Dr. Marc L. Kiehna, Regional Superintendent of Schools for Monroe and Randolph counties, has announced he is a candidate for re-election. Kiehna, who lives in Steeleville, is beginning his seventh year as Regional Superintendent for the bi-county region.

While in office Kiehna has established himself as a respected leader of regional superintendents in Illinois, serving as the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools for the past two years. During his term as president, Dr. Kiehna participated in a statewide taskforce to create new standards for educational leaders in Illinois, was a presenter at the Triple I Conference in Chicago and, through his extended efforts, brought many new programs to the Monroe and Randolph County schools. Some of his more recent local initiatives have been an Illinois Math and Science Partnership Grant with Illinois State University on biotechnology, teacher and principal mentoring, programs to support homeless students and a gifted grant focusing on differentiated instruction. The Monroe-Randolph Regional Office is now looked upon as a model for downstate ROE's to emulate.

Dr. Kiehna advocates the improvement of education for all children. He serves as secretary for the Perandoe Special Education Cooperative, secretary and fiscal agent for the Beck Area Career Center and secretary for the OKAW Vocational System. His office routinely sponsors student contests such as the Young Authors Conference, the Elementary Art Contest, Art du Jour for high school artists, the Platinum Chef Team Challenge, Team Quest, and the Bi-County Spelling Bee.

Dr. Kiehna has also served as coordinator for Congressional District 12 for training teachers in Project Citizen. The Project Citizen program helps middle school students from the area develop an understanding and appreciation for the principles of democracy. In 2007 and 2009 students from Immaculate Conception School in Columbia and Coulterville Elementary respectively were chosen as statewide winners of the Project Citizen Showcase in Springfield and honored at the National Conference for State Legislatures in Boston and Philadelphia.

Dr. Kiehna has taken talented high school biology students and their teachers to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab several times. In October of 2008, the office organized its fifth trip to the sea lab, located at the mouth of Mobile Bay. While on the island the students and teachers experience field work in oceanography firsthand with the graduate students and researchers at the lab.

"I am proud of the work we accomplish at the Regional Office of Education. We have talented and knowledgeable personnel who go the extra mile to serve our districts and our citizens. Our certification officer does a tremendous job taking care of the needs of our educators. The Right Track Truancy Program has proved successful in increasing school attendance. Our Adult Literacy Programs have helped citizens obtain their GED Certificates and secure employment. Our Red Brick Alternative School has helped struggling students from every district. We provide professional development training for our teachers, administrators, substitute teachers and bus drivers. Our staff works to help our districts meet No Child Left Behind mandates, and we continue to work with the public and private schools in our counties to provide quality education for their students," said Dr. Kiehna.

Kiehna has a B.A. in Business Teacher Education, an M.S. in Guidance and Educational Psychology and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership. He has been a high school business teacher, K-12 guidance counselor, vocal music teacher and high school principal. Before being elected Regional Superintendent in 2002, Dr. Kiehna was the assistant to Regional Superintendent Faye Hughes for 5 years.

Kiehna is also active in his community. He serves Randolph County as a member of the Solid Waste Committee and attends Peace Lutheran Church in Steeleville, where he directs the adult choir and serves as an assisting minister. Kiehna serves as a member of the Randolph County Human Service Center Board and is a charter member of the Red Bud Rotary Club. Kiehna's wife, Susan, works in the Trico School District as a speech and language pathologist. They have two daughters-Lauren, who is a doctoral student at the University of Kansas, and Megan, who is a junior at the Savannah College of Art and Design.