A press release from the McHenry County Regional Superintendent of Schools:

Regional Office of Education’s Role in School Safety

he Regional Office of Education’s number one duty is to keep the children of McHenry County safe!

The Regional Office, located in the County Administration building, insures that every person in contact with students has a thorough criminal background check.

The checks are done through electronic fingerprinting which go through the State of Illinois and F.B.I. data bases.

Those requiring background checks include: educators, substitute teachers, teacher aides, coaches, lunch workers, bus drivers, facilities workers, construction workers and more.

Each fall, the Assistant Regional Superintendent, Mike Freeman, often accompanied by local fire department officials, inspects all 82 school buildings in McHenry County for meeting Health/Life Safety codes.

Leslie Schermerhorn

Reviewing district policies for bullying and bringing weapons onto school grounds is a large part of the Regional Offices duties.

The Regional Office also maintains a Regional Safe School for those students who have major infringements on school policy and require a curriculum that better addresses the individual’s social/emotional needs.

The Regional Office assists educators in maintaining their licenses and endorsements. The licensure clerk reviews teacher assignments so young people are taught by appropriately licensed teachers.

Finally, the federal Drug Free Community Grant the Office was awarded, has allowed for a director to work throughout the county to educate all members of the community on the realities of the substance abuse and the opioid crisis.

I have found the last six years as Superintendent of the Regional Office to be very rewarding. I hope you will entrust me with McHenry County young people for the next four.