LONG TIME CHIEF EDUCATOR ENERGIZED, PRIMED AND PREPARED FOR MUCH ANTICIPATED ANNOUNCEMENT IN KANKAKEE
THE BRIDGING OF TWO KANKAKEES SET TO BE THE MAIN FOCUS OF
DR. GENEVRA WALTERS HISTORIC RUN FOR MAYOR OF KANKAKEE
WALTERS CAMPAIGN SLOGAN, “A BETTER KANKAKEE, INCLUDES ME”
Sunday, July 28th, 2024@ 3:00 PM (ANNOUNCEMENT)
529. N. Dearborn, Kankakee, Illinois
(Kankakee, IL) Dr. Genevra Walters- Recently retired School Superintendent of Kankakee School District 111- has conferred with her family, friends and close associates and will announce her much anticipated run for Mayor of Kankakee.
Dr. Walters will make her announcement in front of her childhood home surrounded by her family, childhood friends, old neighbors, church members, educators, business leaders, and her beloved Kankakee residents from all walks of life.
After months of performing a listening tour throughout all of Kankakee and receiving a final report from her Exploratory Committee, it was apparent that Kankakee residents were firm in their collective thoughts and opinions that a change is needed in Kankakee. Residents were clearly concerned of the “Two Kankakees” that has hampered and crumbled the future of the close-knit town. Moreover, residents felt enthusiastic and energized for a Walters for Mayor Campaign.
“Kankakee represents so much in the overall fiber of America. Love of God, family and country is the common denominator in which we all subscribe to. It is with that context that I am prepared to announce my candidacy for Mayor of Kankakee. But my run for Mayor is birthed from over twenty years as an educator of our children, ten years as Superintendent, eighteen years as a mom and 55 years as Kankakee born American.” says Dr. Walters.
Dr. Walters adds, “But moreover, my run is to ensure that we tear down the walls that divide our town. The divided walls of economic development, access to quality healthcare, public safety, senior and youth programs and intervention can no longer be tolerated. These issues transcend race, gender, and class but more so create a block and a not so pleasant stain on geography. “
Dr. Genevra Walters has made significant contributions to the Kankakee community through her vision of creating inclusive policies, procedures, and systems. With over 31 years in education, she had committed herself to nurturing lifelong learners. Her academic achievements include a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an educational doctorate from Illinois State University, focusing on teacher education and research.
Her career began in the Kankakee School District 111 as a School Social Worker, followed by roles as an assistant principal at Kankakee High School and principal at Mark Twain Elementary School. In 2001, she moved to the SPEED Special Education School District #802, serving first as the Human Resource Director and then as Superintendent in January of 2008.
A prominent figure at various educational conferences, she presented at the China-US Conference on Educating Students with Special Needs in Beijing in 2004, discussing “Building Collaborative Relationships with Families.” This experience enriched her understanding of diversity and strengthened her commitment to community development.
As a co-author of “What Works for Special Education and At-Risk Learners: A Framework for General Education Teachers and Administrators,” she has contributed significantly to improving education quality for all students.
Beginning her tenure as the Superintendent of Kankakee School District 111 on May 30, 2014, she has played a pivotal role in the educational development of the Kankakee community. Even while retiring on June 30, 2024, her dedication to service and change will undoubtedly continue to influence Kankakee for many years.
As Superintendent of Kankakee School District 111, Dr. Walters’s leadership philosophy was centered on the belief that “we should leave the places we serve better than we found them.” In this spirit, the school district experienced record improvements during Dr. Walters’s tenure.
Upon being selected as Superintendent, the District 111 graduation rate was as low as 55% in2012. Through Dr. Walters bold initiatives, the collective efforts of administrators and educators, with the invaluable support of the Kankakee community; the graduation rate successfully increased to 88% in 2018, and despite the challenges of COVID-19, the district managed to keep rate above 60%. As America transitioned out of COVID, the District 111 graduation rate continues to rise.
Other areas in which Dr. Walters has been lauded include the increase in the financial health of the district, the significant improvements made in facilities, and the expansion of interventions beyond the traditional academic day.
Upon her appointment as Superintendent, Kankakee District 111 was deficit spending at an alarming rate with only a 6-million-dollar fund balance. Dr. Walters stabilized the budget and increased the fund balance to over 24 million dollars to date, which contributed to the district’s ability to continue renovations.
Dr. Walters also instituted over $90 million dollars in renovations without requesting a tax increase from the taxpayers. Additionally, Dr. Walters led the effort to secure $4 million dollars in grants targeting mental health, community partnerships, public safety, and youth development.
The introduction of Saturday School, the Youth Empowerment program, and the establishment of numerous Community Partners were critical milestones during her tenure. From 2014 to 2024, we have significantly increased the air-conditioned spaces in our high school from 20% to 80%, in LCC to 60%, and in King from 10% to 80%. Every building has seen an increase in air-conditioned spaces. The district now has a high school that is virtually new, ongoing renovations at Kankakee Junior High School, and a brand-new Community Center dedicated to addressing youth violence and mental health issues.
All the abovementioned attributes in education have thoroughly prepared Dr. Walters in her run for Mayor. She comes as arguably the most qualified candidate to run for Mayor of Kankakee in many years. The related issues of fiscal management, public safety, quality healthcare inclusive of mental health, and sound economic development are all perfectly aligned in the impeccable and remarkable background of Dr. Genevra Walters.
Dr. Walters concludes,” We must now create a paradigm shift in not only the distribution of wealth and resources, but also the future planning of Kankakee. Poverty, diversity, crime, input, and access must be pivotal in how we bridge the two current Kankakees. But as we work collaboratively to reform our collective communities, each resident must be able to articulate themselves in the mass planning by declaring, “A Better Kankakee, Includes Me.”
In 2012 Dr. Walters lost her loving husband Kankakee Police Officer Larry Walters to an aneurysm. She remains the outstanding mother to her three beautiful adult children. They include Shaina Clasberry, an Army Veteran and current Marriage and Family therapist for homeless youth in Los Angeles, California; Elias Clasberry of Baltimore, Maryland and Larenz Walters, a 2024 graduate of the Kankakee School System who will be attending Northwest Missouri State University on a full basketball scholarship.
In addition, Dr. Walters is caregiver of her disabled older sister Joya Flowers.
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