On Sept. 24, the District 65 School Board approved the appointment of Joaquin Stephenson as the new Director of Equity and Family/Community Engagement.
“I am thrilled to welcome Joaquin to our team and look forward to working closely with him” said Dr. Goren. “Joaquin comes to us from School District 219 and is a tireless advocate for racial and educational equity. He has a keen ability to connect and empower families and caregivers from all walks of life and will take over engagement efforts on behalf of our school district.”
As the Director of Equity and Family/Community Engagement, Mr. Stephenson will work towards fostering equitable learning environments and opportunities for all students, especially students of color, and designing and managing programs to engage families at both the school and District levels, said the District in a prepared statement. He will collaborate with District staff members and community partners to support and increase family engagement efforts and will oversee diversity training in the district, including Beyond Diversity and SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity).
Mr. Stephenson most recently served as the Director of Physical Welfare in Niles Township District 219 and prior to that as a Dean of Students and a Physical Education, Health, and Dance teacher. He holds a Masters of Arts in School Leadership degree from Concordia University and is pursuing a doctoral degree in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University in Chicago. He is proficient in Spanish, a trained Beyond Diversity and SEED facilitator, and an Equity Transformation Consultant.