HEIDY'S BIO
​Heidy LaFleur is a vibrant, positive and common sense leader with explosive passion for helping people understand and guide students to success. She is a forever teacher, former school administrator and most importantly, a mother who has lived through a life-changing trauma with her family. As an assistant principal, the unthinkable happened in a place where she never imagined was possible. She wakes up every morning to spread the message that our job is to make EVERY day the BEST day for EVERY child. 

With her personal experience being the foundation of her work with kids who struggle, she has worked with hundreds of students in need of an understanding, positive and compassionate adult in their lives. Her true purpose in life is to help others with strategies that impact the lives of children of all ages. 

Heidy's undergraduate studies were in Elementary Education at Drake University where she earned a full volleyball scholarship. Her graduate work in Educational Leadership took place at Northeastern Illinois University. She has authored Hop on the Clue Bus – A Common Sense Guide to Leadership, which shares that perspective and attitude, are significant pieces to effective leadership, as well as, Hop on the Clue Bus - A Common Sense Guide to Conquering Teacher Evaluation. Heidy's latest work, Those Kids, Heidy's passion project was published in August 2020.

​ She was awarded the Double D Award from Drake University which is the highest honor bestowed on alumni student-athletes for work in their field of study, as well as the John P. McGovern M.D. Award for Lectureship in School Health from the American School Health Association. Heidy is a grateful wife of a firefighter/paramedic and proud mother of three beautiful children. 

HONORS
​Double D Award – Drake University
Athletic Hall of Fame - Wahlert High School
Full Scholarship Recipient – Drake University Merit Tuition Recipient – Northeastern Illinois University Disney’s American Teacher Award Nominee Golden Apple Teacher Nominee

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
Association for Supervision and Curriculum (ASCD)
Illinois Principal Association (IPA)
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Check out Heidy's column in FORBES by clicking on the FORBES icon!

FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Heidy with a Why, Inc. 2018 - present
PRINCIPAL 2012-2018
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 2007-2012
​TEACHER/COACH 1999-2007

PRESENTATION EXPERIENCE

2021

• Salamanca, NY
• Burbank, IL
• Fort McCoy, WI
• Birmingham, AL
• Mobile, AL
• Bossier City, LA
• Woodstock, IL
• Groves, TX
• Rockford, IL
• Toledo, OH
• Crystal Lake, IL
• Curtis, OH
• American School Health Association 

2020/2021 VIRTUAL

• Chicago, IL
• Peoria, IL
• Rochester, NY
• Oskaloosa, IA
• Allen, SD
• Deerfield, IL
• Salamanca, NY
• Eclectic, AL
• Rockton, IL
• Burlingame, CA
• Rockton, IL

​2020

• Atlanta, GA
• Davenport, IA
• Des Moines, IA
• Chillicothe, IL​
• Deerfield, IL
• Joliet, IL
• Springfield, IL
• New Town, ND
• Cincinnati, OH
• Cleveland, OH
• Columbus, OH
• Toledo, OH
• Upper Sandusky, OH
• Pandemic...
• Dearborn, MI
• Luxemburg, WI

​2019

• Enterprise, AL
• Waldron, AR
• Bakersfield, CA
• Fresno, CA
• San Bernardino, CA
• San Diego, CA
• Indianapolis, IN
• Ankeny, IA
• Bettendorf, IA
• Davenport, IA
• Des Moines, IA
• Durant, IA
• Marion, IA
• Boston, IL
• Mackinaw, IL
• Naperville, IL
• Oak Lawn, IL
• Peoria, IL
• Rockford, IL
• Detroit, MI
• Lansing, MI
• Saint Louis, MO
• Hickory, NC
• Toledo, OH
• Columbus, OH
• New Orleans, LA
• Green Bay, WI
• Madison, WI
• National Principals Conference Summer 2018
• Leyden Summer Symposium 2017
• Illinois Principal Association Summer Leadership Conference 2017
• Illinois Principal Association Fall Leadership Conference 2016​