Jennette S. Winters

During her formative years, Jennette S. Winters recalls visiting underprivileged schools with her gifted math program and enjoyed the experience of helping students light the lightbulbs in their heads. That early experience made her want to teach forever. Dr. Winters first earned a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1992. She went on to matriculate at Aurora University, attaining a Master of Arts in teaching in 2000 and a Master of Arts in educational leadership in 2002. Additionally, she obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in assessment, evaluation and accountability from Walden University in 2021.

Dr. Winters commenced her career as a teacher and curriculum and professional development coordinator for the Gavin School District 37 from 1993 to 2006. Between 2005 and 2016, she worked as a math and science coordinator for the Lake County Regional Office of Education before advancing to the position as the director of curriculum and instruction for Avoca School District. In 2019, Dr. Winters was appointed as the director of curriculum and instruction for the West Northfield School District. Since 2020, she has excelled as an educational consultant out of her firm, Jennie Winters Educational Consulting, as well as a contractual reviewer for EdReports.org since 2021.

To remain abreast of her industry, Dr. Winters holds membership with the American Educational Research Association, National Council of Teachers in mathematics, Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Society of Leadership and Success, Golden Key National Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and National Science Teaching Association. In addition to her primary career path, she was also active as a project lead for a model mathematics curriculum project for the Illinois State Board of Education from 2012 to 2015.

Notably, Dr. Winters was the recipient of a Lee Yunker Mathematics Leadership Award from ICTM in 2016. She attributes her success to hard work and being open to feedback and opportunities that came her way. She also loves to network with people who have the same curiosity that she has, as she notes that is how she learns and grows. Looking toward the future, Dr. Winters’ goal in the next five years is to teach at a collegiate level and to publish a research article about her studies. Her motto is, “Education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself.”