Instructional Coaches
In order to facilitate the implementation of legislation concerning a new middle school civics course requirement and sustain the support of the high school civics requirement, the McCormick Foundation has hired Civics Instructional Coaches to represent 10 designated areas throughout Illinois.
Civics Instructional Coaches receive in-depth training to support middle and high school civics/social studies teachers in their respective regions. Civics Coaches will also be responsible for ongoing engagement with Regional Offices of Education, teachers, schools, districts, and pre-service programs in their area via newsletters, workshops, and conference presentations throughout the school year.
Contact a Facilitator
Jason M. Artman is the Social Studies Department Chairperson at Mendota High School, where he teaches U.S. History, U.S. History Honors, and Civics. He has been an Illinois Civics Mentor and Instructional Coach for the last five years. He was co-author and co-facilitator of two OnlineImpact civics workshops and finished the DePaul/Barat Foundation micro-credential course series on teaching with primary sources, civics, and student inquiry. In addition to sharing civics resources and strategies, he enjoys presenting workshops on practical ways to use reading and writing to teach civics and U.S. History.
Jason lives in Mendota with his wife, Tori, and daughter Piper, a senior at MHS who will study marine biology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater next fall. His older daughter, Mia, is a sophomore music major at UW-Whitewater.
Julie Drone teaches 7th-grade social studies at Harrisburg Middle School. This is her fourth year in this position. Prior to teaching social studies, Julie taught Pre-K for a year and then moved into Kindergarten for 12 years at Gallatin County School in Junction, Illinois. Julie has three children and one daughter-in-law. Her sons live in Edwardsville, Illinois and her daughter attends Montana State University in Bozeman. Julie is always up for traveling, visiting her kids, and being outside. She loves learning new things and hopes to carry that over into this new experience. Julie is excited for the new school year to begin as she looks forward to building some great relationships with the students!
Candace Fikis attended the University of Illinois for her undergraduate degree and received a master’s degree in Education Administration from Aurora University. She has taught for 24 years in a wide variety of classes including an interdisciplinary American Studies course, Criminal Justice, Current Political Issues, Economics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, Government, and U.S. History at West Chicago Community High School. She has served as a Student Council Advisor and coach of the school’s nationally-ranked Economics and Personal Finance Challenge Teams. She has been recognized as a Visa Practical Money Skills Educator and 3M Outstanding Economic Educator from Econ Illinois. She has served as a Civic Mentor teacher for the state and presented at many local, state, and national conferences.
In her free time she loves to travel with her family and cheer on her daughters at their numerous sporting events.
Jason M. Artman is the Social Studies Department Chairperson at Mendota High School, where he teaches U.S. History, U.S. History Honors, and Civics. He has been an Illinois Civics Mentor and Instructional Coach for the last five years. He was co-author and co-facilitator of two OnlineImpact civics workshops and finished the DePaul/Barat Foundation micro-credential course series on teaching with primary sources, civics, and student inquiry. In addition to sharing civics resources and strategies, he enjoys presenting workshops on practical ways to use reading and writing to teach civics and U.S. History.
Jason lives in Mendota with his wife, Tori, and daughter Piper, a senior at MHS who will study marine biology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater next fall. His older daughter, Mia, is a sophomore music major at UW-Whitewater.
Julie Drone teaches 7th-grade social studies at Harrisburg Middle School. This is her fourth year in this position. Prior to teaching social studies, Julie taught Pre-K for a year and then moved into Kindergarten for 12 years at Gallatin County School in Junction, Illinois. Julie has three children and one daughter-in-law. Her sons live in Edwardsville, Illinois and her daughter attends Montana State University in Bozeman. Julie is always up for traveling, visiting her kids, and being outside. She loves learning new things and hopes to carry that over into this new experience. Julie is excited for the new school year to begin as she looks forward to building some great relationships with the students!
Candace Fikis attended the University of Illinois for her undergraduate degree and received a master’s degree in Education Administration from Aurora University. She has taught for 24 years in a wide variety of classes including an interdisciplinary American Studies course, Criminal Justice, Current Political Issues, Economics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, Government, and U.S. History at West Chicago Community High School. She has served as a Student Council Advisor and coach of the school’s nationally-ranked Economics and Personal Finance Challenge Teams. She has been recognized as a Visa Practical Money Skills Educator and 3M Outstanding Economic Educator from Econ Illinois. She has served as a Civic Mentor teacher for the state and presented at many local, state, and national conferences.
In her free time she loves to travel with her family and cheer on her daughters at their numerous sporting events.
Tracy Freeman is a National Board Certified teacher in her 32nd year of teaching, all but five in a high school social studies classroom. She is currently teaching AP US Government, US History, which is standards-based, Civics, and currently short-term prepping Economics. Freeman is a department chair at Normal West High School. They are a Democracy School and civically engage students in school whenever possible. They host an annual Veteran’s day dinner, career fair, and many other student-initiated projects. The introduction of service learning as a requirement in civics and AP has led to countless student projects. She also brought students to programs by Mikva Challenge, Constitutional Rights Foundation, and meetings with state and local officials.
Chris Johnson is entering his 15th year teaching at ROWVA Jr/Sr High School in Oneida, IL, where he teaches a range of classes including AP Government and Politics, AP European History, high school civics, and 7th grade world history.
Teaching history and government is a real passion for Johnson, who looks for creative ways to combine teaching topics in social studies with modern technology tools. He is an active member of ISTE and their state affiliate IDEA and draws inspiration from these outstanding groups of educators to find new ways to empower students to become active and engaged members of the global world they live in. He looks forward to working with educators across the state to develop effective civic education for our junior high students!
Dr. Bonnie Laughlin-Schultz taught high school in the St. Louis area prior to earning a Ph.D. in history. She was a James Madison Fellow, Class of 1999, and graduated from Knox College with a BA in history and secondary education. She is the social science teaching coordinator and an associate professor of history at Eastern Illinois University, where she teaches social studies methods courses as well as the U.S. history survey, women’s history, research methods, and writing, and courses in the online MA for teachers. Laughlin-Schultz organizes an annual fall conference for IL social studies educators and writes about the teaching of history and civics in addition to research and writing focused on 19th century America, the broad Civil War era and its memory, and women’s rights in US history.
Tracy Freeman is a National Board Certified teacher in her 32nd year of teaching, all but five in a high school social studies classroom. She is currently teaching AP US Government, US History, which is standards-based, Civics, and currently short-term prepping Economics. Freeman is a department chair at Normal West High School. They are a Democracy School and civically engage students in school whenever possible. They host an annual Veteran’s day dinner, career fair, and many other student-initiated projects. The introduction of service learning as a requirement in civics and AP has led to countless student projects. She also brought students to programs by Mikva Challenge, Constitutional Rights Foundation, and meetings with state and local officials.
Chris Johnson is entering his 15th year teaching at ROWVA Jr/Sr High School in Oneida, IL, where he teaches a range of classes including AP Government and Politics, AP European History, high school civics, and 7th grade world history.
Teaching history and government is a real passion for Johnson, who looks for creative ways to combine teaching topics in social studies with modern technology tools. He is an active member of ISTE and their state affiliate IDEA and draws inspiration from these outstanding groups of educators to find new ways to empower students to become active and engaged members of the global world they live in. He looks forward to working with educators across the state to develop effective civic education for our junior high students!
Dr. Bonnie Laughlin-Schultz taught high school in the St. Louis area prior to earning a Ph.D. in history. She was a James Madison Fellow, Class of 1999, and graduated from Knox College with a BA in history and secondary education. She is the social science teaching coordinator and an associate professor of history at Eastern Illinois University, where she teaches social studies methods courses as well as the U.S. history survey, women’s history, research methods, and writing, and courses in the online MA for teachers. Laughlin-Schultz organizes an annual fall conference for IL social studies educators and writes about the teaching of history and civics in addition to research and writing focused on 19th century America, the broad Civil War era and its memory, and women’s rights in US history.
Heather Monson teaches at United Township High School in East Moline, IL. She teaches sophomore College Prep World History and a Critical Thinking Course for seniors titled Western Civilization where students earn one semester of dual credit history. It is a two hour course taught with an English teacher and includes philosophy, the great plays, Constitutional Law and British Lit. She has been excited to be working on a MA in Political Science to teach Dual Credit Political Science. Heather is particularly interested in teaching the Constitution and Constitutional issues. She has a great love for world history and especially the French Revolution and World Religions. This year Heather is teaching a Latin American History class that has been a challenge.
Logan Ridenour currently teaches at Dupo Jr/Sr High School in Dupo, IL. The courses that he teaches are U.S. Government and Civics, World Geography, U.S. History, and Sociology. Logan has been teaching for roughly 13 years and enjoys the process very much. Logan is part of the iCivics Educator Network along with being a civics instructional coach for Illinois Civics.
Mary Jane Warden has been in education for 26 years, serving over the decades as a middle school social studies/Language Arts teacher, staff developer, and district-level technology director in Illinois. She found her inner geek when the Internet first hit the scene back in 1994 with a Museum in the Classroom grant integrating technology with social studies curriculum. Her energies since then have been invested in supporting students and teachers integrating technology tools into teaching and learning. Mary Jane has led initiatives in developing instructional “better” practices and building robust digital learning ecosystems including Google Workspace, data-informed instruction, inquiry-based learning, assistive technology, VR/AR in the Classroom, and 1:1 EdTech learning environments. She has presented at local and national conferences as an educator, technologist, and instructional coach. MJ currently leads a team of 33 members that support innovation and instructional technology in Park Ridge-Niles District 64.
Heather Monson teaches at United Township High School in East Moline, IL. She teaches sophomore College Prep World History and a Critical Thinking Course for seniors titled Western Civilization where students earn one semester of dual credit history. It is a two hour course taught with an English teacher and includes philosophy, the great plays, Constitutional Law and British Lit. She has been excited to be working on a MA in Political Science to teach Dual Credit Political Science. Heather is particularly interested in teaching the Constitution and Constitutional issues. She has a great love for world history and especially the French Revolution and World Religions. This year Heather is teaching a Latin American History class that has been a challenge.
Logan Ridenour currently teaches at Dupo Jr/Sr High School in Dupo, IL. The courses that he teaches are U.S. Government and Civics, World Geography, U.S. History, and Sociology. Logan has been teaching for roughly 13 years and enjoys the process very much. Logan is part of the iCivics Educator Network along with being a civics instructional coach for Illinois Civics.
Mary Jane Warden has been in education for 26 years, serving over the decades as a middle school social studies/Language Arts teacher, staff developer, and district-level technology director in Illinois. She found her inner geek when the Internet first hit the scene back in 1994 with a Museum in the Classroom grant integrating technology with social studies curriculum. Her energies since then have been invested in supporting students and teachers integrating technology tools into teaching and learning. Mary Jane has led initiatives in developing instructional “better” practices and building robust digital learning ecosystems including Google Workspace, data-informed instruction, inquiry-based learning, assistive technology, VR/AR in the Classroom, and 1:1 EdTech learning environments. She has presented at local and national conferences as an educator, technologist, and instructional coach. MJ currently leads a team of 33 members that support innovation and instructional technology in Park Ridge-Niles District 64.
Matt Wood teaches 7th grade National Civics at Leman Middle School in West Chicago. His 14 years of teaching experience in the community also includes coaching track and sponsoring various clubs. This is his second year of also working with the McCormick Foundation and Illinois Civics as a middle school regional mentor teacher. Matt loves to read, spend time with family, and is passionate about American politics.
Corie Yow is a graduate of Illinois State University and received her Master’s from the University of Illinois-Springfield. Yow is beginning her 18th year of teaching in the Ball-Chatham CUSD #5 located in Chatham, IL. During her tenure, she has taught middle school U.S. History, World History, English Language Arts, and was an Instructional Coach for the district.
Yow was one of the leaders of the task force who developed the Illinois State Social Science Standards. As the leader for the middle school level, she presented the standards to the Illinois State Board of Education for adoption. Since the adoption of the new standards, she has continued working with Illinois Social Science Stakeholders, provided professional development at the DuPage County Social Studies Conference and several ROEs, as well as consulted school districts across Illinois with the implementation process and curriculum alignment.
Mary Ellen Daneels is a National Board Certified teacher who taught at West Chicago Community High School for 27 years. She serves as the Director of the Illinois Civics Hub and Illinois Democracy School Network, leading efforts to support the implementation of the middle and high school civics course requirements and Illinois social science standards.
She has been recognized as the Law-related Educator of the Year from the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, Teacher of the Year by the 19th District of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Civic Education Teacher from the Center for Civic Education and the Illinois Education Association Teacher of the Year. Mary Ellen has presented on the proven practices of civic learning throughout the nation. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and highlighted in numerous publications such as Education Week, Social Education, and Educational Leadership.
Mary Ellen has advocated for civic education before federal and state lawmakers. She served on the Board of Directors for the National Council of the Social Studies and worked on both the Steering Committee and Pedagogy Committee for the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.
Matt Wood teaches 7th grade National Civics at Leman Middle School in West Chicago. His 14 years of teaching experience in the community also includes coaching track and sponsoring various clubs. This is his second year of also working with the McCormick Foundation and Illinois Civics as a middle school regional mentor teacher. Matt loves to read, spend time with family, and is passionate about American politics.
Corie Yow is a graduate of Illinois State University and received her Master’s from the University of Illinois-Springfield. Yow is beginning her 18th year of teaching in the Ball-Chatham CUSD #5 located in Chatham, IL. During her tenure, she has taught middle school U.S. History, World History, English Language Arts, and was an Instructional Coach for the district.
Yow was one of the leaders of the task force who developed the Illinois State Social Science Standards. As the leader for the middle school level, she presented the standards to the Illinois State Board of Education for adoption. Since the adoption of the new standards, she has continued working with Illinois Social Science Stakeholders, provided professional development at the DuPage County Social Studies Conference and several ROEs, as well as consulted school districts across Illinois with the implementation process and curriculum alignment.
Mary Ellen Daneels is a National Board Certified teacher who taught at West Chicago Community High School for 27 years. She serves as the Director of the Illinois Civics Hub and Illinois Democracy School Network, leading efforts to support the implementation of the middle and high school civics course requirements and Illinois social science standards.
She has been recognized as the Law-related Educator of the Year from the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, Teacher of the Year by the 19th District of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Civic Education Teacher from the Center for Civic Education and the Illinois Education Association Teacher of the Year. Mary Ellen has presented on the proven practices of civic learning throughout the nation. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and highlighted in numerous publications such as Education Week, Social Education, and Educational Leadership.
Mary Ellen has advocated for civic education before federal and state lawmakers. She served on the Board of Directors for the National Council of the Social Studies and worked on both the Steering Committee and Pedagogy Committee for the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.