digital Promise
Innovation Portfolios
Search Portfolios

Gurnee School District 56

Supporting creative ideas to improve education constantly

Facebook
Twitter
Visit Website
Share
Overview
Innovation in Action
Team
Twitter @dainelman

Dain Elman

Director of STEM

Career Highlights
Brought a school Maker Faire to our district; brought the Destination Imagination Regional Tournament to our district; developed several school maker spaces; served as sponsor or coach of 7 different clubs and sports.
Fun Fact
I’ve visited 41 U.S. states and hope to visit all 50 before I turn 50.
SUPPORTING RESOURCES
Gurnee Maker Faire Video

Pete Helfers

Director of Instruction and Innovation

Career Highlights
21st Century Classroom grant author and recipient, Co-Founder of Otus, starting an instructional coaching program at Gurnee District 56, and member of the Feed My Starving Children IL Advisory Council.
Fun Fact
I broke both my elbows at the same time during a bicycle crash!
SUPPORTING RESOURCES
Otus, a student performance platform

Phil Hintz

Director of Technology

Career Highlights
Helped to lead our district-wide 1:1 iPad Initiative for Grades Pre-K through 8th grade to international success and several Apple Distinctions, becoming ISTE’s Outstanding Technology Leader of the Year in 2015, and earning ISTE’s 2017 Distinguished District Award.
Fun Fact
I was a band director before becoming a technology director and I play in a rhythm and blues band called “Big Data the Band” made up of technology directors and instructional technology coaches.
SUPPORTING RESOURCES
District-wide 1:1 iPad Initiative Handbook
Twitter https://twitter.com/ryan_lazarD56

Ryan Lazar

Director of Assessment

Career Highlights
Currently serve as the Director of Assessment and Assistant Principal at Viking School, Internal Coach of our Viking Incentive Program (PBIS) since it started in 2011, first sponsor of our Team Lead Program (bystander leadership for students).
Fun Fact
While in high school, I was part of a group of varsity basketball players that developed a reading mentoring program to work with K-2 students weekly.
SUPPORTING RESOURCES
Viking Incentive Program and Team Lead Program
Twitter @cpacatte

Colleen Pacatte

Superintendent

Career Highlights
2001 Principal of the Year, 2015 developed Tech Trek, a personalized, gamified professional development program on Tech Integration for D56 classroom teachers. 2015 Administrative Trailblazer Honorable Mention, 2016 represented D56 at the White House Summit on Tech Integration, Named Superintendent of Gurnee School District.
Fun Fact
In my youth, I spent time visiting sick children in the hospital as Bugs Bunny.
SUPPORTING RESOURCES
Tech Trek Platform
ASSOCIATIONS
Collaboratives
Collaboratives
  • Data Interoperability Challenge Collaborative
Cohorts
Cohorts
  • Data Interoperability Cohort
  • Assessment Cohort
Digital Promise Programs
Digital Promise Programs
  • League of Innovative Schools
Ⓒ 2019 Digital Promise
Terms of Use