Dist. 203 dedicates school to educator

A longtime Naperville Unit District 203 educator known for helping shape the district's curriculum will have a permanent tribute in the school she helped open.

The school board on Monday voted to dedicate Kingsley Elementary School to its first principal, Lenore Johnson.

The retired administrator was nominated for the honor by Kingsley's principal and staff, who are celebrating the school's 20th anniversary this year. A 13-member committee convened to review the nomination and recommended its approval.

Kitty Ryan, assistant superintendent for school services and programs, penned a memo on behalf of the group calling Johnson an "icon of District 203."

"Always available to mentor teachers and administrators, she led by example, inspiring others to follow her example of excellence in teaching and learning," Ryan wrote. "Lenore's tireless commitment, resolve and her core belief that district teachers were capable of designing and delivering a highly sophisticated, student-centered curriculum set her apart and makes her worthy of this honor."

Kingsley will hold a dedication ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 29, at the school, 2403 Kingsley Drive, Naperville. A plaque will hang in the school recognizing Johnson.

The educator joined District 203 in 1978 as a teacher at Steeple Run Elementary and became principal of Prairie Elementary in 1985. In 1990, she became the first principal of Kingsley. She was named the district's director of curriculum for elementary education in 1994 and assistant superintendent for elementary curriculum and instruction in 1999. In 2004, she became associate superintendent for instruction, the job she held until she retired in 2006.

Johnson has stayed active in District 203 since her retirement and also is serving as a consultant to the DuPage Regional Office of Education.

At Monday's board meeting, Johnson said she is honored by the school dedication and that "Kingsley will always be home."

"We got to form it as a group of staff members and students and parents and really put our own flavor together," she said.

They viewed it as a quilt, she said, "looking at everybody's strengths and colors and the different fabrics and textures of their personalities ... and it was a very special place, and still is."