In a recent report, Lemont High School ranked among the top 50 high schools in the Chicago area. Lemont High School District 210 Superintendent Dr. Sandra Doebert is proud of the achievement, but is setting a goal for the school to rank among the state’s top 10.

Q Why do you think Lemont High School is one of the top high schools in the state?

A As a school, we have done a good job of being systemic. We’ve set a mission — for all students to become life-long learners and productive citizens in a rapidly changing world — and sought community outreach to create a vision based on that mission. We establish SMART (Specific and Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Results-Based and Time-Bound) goals at every level, from the School Board to the administrators to the faculty to the staff. We’ve established a strong relationship between curriculum, instruction, assessment, intervention, and professional development. And behind all of that we use data to inform ourselves.

Q You would like to make the school even better. How do you plan to accomplish that?

A We’ll continue to advance by informing ourselves with data and putting it in the hands of teachers so they can target where they need to focus their efforts.

Q What are the school’s strengths?

A The culture at the school. There is still a small town feel. The community support and pride from the alumni and current students are a part of the culture here. We were so fortunate to have the community’s support in the last two referendums to improve our facilities. And the systemic approach we use provides for the most effective and efficient education.

Q What are the areas that could improve?

A The school should always be striving for improvements in the academic test scores and achievements of our students. There is always a desire on the individual’s part and the school’s part that we seek the next level of success of our students, both curricularly and extra-curricularly.

Q Does the school refer to students when it comes to the curriculum?

A Student input comes from the data they provide us through their test scores and overall academic performance. Students also have a choice in the classes they pick, so there’s an ongoing conversation with students.

Q What is your role in the process of the school’s success?

A I see myself as a servant-leader. I facilitate the most important work done at the school, which is teaching and learning. I seek to make the best use of our resources and seek to create a systemic approach that allows teachers to focus on their teaching and  students to focus on their learning.