Superintendent

Jessica Lombard is Superintendent of Huntley Community School District 158 and has served the Huntley community as an educational leader since 2002. Prior to her current role, she served as the district’s Associate Superintendent for five years. Before that she held numerous leadership positions, including Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Learning and Special Education, Director of Curriculum, Principal at Mackeben Elementary School and Principal and Assistant Principal at Leggee Elementary School. 

A native of Huntley and alumna of Huntley High School, Ms. Lombard holds a bachelor’s and master's degree in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership from Northern Illinois University. In addition, she earned an Education Specialist degree in educational leadership from National Louis University.

Ms. Lombard is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Greater McHenry County and served on the alumni education committee for five years. Ms. Lombard is an adjunct faculty member at Northern Illinois University and has served on various committees within the college of education.

Raider Roundtable with Jessica Lombard

Huntley Community School District 158’s Raider Roundtable is a video podcast series hosted by Superintendent Jessica Lombard to help foster a deeper understanding of the school district among staff, families, students and community members. Episodes air monthly throughout the school year on YouTube and Spotify and reflect the district’s goals and priority areas, providing information and insight on important, timely, and sometimes, complex issues surrounding education. 

Episode 1: Attendance Matters
In this first episode, Superintendent Jessica Lombard talks with Huntley 158 Director of Curriculum Lindsay Spears about local, state and national data trends related to student attendance and chronic absenteeism, as well as the impact of absenteeism on students’ overall well-being and academic growth and achievement. As they take a deeper dive, you’ll learn how the district takes a collaborative and supportive approach to absenteeism and how families can partner with the district for student success.

Episode 2: School Safety

Tune in for a discussion about school safety with Huntley 158 Superintendent Jessica Lombard and Huntley Police Chief Linda Hooten. From dedicated safety officers to collaborative practices and educational programs, you will learn how the school district and local police and fire departments work together to take a comprehensive and proactive approach to school safety!

Episode 3: Meaningful Inclusion

Tune into this month’s Raider Roundtable where Superintendent Jessica Lombard interviews Assistant Superintendent of Special Services Dede Gill about meaningful inclusion. Discussion revolves around how to create a sense of belonging for all students through inclusive practices, why it’s important, and where Huntley 158 is on this journey.

Episode 4: Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Learn about Huntley High School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program in this interview with CTE department chair Nick Wedoff. Nick describes the purpose of the CTE program and courses offered, from computer networking and construction to education, accounting and design. Through the CTE program, students gain diverse skills, hands-on experiences and connection with the community. Are you a local business looking for some help with a project? Contact Nick Wedoff at nwedoff@district158.org.

Episode 5: Personalized Learning
In this episode of Raider Roundtable, we dive into the exciting world of personalized learning in Huntley 158 with Dr. Amy MacCrindle, Assistant Superintendent for Learning & Innovation. Learn how we are empowering students with tailored educational experiences to meet their unique needs and goals. We also discuss how parents can get involved in supporting their child’s learning journey.

For more resources, check out these links:

• Learning and Innovation: https://www.huntley158.org/departments/curriculum
• Family Literacy Video Series: https://www.huntley158.org/community/promoting-family-literacy-video-series

Don't forget to subscribe for more insights on education and how we’re shaping the future of learning!

Episode 6: Technology in Education
Mike Primus, Huntley 158’s chief technology officer, is Ms. Lombard’s guest in this episode, which highlights the role technology plays in education. Tune in for a discussion about how Huntley 158 has embraced technology while prioritizing digital citizenship and online safety for students. At the end of the episode, parents will find suggestions on how to keep their children safe online at home. Huntley 158 partners with Smart Social to offer free training and resources for parents about online safety. 

Episode 7: Student Growth & Achievement
This episode of Raider Roundtable casts a spotlight on the heart of education in Huntley 158 – teaching and learning. Host Jessica Lombard interviews Paula Moan, K-5 Director of Curriculum, about how the district strives to be “future ready” by taking a proactive, integrated and collaborative approach to education. They discuss the definition of student success and how this goes beyond the classroom and involves the important contributions of our educators and staff, as well as engagement and support from our families. 

Episode 8: In this month's episode, Superintendent Jessica Lombard dives into a discussion with Huntley 158’s Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer about education funding, budgeting, sustainability and operational efficiency. Join them as they explore the challenges, strategies, and innovations behind school finance and the critical role good fiscal health plays in shaping our schools.

Episode 10: Huntley 158’s new strategic plan, Huntley 2030 – Building Tomorrow Together, was approved by the Board of Education at the June 12th board meeting. Rooted in collaboration, the plan includes three "portrait" frameworks, updated mission and vision statements, cross-cutting concepts, and five priority goal areas that will guide the district’s work through 2030. Tune into this episode to learn all about it from Superintendent Jessica Lombard and various members of the Guiding Team!

Episode 11: In this episode, you will get a chance to get to know Huntley 158's two new middle school principals! Mr. Stephen Mogni, principal of Heineman Middle School, is an experienced educator and school leader who most recently served as assistant principal of climate and culture at Holmes Middle School in Wheeling. Mrs. Jillian Pearce served as assistant principal at Marlowe for the past two years and is now principal. She is also "mom" to two middle schoolers. Tune into this episode to learn all about these amazing school leaders and what they hope to bring to their new roles!

Episode 12: Learn how our youngest learners are set up for success at the district’s Early Childhood Center (ECC) from principal Sheryl Pauwels. With an integrated services model, ECC students experience diverse learning and a seamless transition to kindergarten. ECC also creates learning opportunities for parents through parent education days and its unique parent tot program. You won’t want to miss this episode! Click below to view on YouTube or catch on Spotify at this link.

Episode 13: Join Superintendent Jessica Lombard and principal Keith Panke for a chat about the district’s LIGHT transition program for students ages 18-22. Through employment / vocational training, post-secondary education and life skills, LIGHT is ensuring these young adults are “future ready!” With three locations for learning, students are getting real-world experience at various locations in the community. At the new LIGHT Employment Center on Vine Street in Huntley, students are preparing to launch their first business venture from a retail storefront. Tune in to learn all about it and how you can get involved!  

Episode 14: Join Superintendent Jessica Lombard on this month’s Raider Roundtable for an inspiring conversation with two newly appointed Huntley High School students stepping into a historic new role — serving as student advisory representatives to the Huntley 158 Board of Education. Discover how this initiative is amplifying student voice and giving learners a seat at the table where decisions are made.

Volunteers: The Heart of Huntley 158 celebrates the incredible impact of community members who give their time and talents to support our schools. In this episode, Superintendent Lombard is joined by volunteer coordinator Eileen Delahanty, who shares why volunteers are vital to school districts and how they help enrich student learning and strengthen school communities. Learn about the many ways to get involved—from guest reading and speaking to academic support, mentoring, and event chaperoning—and discover how you can make a meaningful difference in Huntley 158.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/2JoA9dp7V4k
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0kULa0ZaiRpIYWRa6NAkCa?si=tIcnh-bvSTqn0qg_kl841g