Jon Bartelt

Congratulations to the 8th grade 3rd trimester ARROW award winners!

Congratulations to the 6th grade 3rd trimester ARROW award winners!

This week will be the last 1 I get to experience as a superintendent w/ students in session. I'm very grateful 4 the students, staffs, boards, & communities I have had the privilege 2 serve in my career. Enjoy your Sunday!

Congratulations on a great career in D13 - wishing you the best in your adventures in Wisconsin!

This guy… @jonbartelt! Known by all @IllinoisASA Supts, I’m pretty sure. I was honored to visit Erickson Elem School in Bloomingdale SD 13 today as Jon nears retirement. Thanks for the great visit!

My mother made the difference 4 me by not pushing me toward a specific career or 2 finish at the top academically (though she wanted me 2 do well). This allowed me 2 pick a career I’ve enjoyed in every aspect & her lessons helped me parent my own children. Happy Mother’s Day!

I didn’t drift as a leader because I stopped caring, I drifted as a leader because I was so focused on finishing the day that I stopped noticing the moments that gave it meaning. Eventually, surviving the day became more natural than actually leading it. #LEADFROMWHOYOUARE

Here is this week's Arrow app.smore.com/n/wvd12

Happy Sunday! This graphic was found on social media and I liked it so much that I kept a copy. With that, I have no idea as to who took the quote from Dr. Seuss and made it so eye catching. But it is and the quote rings true. Just. Be. You. You are enough. Enjoy the day!

For those of you who know me, you are aware of my Chicago baseball preferences. It is either one team or the other. I am a south sider. However, I believe we are always better when we work together. Finish strong everyone and enjoy your day!

Your team isn’t looking for a flawless leader. They are looking for a predictable one. Consistency is the quiet currency of TRUST. The version of you that shows up on a random Tuesday in between big events is the one shaping the culture of your building. If you are looking for clarity, Lead from Who You Are by @Joe_Sanfelippo will help you find it. Grab your copy today at ConnectEDD.org

You can’t mandate trust. You can model storytelling. When every voice in your district carries weight…regardless of title or role, people stop protecting their work and start sharing it. Build a culture of storytellers. You’ll build a culture of trust. #LeadFromWhoYouAre

Here is this week's Arrow app.smore.com/n/9tv8d

Congratulations to this week’s Warriors of the Week!

Teachers should never lose sight of this...

5 Leadership Lessons from The Andy Griffith Show: I grew up watching The Andy Griffith Show, and I still find myself coming back to it several times a week. There’s something about that whistling theme song—and the simplicity of Mayberry—that never gets old. (And let’s be honest: the black-and-white episodes with Barney Fife are the best.) Over the years, I’ve realized something: beneath the humor and nostalgia are some surprisingly powerful leadership lessons. Here are five that stand out. 1. Integrity Matters—Always In “The Horse Trader,” Andy warns Opie about dishonesty, only to stretch the truth himself while trying to sell an old cannon. When Opie calls him out, Andy is reminded of a hard truth: integrity isn’t situational. Great leaders earn trust by aligning their words and actions. They don’t just teach values—they live them. 2. Trust First—and Own It When You’re Wrong In “The Keeper of the Flame,” Andy assumes Opie is responsible for a barn fire. When he discovers the truth, he does something many leaders struggle to do—he apologizes. Trusting your people—and being willing to repair the relationship when you get it wrong—is essential to strong leadership. 3. Empower Others to Step Up In “Lawman Barney,” Andy helps Barney find the confidence to handle a difficult situation. He doesn’t take over—he builds Barney up. That’s what great leaders do. They don’t create dependence; they develop confidence, courage, and ownership in others. 4. Protect People—and Their Dignity In “Back to Nature,” Andy helps Barney and Gomer recover from getting lost—without embarrassing them. Strong leaders look out for their people, not just in big ways, but in small, human moments. They understand that dignity and morale matter. 5. Representation and Belonging Matter In “Opie’s Piano Lesson,” one of the few episodes featuring a Black actor, it’s hard not to notice how rarely diversity appeared in Mayberry. It raises an important leadership question: Who feels seen here—and who doesn’t? As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that everyone we serve feels valued, included, and represented. Every student—and every person—should be able to see a place for themselves. Final Thought: If we’re paying attention, the things we watch can do more than entertain—they can teach, challenge, and inspire us. I’ve found leadership lessons in Mayberry. Where have you found yours?

@DrHillD93 Congratulations!

What an incredible Saturday! Our son and daughter-in-law blessed our family with the birth of our 8th grandchild, Sophia Nicole Hill. Big brother Michael approves.#soblessed

To them, I am grateful and honored that our paths crossed over the past 36 years of work in schools. Enjoy your Sunday!

The message I took from this graphic was that bad times are temporary and that there is more good in the world than bad. That has been my experience in education and I am fortunate to have been surrounded by so many leaders who have brought courage & good to the field than bad.

For this Sunday, I have found a graphic segment from someone I cannot remember who posted it online from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Sam Gamgee is speaking to Frodo Baggins somewhere along their path together in the epic story.