Principal not new to Dist. 96

For all but one of his eight years as an educator, Jeff Brown has worked in Buffalo Grove-Long Grove Elementary District 96.

For that year, Brown taught at Richmond-Burton High School in McHenry County. But he soon felt a desire to return to District 96 and came back to teach science at Woodlawn Middle School in Long Grove, where he previously taught from 1999 to 2002.

On Aug. 1, however, he took on a new role, as principal of Country Meadows School in Long Grove.

"It's (District 96) really just a great place to call home professionally," he said.

Brown replaces former principal Rachele Dadouche-Nowak, who stepped down in June.

Brown's biggest goal as leader of Country Meadows is to "maintain the culture of collaboration" among teachers, administrators, parents and students, who he calls the "biggest stakeholders."

"That's something that our district is founded upon," he said, "and it is critical in providing students with the education they deserve."

He credits Christine Jakacic, Woodlawn Middle School's former principal, as his greatest influence in his decision to move from the classroom to the office.

"She really instilled a confidence in me," he said, "that being a school leader was something I would be capable of doing and something I'd be able to do well."

He also praised Marie Schalke, the principal of Twin Groves Middle School, where he was assistant principal from 2005 to 2007, as an "incredible mentor."

Though he has transitioned smoothly into an administrative position, "there's always an element of missing the classroom when you become an administrator," Brown said.

But, he said, you just have to make the most of the opportunities to be directly involved with the day-to-day lives of kids at the school.

That way, he said, students "can know you not just as the principal in the office but somebody who is an active member of the school community," who will invest in their lives and care about them as individuals.