Our mission:  Empowering Students to Pursue Academic and Life Success

Chana Education Center

School Hours:  7:30 am - 3:30 pm                               204 N. Main Street                               Phone:  815-234-2722

Student Hours: 8:00 am - 2:30 pm                                  P.O. Box 91                                        Fax:      815-234-6598

                                                                                           Chana, IL 61015

Program Overview

Chana Education Center (CEC) supports the academic, emotional, and behavioral needs of students within Ogle and Lee Counties.  Two programs are housed at CEC. 

• Program for Students with Emotional Disabilities:  This program provides services to K-12 students with special education needs who struggle with emotional regulation in the general education environment.  Program goals include helping students develop the needed skills to eventually self-regulate within a variety of settings and situations, as well as academic skills growth.  Students may be placed in this program through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Multi-disciplinary Team decision. 

• Regional Safe Schools Program (RSSP):  This program offers an alternative general education setting for students in grades 6th through 12th that meet one or more of the following state grant requirements:

  • • • Suspended at least twice for a period of 4 - 10 days for  gross misconduct.

      • Eligible for disciplinary reassignment pursuant to violation of school district policies (expelled or expulsion eligible).

      • Involved in misconduct that can be demonstrated as serious, repetitive and/or cumulative, and has been previously remediated at least once by the district.

      • Youth returning from juvenile correction facilities.

      • Member District Student Referral Application for RSSP/Challenge Program:  Click Here

Core Values

At Chana Education Center, we are committed to a whole-child approach to education, recognizing that student success is achieved when academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being are all addressed. Whole-child education is guided by policies, practices, and relationships that ensure every student is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

Our foundational program, Empowerment Skills, supports the development of essential social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies. Through this program, students are explicitly taught skills that promote self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision-making, aligning with the Illinois Social-Emotional Learning Standards. These competencies are woven into daily academic instruction, offering students meaningful opportunities for both learning and real-world application.

Staff at Chana Education Center are dedicated to implementing trauma-informed practices throughout the school environment. This approach is grounded in an understanding of the widespread impact of trauma and a commitment to responding in ways that promote healing and resilience. Our trauma-informed framework is anchored in five guiding principles: safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empowerment.

We also utilize Zones of Regulation as a universal language of emotional awareness and regulation. This framework supports students in recognizing physical and emotional cues within their bodies, identifying their current emotional state (zone), and applying appropriate coping strategies to maintain or shift to a more effective level of regulation. Zones are embedded into classroom routines and staff interactions to promote a consistent and supportive environment for all learners.

Together, these core values reflect our mission to educate and empower students through an inclusive, responsive, and student-centered approach.

Supports & Interventions

Chana Education Center recognizes the unique needs that each student may have.  Staff utilize a variety of supports and interventions to provide individualized programming plans for students.  These may include: 

Sensory Integration Leadership Team

Calming/Regulation Supports Adult & Peer Mentoring

Community Partnerships Therapy Dogs

Sinnissippi Counseling                 Service-Learning/Volunteerism

College & Career Prep Assistance Problem Solving & Teamwork Challenges

Secondary Transitional Experience Training (STEP)

Positive Behavioral Support Interventions (PBIS)

Trauma Informed Education    

Chana Education Center E-Learning Plan

The State of Illinois allows for a school district to implement E-learning days in lieu of the district’s scheduled emergency days for situations that would otherwise cause a school district to close down its operations, such as for inclement weather (excessive snow, blizzard, extreme cold, etc) or other emergency. The creation of this plan does not guarantee that e-learning will be used in lieu of every emergency day.  E-learning days reinforce the fact that teaching and learning are not confined to class periods or physical classrooms. These learning opportunities will also better prepare all students for future work in post high school learning that will involve technology and alternative forms (paper copies, including handouts, notes and homework) of instructional delivery. The district will ensure that the specific needs of the students are met, including special education students. In addition, the district will ensure that all mandates are met using the E-learning program.  

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