Elgin High grad returns to school as principal

Elgin Area School District U-46 has tapped a homegrown educator to serve as the next principal of Elgin High School.

The district announced Wednesday that Jerry Cook, dean of students at Gifford Street High School and a 1991 Elgin High graduate, will take over leadership of Elgin High from retiring Principal Dave Smiley.

“My career ambition was to be the principal of EHS,” Cook said Wednesday. “As soon as the position opened up, I had to jump on it and return to my alma mater.”

Cook said his relationships with the staff — including some teachers who were at the building when he was a student — as well as the experienced leadership team he will inherit will help him adjust to his new position.

“They know what my expectations are, I know what their strengths are,” Cook said. “There’s a good team there so it’s going to be a pretty smooth transition.”

Before he starts on July 1, Cook plans to meet with staff as well as Smiley, who he worked under as a teacher.

“There’s a lot to learn from him,” Cook said. “He’s going to be like a coach.”

Smiley, the former football coach at Streamwood High School, announced in January that he is retiring at the end of this school year after 10 years on the job and more than 30 years in U-46.

“These new principals each bring a unique set of skills to the position for which they have been selected,” Superintendent Jose Torres said in a statement. “I know our students, teachers and communities will welcome and support them.”

U-46 has tapped another current administrator to serve as the next principal of Abbott Middle School in Elgin.

Kathy Davis, assistant principal at Abbott since 1999, will take over from her principal, Shelly Leonard-Hertzog, who is retiring at the end of this school year.

As assistant principal, Davis evaluated employees and oversaw special education, among other duties. She is a former teacher who earned her master’s degree in education from Eastern Illinois University.

“Mr. Cook and Ms. Davis bring with them the desire and skills to improve academic achievement for all students, and the history in U-46 to truly be effective,” said Greg Walker, assistant superintendent for secondary schools, in a statement.

U-46 still has to fill principal vacancies at Bartlett High School as well as Channing and Heritage elementary schools. It plans to do so before the new school year begins.