U-46 names new principals

Elgin Area School District U-46 has appointed four new principals for elementary schools and a new supervisor for the Independence Center for Early Learning in Bartlett.

• Margaret Ondera will be the principal of Garfield Elementary School in Elgin. For the past two years, she has been the supervisor of Illinois Park Center for Early Learning. She was an early childhood teacher in Keeneyville Elementary District 20 before teaching in U-46.

• Jennifer Tallitsch will be the principal of Hillcrest Elementary School in Elgin. She is currently the assistant principal at Washington Elementary School in Belvidere District 100.

• Karen Beck will be the principal of Wayne Elementary School. She is currently the principal at Jackson Elementary School in Elmhurst District 205. She has also served on the Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's Kindergarten Committee for 12 years.

• Craig Bowers will be the principal of Willard Elementary School in South Elgin. He is currently the principal at Dewey Elementary School in Quincy District 172.

• Christine Dennison will be the supervisor for the Independence Center for Early Learning. She has been the coordinator of improvement initiatives for U-46 since 2001. Dennison is also an adjunct professor at Judson University in Elgin.

Superintendent José Torres also appointed Claudie Phillips as director of food and nutrition services for U-46. She has served as the interim director for the past year.