Most people don’t often think about the Regional Office of Education (ROE). It doesn’t run classrooms or field football teams, and it doesn’t make headlines for test scores or state championships. But in many ways, ROE #30 — under the leadership of Matthew Hickam — is the hidden backbone of public education across southern Illinois serving 24 districts, two special education cooperatives, and dozens of schools with one goal in mind: making sure every child has the best possible chance to learn.

Regional Superintendent Matthew Hickam is quick to clarify a common misunderstanding. “People sometimes think we’re the boss of schools,” he said. “That’s not how it works. We’re not here to tell districts what to do — we’re here to serve and support them.”

That service takes many forms. Some of it is straightforward but essential: ensuring buildings are safe, licenses are up to date, and compliance requirements are met. Other roles are more nuanced, like helping teachers sharpen their craft, supporting principals in their leadership, and stepping in when students face serious barriers to learning.

Assistant Superintendent Sherri Schimpf points to the federal McKinney-Vento Act as an example. Her work helps identify and support students whose housing is unstable — children who may be doubled up with relatives, living in a car, or struggling with unsafe conditions at home. Last year, more than 1,200 students out of approximately 14,000 across the five-county region were identified under McKinney-Vento. “The whole idea is that we want them to be successful in school,” Schimpf said. “So, whatever it takes — clothing, hygiene supplies, transportation — we try to remove the barriers that keep them from learning.”

The ROE also operates COPE and SOAR, alternative programs for students who may be facing expulsion, truancy, or other challenges. While enthusiasm from students isn’t guaranteed, many find success in these settings — some even choosing to stay because they feel more supported. “It’s about making sure kids don’t fall through the cracks,” Hickam explained.

Then there’s professional development, one of Julie Bullard’s many hats. She organizes workshops on everything from reading and math strategies to social-emotional learning and student engagement, making sure teachers and administrators alike have the tools they need. “Professional development is basically giving teachers the support they need to enhance their classrooms,” she said. “And sometimes that means bringing them together so they can lean on each other.”

The list doesn’t end there: GED testing, fingerprinting and background checks, teacher recruitment, licensure support, truancy outreach — the ROE weaves itself into countless corners of school life. In each case, the mission is the same: to give districts, especially small ones, access to resources they couldn’t easily muster alone.

For Hickam, Schimpf, and Bullard — all lifelong southern Illinoisans — this work is personal. They grew up here, learned here, and chose to devote their careers to helping today’s children find their way. Their quiet dedication mirrors a larger truth about public education: behind every student’s journey is a network of people working faithfully to make sure opportunity reaches even the most hidden corners.

“We’re serving and supporting our schools,” Hickam said simply. “That’s our job. Not to catch people doing something wrong, but to walk alongside them so kids have what they need to succeed.”

In a region filled with small communities and proud schools, the ROE may never be the face on the Friday night scoreboard. But it is, in every sense, the strength behind 26 teams of professional, public educators — steady, resourceful, and deeply committed to the well-being of children across southern Illinois.