U-46 names new principals, administrators

The Elgin Area School District U-46 school board has appointed eight new principals, two associate principals and several program administrators for the upcoming school year.

The new principals are: Richard Lebron, Bartlett High School; Regina Crespo, Larsen Middle School; Andrea Erickson, Century Oaks Elementary School; Elizabeth Ma, Ontarioville Elementary School; Elisa Biancalana, Timber Trails Elementary School; Marybeth DeLaMar, Wayne Elementary School; Janelle Raine, Ridge Circle Elementary School; and Tracy Taylor, Garfield Elementary School.

Some of the appointments were promotions from within the district.

Lebron was interim principal at Bartlett High School last school year, and served as associate principal there the year before. Erickson was the district's coordinator for Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives. Ma was an administrative intern and assistant principal at Liberty Elementary School. Crespo is U-46's coordinator of English Language Learners educational services for prekindergarten through 12th grade. Taylor is an administrative intern at Hilltop Elementary School.

New hires include: Biancalana, an assistant principal in Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59; DeLaMar, principal of Millburn Elementary School in in Wadsworth; and Raine, principal of Belvidere Central Middle School.

Jennifer Van Deusen and Lisa Olsem were named associate principals of Bartlett and South Elgin high schools, respectively. Van Deusen served as dean of students at Bartlett High School last school year. Olsem was the assistant principal at South Elgin High School.

Annette Acevedo was tapped as the district's coordinator of English Language Learner Initiatives. She previously served as the coordinator for the U-46 Family Welcome Center and was a U-46 social worker for 17 years.

Celia Banks was named bilingual coordinator of language arts for kindergarten through sixth grade. A 20-year district employee, Banks has worked as a bilingual teacher, reading recovery teacher and lead instructional coach and serves as an ELL/Dual Language district instructional coach.

Francesca DiMaggio was named coordinator for Teacher Effectiveness Initiatives. DiMaggio was the divisional chairwoman for special education at South Elgin High School.

Randal Ellison is the new coordinator of prekindergarten through 12th grade discipline and education options. Ellison was assistant principal at Larkin High School since 2009.

Peggy Ondera was named director of Early Learner Initiatives. She has served 20 years with U-46 in various capacities, including parent educator, prekindergarten teacher, instructional coach, and principal of Garfield Elementary School.