CCSD21 announces new Educational Services leadership team members

The Community Consolidated School District 21 Board of Education, during its March 19 meeting, approved the appointment of three experienced leaders to key roles within the district’s Educational Services Department, along with five district instructional specialists. These appointments reflect the district’s ongoing commitment to supporting all learners and strengthening services for students and families.

Kate Flanagan was named the director of special education. In this role, she will provide strategic leadership for the district’s special education programs, with a focus on advancing inclusive practices, instructional equity and high expectations for all students with disabilities.

Also an alumna of the district, having attended Twain and Holmes, Flanagan brings extensive experience in special education leadership and instruction. Most recently, she served as the director of special education in the Salem School District in Salem, Wisconsin. Before that, she served as a special education teacher, diagnostician and special education case manager.

“I am incredibly excited to be joining the District 21 team and to serve the community that played a foundational role in shaping who I am today,” Flanagan said. “I care deeply about creating learning environments where all students have access, feel a true sense of belonging, and are supported in their growth. I’m looking forward to partnering with staff across the district to continue building systems that are inclusive, responsive, and centered on both students and the educators who support them every day.”

Jen Foraker will serve as special education coordinator, supporting the implementation and continuous improvement of special education services across the district.

Foraker has extensive experience working with students, staff and families to ensure effective programming and compliance with state and federal guidelines. For the past two school years, she has served as a student services coordinator within the district. Prior to that, she served as an instructional specialist and special education teacher within District 21.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to step into the special education coordinator role and continue supporting our students, staff, and families,” Foraker said. “I’m looking forward to building on the strong work already happening across our schools and continuing to collaborate with teams to support student growth.”

Tracy Heitman has been appointed student services coordinator, where she will help oversee a range of student support services, including social-emotional learning, contributing to the overall well-being and success of every student.

Heitman brings a strong background in student services and a deep commitment to fostering inclusive, supportive school environments. For the past two school years, she has been assistant principal at Longfellow. Before that, she served as a school social worker for a decade.

“I am incredibly excited to begin my new role as Student Services Coordinator and to expand my impact in supporting students, staff, and families across the district,” Heitman said. “I am deeply grateful for the learning, growth, and meaningful experiences I gained as Assistant Principal and as a member of the Longfellow community. The opportunity to tap into my expertise in social, emotional, and behavioral well-being at the district level is the very reason I chose to pursue administration, to maximize the positive impact I can have on an entire school district community.”

The board also approved the appointment of five district instructional specialists: Katie Eckelmann, Elizabeth Reyes, Emily Ford, Claudia Alvarado and Tatyana Ruditskaya. In these roles, they will support teaching and learning across the district through coaching, collaboration and the implementation of high-quality instructional practices.

Eckelmann has served as a literacy instructional specialist for Kilmer, Longfellow, and Poe Elementary Schools for the past two years and is the district’s LETRS facilitator, leading professional development in literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading. She was recently named to the board of The Reading League Illinois, a state chapter of The Reading League dedicated to advancing evidence-aligned literacy instruction. Eckelmann brings more than 15 years of experience in education, including classroom teaching and district-level specialist roles.

Reyes has more than 16 years of experience in multilingual education with both classroom teaching and district specialist experience. Fluent in Spanish, she currently serves as a bilingual/ESL instructional specialist at Frost, Twain and Whitman Elementary Schools, working with staff from preschool through eighth grade.

Ford currently serves as a math Instructional specialist for Frost and Kilmer Elementary Schools, and brings more than 17 years of experience in education across classroom teaching, coaching and specialist expertise. 

Alvarado, herself an alumna of District 21, currently serves as a Structured Teaching Program teacher at Holmes Middle School, supporting students with diverse academic, behavioral and functional needs. Also fluent in Spanish, she brings strong expertise in special education, bilingual instruction, data-driven teaching, behavioral supports and inclusive practices for preschool through eighth graders.

Ruditskaya, currently a Russian bilingual literacy and SEL interventionist at Kilmer Elementary School, has a strong background in bilingual and multilingual education, supporting diverse learners and families. She is also fluent in five languages, including Russian, Ukrainian and Polish, bringing valuable multilingual expertise to her work with students and families.

Together, this expanded leadership team will play a critical role in advancing the district’s mission to provide a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students.

“These leaders bring a shared passion for student-centered practices and a deep understanding of the needs of our school communities,” said Superintendent Dr. Michael Connolly. “We are confident they will make a positive impact on our students, staff and families.”

Flanagan, Foraker and Heitman’s appointments are effective as of July 1, while the instructional specialists will officially begin their new roles on August 17.