District 158 board hires new Huntley High principal

The Huntley Community School District 158 school board Thursday approved hiring a new principal for Huntley High School.

Marcus Belin, assistant principal of Dunlap High School near Peoria, will take the helm July 1. His salary will be $130,000.

Principal Scott Rowe will take on a new role as associate superintendent for sixth through 12th grades, replacing Terry Awrey who is retiring at the end of the school year.

At Dunlap, Belin has performed various administrative duties and driven initiatives helping make the school among the top in the state. He previously worked as a teacher, dean of students, and assistant principal at Quest Charter Academy in Peoria.

"Those of us who were part of the interview process with Marcus were immediately struck by his passion for the transformative power of education, his vision for driving meaningful change, and his infectiously positive attitude," said Brad Hawk, District 158 interim superintendent. "While we had a number of high-quality applicants for the position, Marcus quickly rose to the top as an administrator who leads with the heart and by example."

Originally from Chicago, Belin earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Bradley University and is pursuing a doctorate in education at National-Louis University. He and his wife, Monique, have three children.