KDBA principal honored with award
Apr. 16—DANVILLE — Kenneth D. Bailey Academy Principal Mitzi Campbell said she and the school are honored after an award was presented to her on Monday.
Campbell received a 2024 Illini Region Building Bridges Award from the Illinois Principals Association (IPA).
The award is given to principal leaders who connect schools to an outside agency that improves students' education or way of life.
Campbell brought in a new program called "It's In Your Head" that specializes in regulation of emotions/behaviors and a better quality of life for students and staff.
On hand for the presentation were Dan Kaiser, field specialist with the IPA who presented Campbell with a plaque; Chad Musselman, with Harace Mann Insurance Co. who presented Campbell with a Horace Mann Crystal Apple Award; Hunter LaFave, chief executive officer with It's In Your Head; and KDBA students and staff.
Kaiser said another program he's interested in at KDBA, having been a former biology and horticulture teacher, is nutrition and gardening.
Kaiser said nominations for the award come from the entire region of principals, who receive the criteria.
"It just means a lot," Campbell said of the award. "We have just an amazing staff and group of students. It's a really good opportunity to highlight our school and partnerships in the community."
She said KDBA has great partners in Danville and at the University of Illinois who work with them to give their students experiences they might not otherwise have.
"It's a great opportunity to highlight all the great things that are going on here at our school," Campbell said.
Campbell also said the school's building addition is currently on schedule to be completed for the next school year later this year.
The KDBA addition is allowing for the alternative program to expand to younger students, grades 5 and 6. The project, on the south side of the East Main Street building, includes eight additional classrooms and new multi-purpose room/Federal Emergency Management Agency shelter, additional restrooms and office space including a new nurse's office.
Campbell said the construction team has been doing a great job of keeping the construction separate from the day-to-day and there's not been severe disruptions for the students and staff.
"But it is so exciting, the opportunities we're going to provide to a broader group of students," Campbell said. "We're just really excited that the district believes in us enough to create something so wonderful for us."
LaFave said It's In Your Head has been in schools since after covid, having contracts through the Danville School District 118's covid relief funds.
At KDBA, similar to the other schools, It's In your Head, supports the staff with stress relief and different techniques to take care of them. It also alternates with small groups in classrooms and also in the gym with more students to give more focus on mindful movements, talk about specific topics, breathing techniques to regulate their nervous system and end with sound bowls.
LaFave said they share mistakes and failures and so hopefully students learn from them and might not go through those same struggles.
It's In Your Head has been in eight of the 10 Danville School District 118 schools.
LaFave said a big thing with students is social media awareness and how addicted students are to their phones, how that affects how they feel about themselves and their confidence, and understanding what's really important in their lives.
