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Dr. Michael Curry, Board Member

 

Dr. Mike Curry graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1988 and Western Illinois University in 1992. He began his educational career as a junior high social studies teacher and coach in Beardstown IL. He later moved to Pana High School to teach social studies and coach varsity baseball. While at Pana, Dr. Curry started and completed his Master’s degree in Educational Administration at Eastern Illinois University - in three semesters. He became an assistant principal at Taylorville High School in 2004. During his stay in Taylorville, he started and completed his Education Specialist degree from Eastern Illinois University.  After three wonderful years in Taylorville, under the mentorship of high school principal Tom Campbell, Dr. Curry became high school principal at Athens High School. While at Athens, he was accepted into Western Illinois University’s Educational Leadership Doctoral program.  After five years as Athens High School principal, Dr. Curry became the superintendent/principal of the VIT School District and Elementary School in Table Grove, IL. In the Fall of 2016, Dr. Curry successfully defended his dissertation on “Role and Responsibility Priorities of the Superintendent/Principal as Perceived by Board Presidents, Teachers’ Union Presidents, and Superintendent/Principals.”

As of July 2017, Dr. Curry will serve as the superintendent of schools for the Abingdon-Avon CUSD# 276.

Dr. Curry spent the last two years studying the rural leadership position of superintendent/principal. The dual-role leadership study and the research involved in writing his dissertation served to increase his interest in and support for rural and small schools like VIT.  He attended the AIRSS annual meeting for three years and had voiced his willingness to “serve an organization that serves rural school districts at the state and national level.” 

Dr. Curry is looking forward to being a part of AIRSS as the organization grows and continues to stand up for the small and rural school districts in Illinois.

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