17 May 2023

Huntley Community School District 158 is one of only six school districts across the country recognized as a 2023 Spring “Lighthouse System” by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, to serve as a model of positive change in public education.

Huntley 158, along with the other selected designates, are members of AASA’s Learning 2025 Network, a cadre of more than 120 demonstration districts representing forward-leaning, urban, suburban and rural school systems engaged in learning, networking and working together to help drive education policy and ultimately improve student learning. 

The goal of the network, which was created by the AASA National Commission on Student-Centered, Equity-Focused Education, is to guide Learning 2025 leaders as they chart their progress toward a “Lighthouse” designation in one or more areas of growth. The commission called for identification of exemplary educational systems to serve as beacons of light in key areas of holistic redesign of American education. 

“This recognition is a tremendous honor and a testament to the innovations in personalized learning that our district and staff have worked to develop over the past several years,” said Superintendent Dr. Scott Rowe. “Alongside the other members of AASA’s Learning 2025 Network who demonstrate excellence in public education, Huntley 158 is excited to continue to stay on the forefront of 21st century learning and to ensure every student has the opportunity to find a pathway to their success.”

Huntley 158 was selected based on the district’s strategies to develop future-ready learners. In the application submitted to AASA, Huntley 158 outlined its emphasis on personalized learning, which is based upon the belief that supporting 21st century learners and preparing them to become strong contributors to society upon graduation must involve exposure to diverse curriculum, flexibility, and the room for student choice.

Huntley 158 will be honored at the Learning 2025 National Summit in Washington, D.C. The event, co-hosted by AASA, SPN and BfK, on June 26-28, will bring together leadership, faculty, boards and staff from across the country to highlight the work building future-focused capacity by these exemplar districts in alignment with the commission. Over the course of the summit, participants will learn from each other, as well as thought leaders and national experts, through keynote presentations, how-to sessions and networking sessions focused on strengthening culture, instruction and maximizing the use of resources.

In addition to Huntley 158, other new AASA Learning 2025 Lighthouse Systems include: