Harvard Community Unit School District 50 announced that Jennifer Bigler has been named the district's director of teaching and learning – elementary, effective July 1, 2026. Bigler currently serves as Jefferson Elementary's interim principal and the district's PreK-5 curriculum lead, a role in which she has helped reshape literacy and instructional practices for thousands of D50 students.
"Jennifer Bigler assumes this role because she has done the work, built genuine relationships, and maintained a singular focus on what matters most: every child having access to the instruction they deserve,” said Superintendent Dr. Brandon C. White. “She is a trusted leader in every building she has walked into, and I cannot wait to see her impact grow."
Bigler's tenure in D50 has been marked by results. She spearheaded the district's comprehensive Science of Reading initiative, training more than 100 staff members in evidence-based literacy practices and developing five in-district LETRS facilitators, giving Harvard the internal capacity to sustain and grow that work for years to come. The effort yielded immediate gains: 81 percent of third-grade students achieved oral reading proficiency within the first year of the structured literacy framework's implementation in grades K–2.
"This is my dream job," Bigler said. "I am most excited to expand my impact on student achievement by strengthening alignment and instructional practices across Washington, Crosby, and Jefferson schools — partnering with principals, instructional coaches, and educators to ensure all Harvard students have equitable access to high-quality, rigorous Tier 1 instruction."
Her influence extends beyond Harvard’s city limits. Bigler was selected to serve on the Illinois State Board of Education Standards Setting Committee, contributing to the development of performance level descriptors and proficiency ratings for the state's new IAR assessment categories. She also collaborated with D50 educators to establish the district's PreK–5 Priority Standards — a framework grounded in Illinois Learning Standards, IAR blueprints, and the Illinois Early Learning Standards that gives teachers a clear and consistent instructional roadmap.
Bigler began her career in education in 2001. Before joining Harvard, she served Woodstock Community Unit School District 200 for nearly a decade as an academic interventionist and dual language educator. In that role, she led the school's Multi-Tiered System of Supports, designed literacy lessons integrating language acquisition strategies and academic discourse for multilingual learners, and mentored multiple preservice teachers. She holds a bachelor's degree in education and history from Augustana College, a master's degree in curriculum and instruction with an ESL endorsement from Concordia University, and a master's degree in educational leadership with principal endorsement from Aurora University.
A recognized voice in the field, Bigler has presented on dual language education at the La Cosecha National Dual Language Conference, served as a panelist at the Leaders in Literacy Summit, and co-presented with district leadership at the Large Unit District Association on D50's science of reading work.