District 148 names new Technology Director

Dolton West Elementary District 148’s new Director of Technology is no stranger to this south suburban school system.

Karen Marshall has served the District for the past 21 years and has worked in the Technology Department since its inception. She became Director of Technology on Monday, August 1st. Her appointment was approved by the Board of Education at its July 28th meeting.

“I am honored to have been given this opportunity. We are preparing students for jobs that haven’t even been created yet. Technology will open doors for them to become better problem solvers and higher-level thinkers in the future job market. As educators, we rely on electronic data to analyze strengths and weaknesses and provide effective instruction,” Mrs. Marshall said.

She was first hired by the District in 1990 as media center aide at Lincoln Elementary School. She served in that capacity for about seven years. She joined the Technology Department as the District’s first computer/network technician and then became information systems specialist.

Her past responsibilities have included maintaining the District’s student data in the Illinois State Board of Education’s Student Information System, training school secretaries on attendance procedures, student data entry, and maintaining the District’s website.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Governors State University, received her teaching certificate through GSU’s first alternative certification co-hort, and is currently working on her master’s degree at GSU.

Mrs. Marshall is the mother of two adult children: Rebecka and Billy, and is involved in greyhound rescue with the American Greyhound Rescue group. She has three greyhounds of her own.