Business Department Personnel
LaShonda McDaniel – Business Manager, PAEC #803
Email: lmcdaniel@paec803.org
LaShonda McDaniel currently serves as the Business Manager for Proviso Area for Exceptional Children (PAEC) #803. A lifelong resident of Maywood, Illinois, Ms. McDaniel’s educational and professional journey reflects a deep and enduring commitment to public service, fiscal stewardship, and the advancement of opportunities for students with diverse learning needs.
Ms. McDaniel is a proud graduate of Garfield Elementary School and Proviso East High School, where she completed her studies in June 2001. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Robert Morris University in Chicago in February 2004, establishing a strong foundation in financial management and organizational accountability. Recognizing the importance of continued professional growth, she later pursued and obtained a Master’s degree in School Business Management from Northern Illinois University in August 2024, further strengthening her expertise in educational finance and operations.
Since joining PAEC in October 2006, Ms. McDaniel has served the organization in a wide array of capacities, reflecting both her versatility and her steadfast dedication to students and staff. She began her career as a program assistant, initially serving as a one-on-one aide at Northlake Middle School and subsequently working in severe and profound classrooms at PAEC Center. In these early roles, she provided direct support to students with significant learning and developmental needs, gaining firsthand experience with the challenges and triumphs faced by the children and families served by PAEC.
In the following years, Ms. McDaniel transitioned to the role of Job Coach within the Transition Program, where she supported students in developing critical workplace and life skills to prepare them for adulthood. Her passion for student success and her ability to build meaningful connections made her a valued resource in helping young people reach their goals.
Recognizing the impact she could have beyond the classroom, Ms. McDaniel shifted into administrative leadership in July 2019 as the Lunch Program Coordinator. In this capacity, she managed essential services that ensured students’ nutritional needs were met in compliance with state and federal guidelines. She continued her administrative progression in July 2021 when she became the Accounts Payable Coordinator, overseeing fiscal responsibilities with diligence and integrity. After two years in that position, she advanced to the role of Staff Accountant, where she refined her skills in budget management, compliance, and operational efficiency while simultaneously pursuing her graduate degree.
In August 2024, upon completing her Master’s in School Business Management, Ms. McDaniel accepted the position of Business Manager for PAEC #803. In this senior leadership role, she is responsible for managing the district’s financial operations, ensuring the effective stewardship of public funds, and supporting programs and services that directly benefit students and staff.
Throughout her nearly two decades with PAEC, Ms. McDaniel has remained guided by a commitment to equity, opportunity, and the belief that all students deserve the resources and support they need to thrive. She attributes her longevity at PAEC to the extraordinary students and dedicated colleagues she has been privileged to work alongside.
Ms. McDaniel encourages all PAEC employees to recognize that growth is both possible and supported within the organization. Her own career trajectory from program assistant to Business Manager exemplifies the professional advancement that can be achieved through hard work, ongoing education, and a steadfast commitment to the mission of serving children and families.
Trainette Latham Human Resource Coordinator/Medicaid Coordinator PAEC # 803
Email: tLatham@paec803.org
Trainette Latham serves as the Human Resource Coordinator/Medicaid Coordinator at the Proviso Area for Exceptional Children (PAEC) #803, bringing more than two decades of experience in education, administration, and human resources. Throughout her career, she has remained dedicated to supporting students, families, and staff while strengthening student services, organizational support, and operational excellence. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2002.
She began her career in education as a School Secretary with Uhlich Children’s Advantage Network (UCAN), later serving as an Attendance and Truancy Specialist before becoming Executive Administrative Assistant to the Director. In 2006, Mrs. Latham joined The Day School, where she worked as an Executive Administrative Assistant and Human Resources Generalist before transitioning to Systems Administrator. These experiences broadened her expertise in both school operations and personnel management.
Mrs. Latham joined PAEC in 2008 as a 1:1 Paraprofessional, supporting students with special needs, and later served as a Classroom Paraprofessional. She went on to become the School Secretary at the PAEC Therapeutic Day High School, where her skills in organization and student services continued to grow. She was later promoted to Executive Administrative Assistant to the Director, and also assumed responsibility as the Medicaid Coordinator for the Cooperative.
Committed to lifelong learning and leadership development, Mrs. Latham earned her Master of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University in May 2025. She now serves as Human Resource Coordinator/Medicaid Coordinator for PAEC #803, overseeing personnel functions and Medicaid-related services with professionalism, accuracy, and care.
Mrs. Latham’s career reflects her dedication to supporting students, staff, and the broader school community. Her extensive experience across instructional support, administration, and human resources enables her to contribute meaningfully to PAEC’s mission of providing high-quality educational services to students and families.
Celeste Jamison – Administrative Assistant to the Business Manager, PAEC #803
Email: cjamison@paec803.org
Celeste Jamison brings a strong background in food service management, account oversight, and administrative support to her role as Administrative Assistant to the Business Manager at Proviso Area for Exceptional Children (PAEC) #803. Her career reflects both depth of experience and a steady progression of responsibilities within school related services.
Ms. Jamison began her professional journey at Hobart, a company in the food service industry, where she developed foundational administrative skills including filing, bookkeeping, customer service, and invoicing. In 2010, she joined Preferred Meals as an Account Manager, overseeing numerous school food service accounts in the Proviso area. These included School District #88 in Bellwood, District #89 in Maywood, District #99 in Cicero, District #91 in Forest Park, as well as PAEC itself. In this capacity, she successfully managed both vended and managed accounts, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and high-quality service delivery.
Building on her extensive knowledge of school nutrition operations and fiscal management, Ms. Jamison joined PAEC in 2021 as the Accounts Receivable/Food Service Coordinator. Her performance in this role led to her promotion in 2022 to Administrative Assistant to the Business Manager, where she now supports the district’s financial and operational functions with professionalism and precision.
Ms. Jamison’s experience working directly with multiple school districts and her strong administrative expertise make her a valuable asset to PAEC. She remains committed to supporting the organization’s mission of serving students and families with excellence and integrity.
The Business department manages and controls all financial functions of all PAEC District 803 departments in accordance with generally accepted principles of government accounting and various Illinois Statutes and Administrative Codes. Major duties highlighted:
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- controlling expenditures and obligations (including operating expenses, debt, payroll)
- receipting and depositing all revenues
- managing all monies
- accounting for all assets and capital project expenditures
- internal and external reporting
The financial activity of all departments is supervised by the Business Manager/Chief School Business Official to ascertain solid internal controls are in place. An audit of financial practices and principles is conducted annually by an outside auditing firm. The Business staff assists in providing the information for the audit.
The Business Department encompasses the following non-instructional services:
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- Finance and Accounting
- Payroll (TRS-IMRF)
- Accounts Receivables
- Purchasing/Accounts Payable
- Budgets and Financial Projections
- Financial Reports
- Bids/RFP/RFQ
- Contracts (Contracts Exceeding $25,000)
- Cash Management & Analytics
- Building & Grounds (Maintenance & Operations)
- Human Resources
- New Personnel paperwork
- Workers Compensation
- FMLA
- Insurance
- Benefits
- Food Services
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Finance and Accounting