U-46 appoints new principals, administrator
New principals have been named at Streamwood High School and four elementary schools in Elgin Area School District U-46 schools for next year, replacing employees retiring at the end of this school year.
The U-46 school board also approved a director of transportation, effective July 1. Earlier this year, the board approved two middle school principals' appointment, also effective July 1.
Five of the eight administrators already are serving in leadership roles with the district, while two administrators are returning and one is new to the district. More administrator appointments are expected this spring to fill vacancies for the 2017-18 school year.
The new appointments are:
• Michele Chapman-Simmons will lead Streamwood High School next year. She is an assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at Naperville Unit District 203 and previously worked as a science teacher at Streamwood and East Leyden high schools and St. Edward's Catholic High School in Elgin.
• Abbie Eklund will become principal of Lincoln Elementary in Hoffman Estates. Eklund is a former classroom teacher who serves as the assistant principal at Otter Creek Elementary in Elgin.
• Juan Henderson will lead Lowrie Elementary in Elgin; he is assistant principal at Creekside Elementary in Elgin.
• Maria Valdovinos-Bhatia will become principal of Sunnydale Elementary in Streamwood; she is assistant principal at Huff Elementary in Elgin. Valdovinos-Bhatia previously served as the assistant principal at Hilltop Elementary in Elgin and at Nature Ridge Elementary in South Elgin and was a teacher/coach in Community Unit District 300, East Aurora School District 131 and West Aurora School District 129.
• David Aleman will become principal at Otter Creek. The director of English language learning in Carol Stream Elementary District 93, he previously served as a principal and an assistant principal in District 93, and a classroom teacher in U-46.
• Yvette Gonzalez-Collins will be principal at Ellis Middle School in Elgin. An assistant principal at Coleman Elementary in Elgin, she previously served as dean of students at Streamwood High School and an ELL special education administrator.
• Luis Fernando De León will lead Tefft Middle School in Streamwood. De León is principal of Laurel Hill Elementary in Hanover Park. He was named the 2016 Hanover Township Principal of the Year.
• Jeffrey Prowell will join U-46 as its new director of transportation, a role in which he currently serves at Humble Independent School District in Humble, Texas.