Tara Chandler’s dogs, Winnie and Gus, sport their wedding costumes for an upcoming wedding.
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ARCOLA — Coaching taught her the fundamentals of leadership and teamwork.
Those skills then transferred into educational leadership.
Now, after 23 years as an admin at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, Tara Chandler is ready for the next challenge — superintendent at Arcola.
After 12 years on the job, Tom Mulligan will pass the torch to Chandler, who will start in July 2026.
Mulligan and Chandler — the current assistant superintendent at PBL — are collaborating to streamline the transition process.
“(Mulligan) is super helpful and definitely not the type to kick his heels up and coast,” she said. “He is still leading, innovating and committed to making sure that this transition is smooth and that the district continues to move forward.”
The tradition-rich Arcola community excited her. Whenever she talked to someone about the town, “the culture” and “tight-knit community” kept coming up.
Chandler grew up on a small family farm 4 miles west of Salt Fork High School in Vermilion County. Her closest neighbor was her grandmother across the street — and the next being a mile away.
During high school, she was on student council and got attached to playing basketball. Her avid love for the game gravitated her toward coaching, which she later pursued in college at Eastern Illinois.
Out of college, she taught third grade at Potomac Grade School and coached junior high boys’ and girls’ track and field and girls’ basketball. Later, a girls’ basketball coaching position opened up at the district’s high school, and she took it.
After coaching for six years, she wanted to advance her career, branching into administration.
She returned to her alma mater to get her certification and soon joined on as PBL’s assistant principal.
“I really just enjoyed coaching and working with kids, so through the coaching, I think that led to education in general,” she said. “A coach is just a teacher on a court or a field.”
Walking into work at PBL, she never knew what the day would hold, whether it be working with kindergarten or 12th-grade teachers — and that stressed the importance of being connected to fellow staff members.
“The thing I’ve learned from people that I’ve worked with is there’s no substitute for just having relationships and building relationships,” she said. “I don’t believe any significant change happens without significant relationships.”
Driven by her coaching and educational skills, she transferred them into a leadership-centered framework, which worked wonders, she said.
“Especially with our administrative team, I feel like there’s a lot of carryover from coaching. You’re bringing out the strengths of all your players and understanding that when everyone is working at top performance, everyone benefits, she said, adding that the same rules apply for educators,” she said.
“Everyone wants to be excellent, and sometimes people just need a nudge, or sometimes people just need some direction, but once they see that hard work pays off, it’s kind of contagious.”
Stepping into a lead superintendent role, Chandler focused on the importance of honesty, transparency and being an excellent listener.
“I think the way that you build trust is by being very open with people and by sharing the information that you can share, making sure that people are feeling valued,” she said. “Trust is hard to earn but very easy to lose.
Chandler carries a goal to evaluate the curriculum using data to drive decision-making. Her coaching emphasis taught her the value of extracurriculars, and she wants to help all students experience that.
“I’m very much in favor of any kind (of activities) that get kids involved, that they can participate in that teach them life lessons, which I believe sports do,” she said. “It teaches them that there’s something bigger than yourself and that you can strive for bigger than your own self-interest.”
The type of club, team or group someone is a part of doesn’t matter to her. Chandler just wants kids to learn teamwork, problem-solving and get involved.
“Whether it’s football, basketball, whether it’s cheerleading, whether it’s dance, whatever the extracurricular is, I will strive to get kids involved, because it’s not about the activity,” she said. “It’s about the lessons that you take with you your whole life.”
Champaign County Art Council honors artistic community
Five people and one business will be honored at the 40 North’s ACE awards Tuesday.
Nearly 100 nominations were submitted and reviewed by judges to fit into advocate, artist, volunteer, business, teacher and lifetime achievement awards.
The ceremony starts at 5:30 p.m. at the City Center in Champaign, and tickets are available on the organization’s website.
Kayla Brown will receive the Advocate ACE Award for her continued support of musicians, artists and creators. She created a Toast to Taylor Street to help bring people to the downtown area after the COVID-19 pandemic. She helped found SoundBridge, a nonprofit to promote and provide more opportunities to local musicians. She also owns Fire Doll Studio, a candle shop in downtown Champaign.
Stacey Robinson was awarded the Artist ACE Award through his multi-disciplinary work as a graphic novelist, a curator, a DJ and an associate professor at the UI School of Art and Design. His practice derives inspiration from science fiction, Black liberation politics and comic books.
Anita Stein was honored with the Volunteer ACE Award for her focus on theater inclusion for people with disabilities. She believed that everyone deserved to have a place to shine, and through her efforts, dozens of adults joined the arts at the Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation.
The Space won the Business ACE Award for offering a place for performers of different kinds to share their art. It regularly hosts open-mic nights, comedy gigs and other visual art displays.
Tamra Gingold will receive the Teacher ACE Award for her focus on student initiatives celebrating culture, community and learning. She created the Mariachi Tigres de Urbana and Mariachi Libertad. She taught that arts can build bridges, amplify unearthed voices and promote a more inclusive community. She turned music education into a tool of empowerment and belonging to help people see and understand each other.
Tim Bartlett was honored with the Lifetime ACE Award for his landscaping and architecture. He helped create the Wandell Sculpture Garden at Meadowbrook Park for the Urbana Park District 25 years ago.
Tracy family donates six figures to Allerton Park
Husband and wife Tim and Molly Tracy materialized the years of appreciation for Allerton Park in the form of a six-figure gift.
This donation will restore and repair the Mansion Pine Room, a former library office on the first floor that now hosts small corporate gatherings and classes. Their gift will also help maintain the space for years to come.
The renovations include furniture replacements and a built-in bench that mimics the Butternut Room, among other upgrades.
Tim knew about Allerton for decades, and when his wife, Molly, moved to central Illinois to attend the UI, the two started growing their mutual love for the community space and were married 10 years later.
Throughout their lives, they regularly visited the park and raised three children, all in close proximity to it.
Molly said the direction of the park excited the family, and they wanted to support the vision.
“We’ve been active in the community, and it’s important to us to give back where you can see the impact of your giving,” she said.
Yardy celebrates 104 years
Jessie Yardy turned 104 years old last week, surrounded by family and friends at Savoy Place, an Anthem Memory Care community.
She lived in Champaign for more than 65 years and invested herself in faith, generosity and service.
She grew up during the Great Depression in Oklahoma, Seattle, and spent 15 years in India with her husband and created a charitable hospital. She also dedicated a chunk of her life to the Ministry for Children in Africa and stayed there for four years.
Destiny Umphreys, a life engagement director for the assisted-living community, said Yardy’s story is inspiring.
“We are honored to celebrate her birthday and her lifetime of contributions,” Umphreys said. “Her home has welcomed international guests, reflecting her deep commitment to hospitality and cultural exchange.”
Realtors donate blankets and food to Champaign County residents
The Champaign County Association of REALTORS brought the holiday cheer by giving back to the community.
They donated packaged food and blankets and raised more than $1,800 to use across the county. Realtors delivered 171 blankets and packaged food to Crisis Nursery and the Strides Shelter to help people stay warm. The money provided turkeys and hams to around 87 families.
