The District 64 Board of Education at its March 13, 2017 meeting confirmed the appointment of Allison Sobotka as assistant principal at Roosevelt School effective July 1. Sobotka has been with District 64 for two years as the instructional technology coach at Franklin School.
She is replacing Athanasia (Sia) Albans as Roosevelt’s Assistant Principal. Albans is leaving District 64 at year-end to become principal at Fairview Elementary School in Skokie District 72.
Although only in her second year, Sobotka already has stepped into leadership roles on a District-wide level, serving as a member of the 2020 Vision Strategic Plan committee; the Evaluation Committee, which developed and provides guidance on a new professional evaluation tool for teachers; and the Technology Integration Committee. She also is a member of the English Language Arts curriculum review committee, which is researching and preparing recommendations to update the grades K-8 curriculum.
At Franklin, she is a member of the school’s crisis and behavior team, leads intermediate grade students in the school’s Coding Club, and also serves as an after school math tutor.
“In her tech coaching role at Franklin, Mrs. Sobotka has been extremely effective in working with teachers to integrate future-ready learning into daily instruction that emphasizes the 4 c’s of communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking,” according to Superintendent Laurie Heinz.
“Her natural abilities as a collaborator make her an exceptional coach. She's a passionate educational leader who values teachers and the important work they do educating children. Her warmth and support-centered mindset will make her a real asset for Roosevelt’s staff, students and parents,” Dr. Heinz added.
Prior to joining District 64, Sobotka most recently was a technology coach for three years in Skokie District 68. She started her career as a fourth grade teacher and later became a technology teacher in Evergreen Park District 124.
Sobotka completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Missouri, and holds master’s degrees from Concordia University and Northern Illinois University. She also obtained an English Language Learner endorsement from National Louis University.
To select the new assistant principal, a team of central office administrators conducted the initial screening of more than 100 applicants and selected three for interviews. Candidates were initially interviewed by a committee of other District administrators, before moving to a final round with a committee of Roosevelt staff members and Principal Kevin Dwyer along with central office administrators. Dr. Heinz interviewed the preferred candidate before making her recommendation to the Board.