(CHICAGO, IL) — The Illinois Association of School Administrators named Sesser-Valier School Superintendent Jason Henry as the 2017 Illinois Superintendent of the Year during the IASB/IASA/IASBO conference Sunday in Chicago. Henry as been an educator for 22 years and has spent the past 12 years as superintendent. According to a news release, Henry is credited during his time as superintendent with instituting a co-teaching program the teams a regular education teacher with a special education teacher in classrooms for English, language arts and math, both at the junior high and high school level. He also helped to develop a strategic plan for the school district. Under Henry’s leadership, Sesser-Valier Elementary School recently was designated as a federal Blue Ribbon school. He has also been very active in his community, serving as a volunteer for the chamber of commerce and the homecoming association. He and his wife also help lead his church’s children’s music and Sunday school ministries. Pinckneyville Superintendent Tim O’Leary nominated Henry for the award.