John P. Closen, Assistant Professor
Educational Leadership
Horrabin Hall 81I
Phone: 309/298-2210
E-mail: JP-Closen@wiu.edu
Professor Closen is a graduate of Illinois State University (B.S, 1975, M.S., 1979, and Ph.D., 1989). He is certified as a school administrator and holds a superintendent's endorsement in the state of Illinois. Professor Closen has served as an administrator for 21 years. He served as superintendent of schools for 19 years. During that time he acquired experience in collective bargaining by negotiating 9 contracts in 2 different school districts.
Professor Closen has also been active in various professional organizations.
He served for 13 years on the Tazewell-Mason County Special Education Association, 8 of those as president. He served on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), on the Executive Committee for CivicNet, and is an active member of the Central Illinois Valley Association of School Administrators and the Central Illinois Valley Association of School Business Officials.
Currently Dr. Closen is also working with the state of Illinois as a consultant through the Learning Technology Center in Area III. He is consulting with area school districts to update their technology plans to meet the new state requirements. He is also working with local Regional Offices of Education as a consultant to school districts that have not met AYP and are required to submit School Improvement Plans and/or District Improvement Plans to the state.