Featured News Archive - June 2006
Deputy Superintendent Williams named Superintendent beginning 2007-08 school year
[featured 6/21/06 - 7/18/06]
At their June 20, 2006 meeting, the Board of Education adopted a resolution to employ Deputy Superintendent Dr. Preston L. Williams, Jr. as the new Urbana School District Superintendent, beginning the 2007-08 school year. Dr. Williams will replace Superintendent Dr. Gene Amberg who announced his retirement earlier in June.
After the resolution passed, Dr. Williams thanked those who supported him and noted, "My efforts will be focused on building an administrative team that can continue the legacy of developing and implementing a strong curriculum, hiring a diverse staff and creating innovative interventions that will build on the strong foundation for holistic educational initiatives for all of the students of Urbana. Our task is great, but our resolve must be greater in order to ensure that every child in our district will have the opportunity to achieve excellence."
Biographical Information
A native of Kankakee, IL, Dr. Williams graduated from Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, in 1979 with degrees in Social Science Education (secondary level) and African American Studies, while also playing baseball for the ISU Sycamores. He completed his Master’s Degree in Education at the University of Illinois in 1987 and his Doctorate in Education at UIUC in 2000. Dr. Williams has Illinois certification in Special Education, specifically in the area of socially and emotionally disordered children.
In 1987, Dr. Williams began his career with the Urbana School District, teaching history and coaching varsity sports at Urbana High School. In 1990, he was named Assistant Principal at Urbana Middle School. From 1993-1998, he served the district as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. In 1998, Dr. Williams became the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. His title was changed in 2000 to Deputy Superintendent.
Dr. Williams is married to Ivy Williams, a teacher at Robeson Elementary School in Champaign, and has two children, Jacquelyn Williams, a senior at Illinois State University, Normal, IL and Preston L. Williams III ("Tre"), a sophomore at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL. Both are Urbana High School alums.
Dr. Williams’ honors, awards and distinctions include Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Illinois College of Education (2000); President, Illinois Association of School, College and University of Staffing (1995-96); B.L. Dodds Award, Outstanding Graduate Student in Educational Administration (1995-96) and House Resolution 106, Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois General Assembly (1986).
Superintendent Gene Amberg announces retirement
[featured 6/12/06 - 6/21/06]
Dr. Gene Amberg, superintendent of Urbana School District #116 since 1992, announced his retirement June 9, effective June 30, 2007. Amberg said, “What a gift to live and work in the heart of this world-class University community – one that cares so deeply about education. As I start my 35th year in public education, I believe as strongly as I did when I began my career that it is a privilege to teach and lead our children. It has been
an enormous privilege to spend the longest chapter of my professional life leading the Urbana school system.”
Amberg came to Urbana from the superintendency in Joplin, MO, and is the longest serving superintendent among the large unit districts in Illinois. He prefers to call his retirement a “redirection,” because he’s looking at new challenges and creative opportunities.
Amberg’s wife, Ellen, was with him for the announcement. All five of the Ambergs’ children have graduated from Urbana High School and all are alumni of the University of Illinois.
Biographical Information
A native of Milwaukee, WI, Dr. Amberg was raised in Chicago. He attended Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, where he obtained his B.A. (History, 1972), M.A. (Education, 1975) and Ph.D. (Educational Administration, 1979). Amberg also has completed additional coursework at the University of Illinois, Tulsa University and Central Missouri State University.
He began teaching in 1972 as a sixth-grade teacher in Saint Louis and in 1976 became an elementary principal in Warrensburg, MO. He was also an elementary principal in Jacksonville, IL from 1979-82. His first superintendency was in Tulsa, OK, from 1982-1986. From 1986-1992, Amberg was employed by the Joplin (MO) School District where he was first an assistant superintendent and then superintendent.
Dr. Amberg will have 15 years of service in Urbana upon retirement and also has been an adjunct professor in the UI College of Education since 1997.
Recent awards and honors include Member of the U.S. Educators' Delegation to China (2006); Fulbright Administrator Seminar Participant, Germany (2004); Honoree, first endowed chair, Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (2002); and Those Who Excel, (EXCELLENT RATING), Illinois State Board of Education (2002-03).