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1
SENATE RESOLUTION



2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to 
3recognize Superintendent John Price, Ed.D., of North Chicago 
4Community Unit School District 187 (North Chicago CUSD 187) on 
5being named Lake County Superintendent of the Year by the Lake 
6County Superintendents' Association; and


7 WHEREAS, Dr. Price became the superintendent of North 
8Chicago CUSD 187 in 2017, where he has focused on stabilizing 
9the district's leadership and implementing aggressive 
10instructional improvement initiatives to better support 
11students' well-being, academic success, and, ultimately, their 
12futures; and


13 WHEREAS, Under Dr. Price's guidance, North Chicago CUSD 
14187's graduation rate has improved from 56% to 82%, the 
15freshman on-track rate reached 94% last year, kindergarten 
16readiness has increased from 3% to 25%, the number of 
17elementary students reaching growth targets has increased in 
18both reading and mathematics, teacher retention has increased 
19from 60% to more than 75%, and commitment to diversity in 
20teacher recruitment has led to a teaching staff that better 
21reflects the student population, improving from 0% of new 
22teachers hired identifying as candidates of color to more than 
2350% in 2022; and


 
 
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1 WHEREAS, Dr. Price has been instrumental in North Chicago 
2CUSD 187's financial health score improving every year, and 
3the district has had surplus budgets for four years in a row; 
4he has additionally overseen the district receiving millions 
5of dollars in direct and indirect philanthropic support from 
6an array of community partners and philanthropic 
7organizations; and


8 WHEREAS, Over the course of his tenure, Dr. Price has 
9maintained a good working relationship with the teachers' 
10union, operating in partnership with them to successfully 
11negotiate two contracts; and


12 WHEREAS, Working with a group of dedicated volunteers, Dr. 
13Price helped found the North Chicago Public Education 
14Foundation (NCPEF) in 2019, a not-for-profit organization that 
15strives to send every graduate of North Chicago Community High 
16School (NCCHS) to college without cost; through the Warhawk 
17Lancer
Scholarship, their efforts have provided 36 NCCHS 
18graduates in the past three years with the opportunity to 
19study at the College of Lake County; and


20 WHEREAS, Thanks to Dr. Price's tremendous leadership, 
21North Chicago CUSD 187's dual language program will be active 
22in each grade and each school from kindergarten through 8th 
 
 
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1grade by 2027, and the district's first cohort of educational 
2apprentices will complete their degrees and be eligible to 
3return to the district to serve as teachers by 2026; and


4 WHEREAS, During the Lake County Superintendents' 
5Association selection process for Superintendent of the Year, 
6Dr. Price was noted for having the heart of an educator and the 
7skill of a CEO in addition to embodying the vision, character, 
8and skills a superintendent should aspire to possess; and


9 WHEREAS, Dr. Price, a California native, has lived in 
10Chicago with his wife, Cheryl, and their two children since 
112001; therefore, be it


12 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL 
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize 
14Superintendent John Price, Ed.D., of North Chicago Community 
15Unit School District 187 (North Chicago CUSD 187) on being 
16named Lake County Superintendent of the Year by the Lake 
17County Superintendents' Association; and be it further


18 RESOLVED, That we thank Dr. Price for his inspirational 
19leadership and dedication to ensuring all students receive a 
20great education while attending North Chicago CUSD 187 that 
21prepares them for an even greater future; and be it further


 
 
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1 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
2presented to Dr. Price as an expression of our esteem and 
3respect.