National IT Professionals Day: Celebrating the Heroes of the District 187 Digital World
Today, September 19, 2023, we celebrate National IT Professionals Day, a day to recognize and appreciate the hard work of the IT professionals who keep our digital world running smoothly. We take a moment to thank all D187 IT professionals who work tirelessly to make our lives easier and more productive.
IT professionals play a vital role in our modern lives. They keep our schools open and our staff and students connected. We appreciate your expertise and your commitment to innovation. Let our D187 IT professionals know how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication. On this National IT Professionals Day, let's take a moment to thank you for all you do!
D187 says thank you to the following IT members:
Dave Collins, Director of Technology
Director of Technology with nearly ten years of experience. Experience includes operational and instructional technology, technology management, student information systems, and network management. Over the past several years, I have coordinated the North Chicago Schools One-to-One plan with Chromebooks, rolled out a complete overhaul of the wired and wireless infrastructure, and oversaw the technology design and implementation of the new NMSA.
Vince Chiodo, Technology Manager
My name is Vince Chiodo. I am the site manager for the IT department. I have been here since January 2018 and have worked my way up from an entry-level technician. I enjoy playing video games and doing outdoor activities like muddy dashes and kayaking. A long-time passion of mine is cars and modifying them. I am currently working on a 2007 Mazdaspeed6.
Brian Garcia, IT Support Technician
Hi, I am Bryan Garcia a NCCHS alumni. I work with the tech department fixing Chromebook issues and general tech issues. I have been here for a little over a year, getting close to 2 years.
Mike Oprea, IT Support Technician
Hi! My name is Mike Oprea. I work with the Technology Department, offering IT support throughout the district, and have been doing so for under two years now. I was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania's capital city. I enjoy playing soccer and tennis.
Christopher George, IT Support Technician
I'm an IT Support Technician, and this is my second school year with the district. I switched careers from a corporate background in trade shows, and the move to IT/District 189 has been great for me. I wasn't always technical, so requesting technical support at work is very relatable.
Yvon Kadeoua, Data Strategist
I am the North Chicago School District 187 Data Strategist. I have a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Science in Applied Statistics. I help the district make informed decisions to best support student performance. I support the district's strategic planning by conducting strategic data analysis to identify insights and implications from instructional and operational data and make recommendations to executive and senior staff. I take pride in developing data displays that communicate complex analyses to multiple audiences so data are accessible to inform decisions.
Billi Bartz, Data Analyst
Hi, I'm Billi Bartz, and I've been working for District 187 for 25 years. I started at South Elementary School as a teacher's clerk in 1999, and then the following year, I became the Administrative Assistant at Forrestal Elementary School. I worked at Forrestal in that role for five years. The next year, I became the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Technology. As the years passed and administrators changed, so did my roles and duties. I am now the Student Information Specialist in the Data/Tech department and have been in this role for almost 13 years. I thoroughly enjoy my job and working for North Chicago School District 187.
Brian Todorovic, Instructional Data Analyst
I was born and raised in the Evanston/Skokie area and moved up to the north burbs during high school. I live in Kenosha, WI, with my significant other and three dogs. We just recently adopted a new dog named Zander. I spend as much time as possible keeping up with the Cubs and baseball. I love spending time outdoors, playing sports, and having cookouts. I've been with the district for 2.5 years with the data department, and my office is located at the high school, off of the freshman wing. My claim to fame while in high school (so many decades ago); I used to breakdance and was part of a breakdance crew back in the day.