District 150 for keeping the school going through all of the ups and downs concerning gifted education-during the years when people thought it was important and the years when people thought it was elitist," Conklin said. "I’ve worked in three different districts, and I’ve been involved first-hand with varied methods of teaching gifted children. Washington offers the best option."
Though the previous schools in which she taught worked with strategies for gifted students, she said it’s difficult to effectively attach the curriculum to a pullout program. "First, you’re working with different groups of students in different classrooms. At Washington, in everything we do, we’re working with gifted students and appropriate strategies to teach the established curriculum. We’re able to be more cohesive. To be fair to our gifted children, they need to be together in an environment where they play off of each other, give each other ideas, and move forward from there."
And Washington Gifted School provides an environment where children can grow to become responsible, self-directed, lifelong learners through a positive partnership of family, school, and community.
Conklin is an excellent example of a lifelong learner. She’s enjoyed working with young people since her early days of babysitting and caring for children in her church nursery. She recalled being influenced by several very effective teachers. "I loved middle school myself; it was so much fun. Maybe that’s why I’m so comfortable with leading a middle school."
She said her home economics teacher was also one of her role models. Although she was never interested in teaching the subject, Conklin clearly remembers the way she ran her classes and the way her teacher made her feel special. "Mrs. Gardner showed me how important a teacher can be; she inspired me to go forward. I was also involved in Future Teachers of America, and Mrs. Gardner was one of the teachers I helped. I always loved school; I think most good teachers have always enjoyed school."
Born in Champaign, Conklin was raised in Houston, Texas, until she was a high school sophomore, when she returned to Illinois. Because of her move back to the area, she ended up studying at Bradley University. "I hesitated to make my college choice; I had a room at both Southern Methodist University and Bradley University. But I was close enough to my family that I didn’t want to go very far from them."
Conklin began her career in 1969 as a third grade teacher at Keller West. From 1977 to 1992, she taught at Wilder-Waite Elementary, Banner Elementary, and Pioneer Junior High in Dunlap, where she initiated a pullout program for gifted students. In 1992, she became assistant principal at Illinois Valley Central’s Mossville Grade School and worked with its gifted program. "I was ready for a change, yet I knew I still wanted to be in education. I’d had the experience of starting and coordinating the gifted program for Dunlap, so I had a little taste of what administration would be like. I earned my supervisory degree at Bradley and became an administrator at Mossville. I liked what I did, but I guess I wanted to have my own school. When the Washington opening came along, it seemed like an excellent fit."
Her career as principal at Washington Gifted School followed the 20-year principalship of John Garrett, a strong supporter of gifted education in the community. "I had big shoes to fill, as John Garrett did a fine job and has been a wonderful resource. Since most middle school principals are in overdrive, it was comfortable to move into a situation that had already been established in such a good way. It made my transition easier," Conklin said.
As principal of Washington Gifted, Conklin not only works with the identification of gifted children in her own district, but also with gifted committees at other schools. In addition to the usual subjects, Washington’s curriculum includes learning French or Spanish. "If the students come in with French in fifth grade, they stay in French through eighth grade and vice versa. We accelerate in math and basically cover two years in fifth grade and two in sixth grade, finishing seventh and eighth grades with algebra. They’re then prepared to enter the second year of math in high school."
The curriculum also includes a lot of research and presentations, she said. "In fact, they give so many presentations that by the time they’re in eighth grade, I can honestly pick any one of them, and he or she could easily talk in front of a group. It’s just amazing to me. We have seventh grade speech and eighth grade debate, and that, of course, helps them with their communication skills, as well."
The community has taken a strong interest in Washington Gifted and has embraced its students. Four Adopt-a-School partners-CGN & Associates Inc., Illinois-American Water Company, Philips Swager Associates Inc., and N.E. Finch Company-have not only provided financial support, but also manpower. When the students expressed interest in establishing a garden, for example, the companies jumped right in. Philips Swager sent an architect to school to talk about scale drawings and gave the students some landscape architectural ideas, the N.E. Finch Company contributed construction material, and Illinois-American Water donated a water fountain.
Another recent project the seventh grade tackled was to research problems the Peoria area faced. CGN & Associates provided an employee who came to the school to talk about problem solving and, specifically, how a business problem is solved. The students researched possibilities for solutions and planned what actions they could take.
Conklin believes it’s very important that her students contribute to the community they’ll someday lead in hopes that, as adults, they’ll continue to feel a strong commitment to their community. The Washington School Builders’ Club, an affiliate of the Suburban Kiwanis, has a representative from each grade. Every year the club selects a different charity. Recent philanthropies have included conducting a toy drive for The Children’s Home, donating to the dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa research association, and wrapping gifts for women and children from the Center for Prevention of Abuse during the holiday season. In addition, the Environmental Club sponsors animals at the Glen Oak Zoo and donates funds to Wildlife Prairie State Park each year.
Above all, the environment of the middle school itself is an excellent example of a strong community at work in Peoria. "I want to emphasize how dedicated and exceptional our faculty is. Our parents are also very important to us here; that’s the crux of our program," Conklin said.
Under her leadership and dedication to education, Washington Gifted School has developed many future leaders. And while Washington will continue to do so, this school year is Conklin’s last as principal, earning a well-deserved retirement with her husband and family. TPW