IMSA Welcomes Four New Board Members
For Immediate Release, November 2005
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at
(630) 907-5033
AURORA— The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) recently appointed four new members to its Board of Trustees. The IMSA Board of Trustees represent a distinguished group of education, science and business leaders and are appointed either by the Illinois Governor, State Superintendent of the Illinois State Board of Education or Executive Director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
ERIN ROCHE of Chicago, a member of IMSA's charter class of 1989, is principal of Ravenswood School in Chicago. Mr. Roche holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and mathematics from Knox College and a master's degree in education from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Mr. Roche has served in Honduras with the Peace Corps, was assistant principal at both Boone Elementary and Noble Street Charter High School in Chicago, and a new school planner with the National Teachers Academy. Mr. Roche has also worked with the Chicago Public Schools in creating Telpochcalli, a school dedicated to developing bilingual English/Spanish students.
DR. PAULA OLSZEWSKI-KUBILIUS of Willow Springs is director of the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University and is a widely recognized expert on gifted education. Dr. Olszewski-Kubilius holds a master's degree in education and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Northwestern and has taught psychology, research and talent development courses at National Louis, Northeastern Illinois and Northwestern Universities.
SAM DYSON of Chicago is a physics teacher at Walter Payton College Prep High School in Chicago. Mr. Dyson holds a bachelor's degree in physics from Yale and a master's in education from Harvard. He has taught science in South Africa, leads a student exchange program with South Africa and teaches a seminar in Zulu language at Walter Payton. Sam also has been an instructor and facilitator in the Alternative Certification program at Northwestern University.
DR. JAMES RYDLAND of Aurora is the superintendent of West Aurora School District 129. Dr. Rydland holds a master's degree in special education from the University of Washington and an Ed.D. in educational administration from Washington State University. He has been an educator since 1975 and was most recently an Assistant Superintendent of North Thurston School District in the state of Washington. Dr. Rydland joins the IMSA Board of Trustees as an ex-officio member.
The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® is an internationally-recognized pioneering educational institution created by the State of Illinois to develop talent and leadership in mathematics, science and technology. IMSA's advanced residential college preparatory program enrolls 650 academically talented Illinois students in grades 10-12. Nearly 19,000 teachers and 43,000 students in Illinois and beyond have benefited from IMSA's professional development and student enrichment programs. Located in Aurora in the high-tech corridor west of Chicago, IMSA serves the people of Illinois through innovative instructional programs, public and private partnerships, policy counsel, action research, and the leadership and achievements of its graduates.