Equity and Inclusivity do not just happen. It takes conscientious effort over time to truly work toward these ideals. Today we speak with Nathaniel Rouse, the Director of Equity, Race, & Cultural Diversity Initiatives at Barrington Community School District 220.

Nathaniel L. Rouse began his teaching career in public education as an English teacher at West Leyden High School in the fall of 1999. After teaching for 3 years, he entered education administration as a Dean of Students at his alma mater, Elgin High School in 2002. From 2004-2008, Mr. Rouse was an assistant principal at Highland Park High School before becoming the first African-American principal at Oak Park & River Forest High School in 2008.   After serving as Principal at Oak Park and River Forest High School, Mr. Rouse became the first ever Director of Equity, Race, & Cultural Diversity Initiatives at Barrington Community School District 220 for the 2020-2021 school year.  

Mr. Rouse is in his 25th year in education and is dedicated to transformational leadership, service, and action that eradicates the systemic inhibitors in schools that continue to marginalize students of color.  Oak Park River Forest was the high school featured on the Starz Docuseries America to Me which aired in 2018, which focused on the achievement disparities of students of color in an affluent suburban school district. In 2011, Mr. Rouse received the Phi Delta Kappa Educator of the Year Award from Northeastern Illinois University.  In 2018, Mr. Rouse received the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund Overcomers Award. Finally, Mr Rouse was most recently featured in the 2020 November/December Quintessential Barrington.   Mr. Rouse has a proven track record of challenging the status quo to successfully lead and transform educational systems to attain equitable outcomes for all.