D21 welcomes new assistant principals for Holmes, Cooper for 2026-27
As Community Consolidated School District 21 continues to evolve its middle school leadership model, two new assistant principals will join the administrative teams at Holmes and Cooper for the 2026-27 school year.
The appointments come following a district decision to transition the traditional “dean of students” role into a second assistant principal position at each middle school. The model has been piloted successfully at Holmes over the past two years and will now expand districtwide to Cooper and London.
Laura Nasello has been selected as the new assistant principal at Holmes, joining Principal Ben Neidich and assistant principal Cally Genson. Dr. Ali Zimmerman, the middle school’s current assistant principal, will transition to London to serve as its second assistant principal, alongside Principal Anastasia Netzel and Assistant Principal Natalie Nicolasin.
Kari Thicksten will join the leadership team at Cooper alongside Principal Dave DeMuth and Assistant Principal Anne Cordina.
“Our middle schools are complex, dynamic learning environments, and this shift allows us to strengthen instructional leadership while also deepening the support we provide students and staff,” Superintendent Dr. Michael Connolly said. “We are excited to welcome Laura and Kari into these important leadership roles. Both bring tremendous experience, strong relationship-building skills, and a deep commitment to student success. Their leadership will have a lasting positive impact on our school communities.”
Nasello brings more than a decade of administrative experience to Holmes, most recently serving as an assistant principal in Elgin School District U-46. Prior to that, she spent more than eight years as an assistant principal with Distinctive Schools, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and accelerating the work of charter schools. District leaders praised her strong organizational skills, balanced leadership approach and ability to foster trust-based relationships with students and staff.
“I am honored and excited to join the incredible team at Holmes, where I look forward to partnering with the wonderful students, staff and families,” Nasello said. “Middle school is a time of incredible growth, and I am eager to help cultivate a warm, supportive environment where every student feels valued and inspired to succeed.”
Thicksten currently serves as the Advanced Learner Program instructional coach in Skokie School District 69, where she has worked since 2016. Her experience also includes serving as an instructional coach for math, technology and advanced learners, as well as coordinating the advanced learning program and after-school clubs.
District leaders highlighted her instructional expertise, student-centered leadership style and extensive experience supporting advanced learners and instructional technology initiatives.
“I am thrilled to join Cooper and excited for this next step in my career,” Thicksten said. “I look forward to working alongside students, families and staff to continue building a supportive, inclusive and inspiring learning environment.”
District leaders said the expanded assistant principal structure will strengthen school operations, increase instructional support for teachers and provide additional leadership capacity to meet students’ academic and social-emotional needs.