URBANA — Urbana District 116’s superintendent is ready to focus on her family and health after spending three decades in the field of education.
Jennifer Ivory-Tatum has led the district for seven years, starting in 2019. She announced Wednesday that she will retire after the upcoming school year.
“After 34 years, I think it’s time for me to take a break and focus on other things that I want to focus on – just being healthy and spending time with family,” she told IPM News.
Ivory-Tatum said some of her goals for her final year include finding a new central office location, improving the high school’s technical education spaces and strengthening student achievement.
The school district promised on Wednesday to allow the community “meaningful” input in choosing the next district head.
Ivory-Tatum is leaving at a time of turnover in other Central Illinois school districts.
New superintendents stepped into their roles in Champaign and Decatur this summer. Danville brought in a new superintendent last year.
Those four school districts were all being led by Black women for the first time in 2022. Ivory-Tatum will be the last of that group to leave her position.