New principals, new starts in Fox Valley
The leadership lineup was shuffled a bit for St. Charles schools, which opened Wednesday.
Five schools got new principals. They are St. Charles North, with Audra Christenson; Haines Middle School, with Pam Jensen; Thompson Middle School, with Tim Loversky; Wredling Middle School, with Stephen Morrill; and Anderson Elementary, with Patricia Gonzalez.
And there was welcome news this warm week at Wasco Elementary, which installed air conditioning over the summer.
School also resumed in the Kaneland, Burlington Central, Geneva and West Aurora districts.
For Kaneland High School students, it is the first year under the supervision of new principal Jill Maras. Kaneland McDole Elementary has a new leader in Kelly DeGaetano, and Martin McCoy moves from McDole to Kaneland Blackberry Creek Elementary. The district added some intervention programs at the high school level, and is using instructional coaches for teachers at the middle and high schools.
West Aurora High School also welcomed a new principal, Charles Hiscock. Schneider Elementary in North Aurora has a new principal, Melanie Wachowiak. Schneider also has new playground equipment, that was installed by volunteers.
And this is the first year West Aurora freshmen who participate in the district's dual-credit program with Waubonsee Community College will be able to earn an associate degree by the time they graduate high school.
Geneva's leadership remained the same. But Geneva High School students will no longer walk past the old, empty Coultrap School next door, as it was torn down over the summer.