West Aurora School District 129 has hired a new administrator to oversee the district’s career and technical education in the middle schools and high school.
Laura Edwards, who currently serves as the assistant director of the Indian Valley Vocational Center in Sandwich, will assume the role as Career and Technical Education Curriculum Coordinator in the West Aurora School District for the 2023-24 school year, district officials said.
Edwards will support career and technical education programming at the district’s four middle schools and the high school, which has recently expanded offerings to include automation, robotics and advanced building trades at the Weisner Family Center for Career Development that opened in 2019.
Her duties will include coaching, evaluating teachers and working with staff to make curricular recommendations, district officials said.
The district had a resignation earlier in the school year that required the appointment of an interim Career and Technical Education Curriculum Coordinator, West Aurora School District Director of Community Affairs Anna Gonzales said. The district appointed retired West Aurora High School Lead Counselor Deborah Quinn to fill the position.
“Quinn had previous familiarity with the Career and Technical Education Curriculum pathways and has been a great fit this year,” Gonzales said.
Edwards has been the assistant director at the Indian Valley Vocational Center for eight years. The center accepts students from surrounding schools interested in career fields including fire science, aviation mechanics, welding, emergency medical services, nursing and sports medicine, officials said.
She previously spent four years in DeKalb Community School District 428 serving as the district’s coordinator for assessment and response to interventions.
Edwards began her career in education as a counselor and dean in Leland Community Unit School District 1 managing discipline referrals and intervention needs for students in high school.
Edwards has a bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations from Bradley University, a master’s degree in school counseling from St. Xavier University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Illinois University.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.