___________________________________________________________________

Chief Executive Officer

Lorain (Ohio) City School District | Lorain, OH

Vilicia Cade

Candidate Packet

CONFIDENTIAL
910 W Van Buren, Suite 315, Chicago, IL 60607 www.atlanticresearchpartners.org

Catalyst Transforming Education 1

Real. Trusted. Advisors.
 ___________________________________________________________________

Chief Executive Officer

Lorain (Ohio) City School District | Lorain, OH

CANDIDATE
RESUME

910 W Van Buren, Suite 315, Chicago, IL 60607 www.atlanticresearchpartners.org

Catalyst Transforming Education 2

Real. Trusted. Advisors.
 DR. VILICIA CADE
14 E. Green Valley Circle Newark, Delaware 19711

July 4, 2017

Dear Chief Executive Officer Selection Committee:

I am ready to deliver immediate and long-lasting results as the new Chief Executive Office of
Lorain City School District. I am confident that my diverse career and proven commitment to
advancing student achievement is aligned to Lorains needs and vision for excellence. With over
16 years of leadership and progressive experience in urban educational systems, I bring you a
track record of success with turnaround efforts.

I want to serve as your Chief Executive Officer because I am committed to advancing

excellence through equity for all students, parents, teachers and administrators. I have the
educational, professional, and personal experiences that has prepared me for this undertaking.
I know that through high expectations and tireless efforts, I can lead a collaborative effort to
improve outcomes in Lorain City School District. As the CEO, I will commit my most earnest
efforts coupled with integrity, humility and resiliency to realize excellence as the standard for
all of Lorains students, families, teachers and administrators.

Currently; I am accountable for leading secondary curriculum, nontraditional programing,

turnaround efforts k-12, and districtwide professional development initiatives and priorities. I
specialize in designing and implementing student support systems to improve outcomes that
generate consistent growth. Having advanced through a number of specialized roles
throughout my career, you will note the strength and scope of my abilities to serve in high
needs urban communities. I have a demonstrated record of successfully increasing student
participation in college readiness courses, career & technical educational programing, non-
traditional & personalize learning options and increasing reading proficiency while advancing
programs for the gifted and talented. I have had budget and management experience over
federal, state, and local funding streams. Some highlights of my career and commitment to
excellence as the standard includes:

Led efforts to significantly increase reading and math proficiencies by over 7 percentage
points respectively in grades 9-10 and by an average of 5-7 percentage points in grades 6-8
in one year.

Developed rigorous and innovative protocols to increase participation in AP courses & dual
credit college level courses (for all students especially underrepresented student populations)
while simultaneously executing a continuous improvement models to close the achievement
gap.

Dr. Vilicia CadeExcellence through Equity for Every Student, Parent, Teacher and Administrator.

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 Significantly improved student achievement rates as measured by the Illinois State
Assessment Test (ISAT), including improving sixth grade reading proficiency rates from 73.4%
to 79% and seventh grade reading proficiency rates from 73.4% to 77.7% over the course of
one school year.

Greatly improved ISAT student performance from 45% in 2004 to 64% in 2007 while
simultaneously improving 11th grade reading proficiency from 36% to 39%.

Notably increased the college entrance rate from 46% to 53% in one year 2014 -2015,
restructured CTE career pathways to advance technology, increased work base learning
opportunities and increased the number of underserved students earning college credit
through partnerships with institutions of higher education.

Formalized Response to Intervention (tiered interventions for struggling students), launched

administrators instructional-based Professional Learning Communities and instituted
districtwide collaborative planning with data driven decision making protocols to advance
learning for all.

I welcome the opportunity for us to meet to discuss your needs and my background in detail.
Until then, thank you for your time and consideration.

Best Regards,

Vilicia Cade
Dr. Vilicia Cade

Dr. Vilicia CadeExcellence through Equity for Every Student, Parent, Teacher and Administrator.

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VILICIA CADE, ED.D. SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
14 E. Green Valley Circle Newark, Delaware 19711

Accomplished, dedicated, and energetic leader with over 17 years of progressive experience leading school reform efforts,
curriculum, effective management and evaluation of central office and school based leaders and student learning initiatives for
diverse school districts. Seasoned in providing executive-level leadership, creating and promoting innovative offerings, budget
management and enhancing all facets of student offerings to improve outcomes. Excellent interpersonal, communication,
collaboration, analytical, and problem solving skills. A successful track record of challenging all students to reach higher levels
of achievement.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
Demonstrated Leadership Effectuating Organizational Change Listening for Resolution
Budgeting and Management Oversight Creating Systems and Protocols Collaborating for Success
Evaluating and Designing Curriculum Executing Continuous Improvement Accelerating Learning and Growth

E XPERIENCE & N OTABLE C ONTRIBUTIONS

Christina School District, Wilmington, DE 2009 Present
SENIOR DIRECTOR, SECONDARY CURRICULUM & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/EDUCATION
Serve as a member of the executive leadership team in one of Delawares largest school district serving over 16,000 diverse
learners in both an urban and suburban environment. Continuously support student and school outcomes as measured by
Smarter Balance and state accountability measures. Promote the diverse range of offerings available to students, including Blue
Ribbon Exemplary Schools, Cambridge International courses, Advanced Placement, Dual Credits and options for students
needing a non-traditional education. Supervise turnaround school planning and execution to ensure continuous improvement.
Leads, evaluates and supervise secondary, elementary & non-traditional school principals.
Led efforts to significantly grow reading and math proficiencies by over 7 percentage points respectively in grades 9-10
and by an average of 5-7 percentage points in grades 6-8 in one academic year.
Assisted over 300 low income and minority students in taking college-level courses while receiving both high school and
college credit through the University of Delaware, Goldey Beacom College, and Wilmington University.
Designed and supervised formalize intervention programs for struggling students to accelerate student learning.
Successful lead turnaround efforts for Partnership Zone High School Glasgow met AYP targets 2011- 2012

The College Board, New York, NY 2008 2009

DISTRICT DIRECTOR, COLLEGE READINESS SYSTEMS
Served as senior level consultant to a suburban and rural school district in Central Florida with significant income disparities.
Supported the college readiness division by providing executive coaching to middle and high school principals to effectively
implement the Excelerator School College Readiness Reform Model. Provided high-quality assessments for learning through
the suite of college readiness instructional programs, including Springboard, Advanced Placement (AP), Preliminary Scholastic
Aptitude Test (PSAT), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and Advancing Via Individual Determination (AVID).
Developed rigorous and innovative protocols to increase participation in AP courses for underrepresented student
populations while simultaneously executing a continuous improvement model to close the achievement gap.

Illinois School District #92, Broadview, IL 2007 2008

PRINCIPAL, EDMUND F. LINDOP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Served as the Principal for a Pre-K-8 school in the western suburbs of Chicago serving 529 students representing 0.8% White,
8.7% Hispanic, .09% Native American, and 89.6% African American. Successfully redesigned instructional programs and
delivery models for grades 6-8 to create a true middle school model. Implemented a diverse range of programs and services to
close achievement gaps for African American males, including a middle school Students for Excellence Program, a male
mentoring program, a positive behavioral support program, and a family resource center.
Received the Spotlight School Recognition Award for being one of only 499 statewide honor roll schools to close the
achievement gap.
Significantly improved student achievement rates as measured by the Illinois State Assessment Test (ISAT), including
improving sixth grade reading proficiency rates from 73.4% to 79% and seventh grade reading proficiency rates from 73.4%
to 77.7% over the course of one school year. Overall ISAT Reading and Math grades 3rd -8th grew from 63.1% to 69.4%.

Chicago Public Schools Office of Standards-based Instruction/ High School Programs, Chicago, IL 2004 2007
DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
Served as a district-level administrator in the third largest school district serving over 400,000 students. Directed the
development, organization, and delivery of curricula and instructional services to elementary, middle, and high schools.
Identified and implemented research-based instructional strategies aligned to district-wide goals. Led a complete
reorganization of services to create a department dedicated to teaching and learning for high schools. Served as a primary
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VILICIA CADE
representative in assisting with policy and legislative recommendations for approval by the Chicago Public Schools Board of
Education. Served as proxy for the Chief Officer of High School Curriculum and Instruction.
Greatly improved ISAT student performance from 45% in 2004 to 64% in 2007 while simultaneously improving 11th grade
reading proficiency from 36% to 39% and math proficiency from 28% to 31% over a two year period 2005-2007.
Supervised and coordinated school services, including creating benchmark assessments and standards-based curriculum
maps.

University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 2003 2004

PROGRAM ASSOCIATE/CONSULTANT
Supported elementary and middle school principals in low performing schools throughout the Chicago Public School System as
an Executive Coach. Implemented a standards-based mapping procedure to align curricula to the Illinois Assessment
Framework by using progress monitoring data to drive instruction. Created and led professional development programs
designed to build and enhance teacher capacity and teach key strategies.
Improved performance on ISAT writing in third, fifth, and eighth grades at five low performing K-8 Chicago Schools.

New York City Department of Education, New York, NY 1993 2003

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & HIGH SCHOOL REFORM, Brooklyn High Schools Superintendents Office, Brooklyn NY
Served as a district-level administrator in the largest school district in the United States. Traveled nationally to learn best
practices and lead school reform efforts, including restructuring low performing high schools to create autonomous small
themed-based schools. Directly assisted in budget and fiscal oversight activities. Facilitated cross-agency design team
professional development events while also assisting in aligning activities to strategic goals.
Increased student attendance rates while also reducing student code of conduct infractions.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, ACADEMIC SUBJECTS, East New York High School of Transit Technology, Brooklyn NY
Led the daily operations of the academic subjects of the East New York High School of Transit Technology. Supported teachers,
coordinated student schedules, implemented professional learning community principles, and continuously enhanced
leadership cultures to empower teachers in their subject areas. Led curriculum alignment efforts and created a benchmark
assessment system to advance data driven decision making.
Increased student performance rates on the United States History & Government Regents exams from 43% to 58%.
Increased overall Regents diploma endorsement from 73.6% to 87.4%.

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM COORDINATOR, Community School District #16, Brooklyn, NY

Provided leadership and oversight to the principals in the development of school improvement plans and budgets. Ensured
alignment of instructional programs to student needs and shared decision making protocols. Assisted in the restructuring of
low performing Junior High Schools to design small theme=based Middle Schools.
Supervised the collaborative development of school improvement plans and budgets with School Leadership Teams.
Facilitated task force committee activities to redesign low performing schools
HISTORY AND READING TEACHER, BOYS AND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOLS- Brooklyn, NEW YORK, NY

CASE MANAGER, VARIOUS NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS - FEDERATION EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE SERVICES, NEW YORK, NY 1989 1993
E DUCATION
Doctor of Education Leadership and Administration
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, New York, NY
Master of Education - Leadership and Administration
LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY, Brooklyn, NY
Master of Education - Reading Specialist
LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY, Brooklyn, NY
Master of Arts African American Studies
ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, Albany, NY
Bachelor of Arts - Black Studies
NEW PALTZ STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, New Paltz, NY
CERTIFICATIONS
New York State: School District Administrator, K-12 Principal, Teacher of Reading K-12 & Social Studies 6- 12 Illinois State: Type 75, Teacher of Reading &
Social Studies 7-12 Delaware State: School Leader I & II and Teacher of Social Studies 7-12
A WARDS & H ONORS
Educator of Distinction, The National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, 2016
Catalyst for Change Recognition Award, 2015
Illinois Spotlight School Closing the Achievement Gap, Illinois Department of Education, 2008
Educator of the Year, National Council of Negro Women, 2004
Congressional Award, Outstanding Educator and Community Service, 1998
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2|P a g e
 ___________________________________________________________________

Chief Executive Officer

Lorain (Ohio) City School District | Lorain, OH

CANDIDATE
QUESTIONNAIRE

910 W Van Buren, Suite 315, Chicago, IL 60607 www.atlanticresearchpartners.org

Catalyst Transforming Education 7

Real. Trusted. Advisors.
Vilicia Cade

Newark, Delaware
Senior Director, Christina School District

Enrollment (Current Employment): 16,800

Start Date: 8/9/2009
Previous Position: Director of High School Curriculum and Instruction
Previous Organization: Chicago Public Schools
Enrollment (Previous Employment): 396,693
Start Date: 10/10/2004
End Date: 7/1/2007
Budget Responsibility (Current Employment): 2,000,000
Budget Responsibility (Previous Employment): 5,000,000
Advanced Degrees Held Areas of Interest: EdD, Specialist, Masters,Superintendent, Deputy
Superintendent / Chief of Staff, Academics (Cabinet Level), Chief Executive Officer
Do you currently or have you held the title of CEO? Yes, I have held title CEO of my consultant company
but I'm employed full time now

1. Describe a situation where you had a leadership role in a turnaround effort similar to the one in
Lorain City School District. What actions did you personally take? Who did you involve and how?
How did you measure success of the initiative? (Please limit your response to 300 words)

I have had leadership oversight of various turnaround efforts during my tenure as an educational leader.
When I was the Director of Secondary Curriculum and Professional Development, I served as the
Districts lead for the turnaround efforts for Glasgow High School.
I played a pivotal role in this capacity and was responsible for the following actions:

Conducted a needs assessment and co-wrote the reform plan- Partnership Zone Plan
Made recommendations to the Superintendent regarding the reform model that was most
appropriate-
Negotiated with the teachers union to develop a process for re-hiring and hiring the teachers
and created a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Developed a comprehensive professional development plan and helped select a third party
vendor to support the plan
Helped to vet an instructional framework with progress monitoring assessments
Restructured the District Office including my role and to create a Partnership Zone Team/Office

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 Established meetings and protocols to monitor and support the schools Leadership Teams
efforts and served as a thought partner to the building principal (met weekly with Leadership
Team, Third Party Vendor, Superintendents Cabinet)
Managed and monitored monthly reports on student achievement, discipline & climate, student
and staff attendance.

This information was presented to the Glasgow Staff, Christina School Board, Delaware Department of
Education, Student Government and various other Community/ Parent stakeholders.

I involved the Superintendents Cabinet members to remove barriers to ensure flexibility and resource
support to increase capacity and progress. I worked closely with the third party vendor to provide job
embedded professional development for staff and to help support data driven decision making. I hired
consultants to support the development and implementation of a communication and marketing plan
because we restructured to schools within- schools and launched new Career and Technical Education
Pathways.

The progress was measured by Delaware Department of Educations established targets for AYP. The
school made AYP with 20 plus point gains in multiple sub-groups with overall performance in Math
increased from 37% proficient to 60% proficient and in Reading 44% proficient to 60% proficient.

2. When have you been required to implement a change that you knew others would be reluctant to
adopt? What did you do to address resistance? How much time did it take to implement the change?
(Please limit your response to 300 words)

During my tenure as the Principal of Lindop Elementary School I was hired to restructure academic
programming for secondary school students and create a true middle school in a Pre-K-8 environment.
The teachers and parents were reluctant to implement a middle school model as it would require 6th
8th graders to change classes and move more freely throughout the school.

To help address resistance, I launched the initiative by creating a Middle School Task Force (MSTF) to
create transparency and build trust. We had various constituents represented on the task force-
teachers, parents, students and community members. In collaboration with the MSTF we conducted
research on the pros and cons of implementing a true middle school from July September. We
created teams and launched a middle school schedule in September and launched student
led-conferencing during the November parent conferences. Middle school teachers were teamed and
had common planning time in content and across discipline with their teams. We were able to review
students progress in key areas based on teams and strengthen vertical articulation.

One parent observed their students taking on more leadership roles with their portfolios and leading
conversations during the parent conferences they were relieved. Teachers were able to grow as content
specialists and focus on working as teams on supporting the social emotional growth of their students.
In the school year we saw significant student growth amongst our 6th 8th grade students. It is my
belief that ensuring true collaboration amongst stakeholder help this become a successful venture. It

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was important to value the work that people had done and give them voice in the process.

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