Libertyville principal shares love of music

It’s not uncommon for Alder Park School Principal Jon Bogie to show up to a classroom with his guitar and entertain students with campfire songs.

“I don’t want the kids to be scared to come into the principal’s office,” said Bogie, who replaced 22-year veteran Janet Brownlie at the Libertyville school at the start of this school year.

He came from East Maine School District 63, where he was the interim principal.

“The kids will come to me to hear a song. They’ll bring their instruments to play with me, which is really a lot of fun because they’re taking what they’ve learned from their music teacher and sharing it,” Bogie said.

“We always played instruments in my family. My mom was a church singer and a piano player. I took piano lessons for many years, then switched to guitar, then to trumpet, then to tuba and then back to guitar in college. My brother is now a professional musician.”

Earlier this year, Bogie sat in with the Highland Middle School band and played tuba for their holiday show.

“Me and about five other teachers are going to play with the students in our pep assembly,” Bogie said.

The Adler Park School pep assembly is set for Thursday, April 28, at 1:25 p.m.