Unit 5 hosts first ‘Excellence in Education Summit’

Hundreds of staff from 23 schools gather at Normal West for inaugural event [photo gallery]
Byline photo of Inkspot Staff
Inkspot Staff
Oct 9, 2025
Before sessions began, Unit 5 staff visited a resource fair featuring local businesses and community partners, including the Bloomington Bison, ISU Athletics, Yoga Lab, the Art Station, Illinois State University and Heartland College.
Before sessions began, Unit 5 staff visited a resource fair featuring local businesses and community partners, including the Bloomington Bison, ISU Athletics, Yoga Lab, the Art Station, Illinois State University and Heartland College.
Mr. Brad Bovenkerk

Unit 5 brought staff from every school to Normal West on Sept. 26 for the district’s first all-level institute day, the “Excellence in Education Summit.” The day featured 38 sessions presented by Unit 5 teachers, administrators and students across two periods, 8:45–9:45 a.m. and 10:15–11:15 a.m.

Topics ranged from viewing artificial intelligence from an equity standpoint and restorative justive practices to dyslexia support and a student-led equity and action panel.

Community English teacher Mrs. Ashley Durdan-Levy said the gathering delivered timely training.

“It was a great opportunity for Unit 5 staff to all come together in one place,” Durdan-Levy said. “The summit itself was full of relevant information.”

Durdan-Levy said seeing district leaders step in as instructors stood out.

“To be at this summit and see [leaders] be teachers for a day—that’s so powerful,” Durdan-Levy said, adding that she hopes the district continues the event with expanded instructional strategies and more time for staff collaboration.

Excellence in Education-4
Mr. Brad Bovenkerk
Staff enters Normal West for Unit 5’s all-level institute day. The district employs about 1,650 full- and part-time staff serving 13,000 students across 23 schools. That staff, Community English teacher Mrs. Ashley Dudan-Levy said, “rarely” comes together.
Additional reporting by Rex Rowley, Payton Newton and Micah Drengwitz
Print this Story
Donate to Inkspot
$625
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal

If you value the Inkspot’s commitment to student journalism—giving Normal Community’s reporters real-world experience—please consider donating to support our staff’s trip to the National High School Journalism Convention.
Your generosity helps us cover travel costs, enter national contests and attend sessions led by top media professionals—an unforgettable opportunity to learn, grow, and represent Community on a national stage.
THANK YOU for investing in the next generation of storytellers.

Donate to Inkspot
$625
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal