D146 Hires New Technology Director

At the Tuesday, January 14 Board of Education meeting, the School Board unanimously approved the hiring of Mr. Vern Bettis as the District’s new Director of Technology.

D146 began searching for a new Director of Technology when Mr. Skip Paulson retired at the end of 2013. Mr. Bettis was chosen from a pool of 60 qualified candidates. He was previously the Director of Technology at Riverside Elementary School District 96 where he worked for eight years. He holds both a Type 3 (educator’s) license and Type 75 (Administrator and Superintendent) license. His educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and Master’s Degrees in both Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership. Mr. Bettis is currently working towards his PhD in Educational Leadership. “I am a life-long learner and enjoy sharing that love of learning with others. That is why I chose years ago to work in the education field,” he said.

Mr. Bettis spent his first several years in the education field as a classroom teacher in Hutchison, Kansas instructing grades 3, 4, and 5.  Within the same school district he was named the Instructional Technology Specialist, aiding teachers as they integrated technology into their classrooms.  Mr. Bettis eventually accepted a position as the Technology Director at Bensenville School District 2, moving his family to Illinois. His wife, Julia, is also an educator (U-46) and they have three adult children.

When asked about his decision to join the District 146 Administration team Mr. Bettis said, "The people I met in District 146 during my interview process were quite impressive. They possessed a vision of growth similar to mine and a desire and willingness to continue to introduce new technology into the classroom. Their 1-1 iPad and Chromebook initiatives in the middle school were exciting to hear about. As the new Director of Technology I look forward to building on current initiatives, as well as working with the students and staff. School District 146 has an excellent reputation in instructional technology and I want to help build on that success. I am passionate about empowering teachers and learners with 21st century skills and digital resources. We can work together to achieve the District 146 motto of ‘Learning for All’."

Dr. Jeff Stawick, Superintendent of CCSD146 said, “I’d like to welcome Mr. Bettis to our D146 family. When our previous Director retired, he left us with an excellent foundation in technology, and we are constantly looking forward and seeking more opportunity and growth. Mr. Bettis has proven in his previous work, and through extensive interviews and reference reviews, that his skill set produces top results for students and educators. I am confident that Mr. Bettis brings the vision and expertise necessary to ensure that D146 remains a pace setting District in Illinois."