District 47 board appoints two new administrators

The Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 school board Monday night appointed two new administrators for the coming school year.

Kari Keith was selected as the district's new director of dual language and English Language Learner programs, and Aaron Knoth will be the assistant principal at Hannah Beardsley Middle School, both effective July 1. She was principal at Churchill Elementary in Glen Ellyn, and director of the English Language Learner program for Wheaton-Warrenville Unit District 200 where she also was an ELL/bilingual facilitator and teacher.

"Kari has a tremendous amount of knowledge and best practices related to dual language and ELL," said Scott Kubelka, District 47 assistant superintendent of student learning.

District 47's dual language program started in 2004 with two classrooms and has expanded to 44 classrooms serving roughly 1,000 students. The program has received accolades at the state and national levels for its implementation of biliteracy instruction and curriculum design.

Keith has a bachelor's degree in Christian education from Wheaton College and a master's degree in teaching from Aurora University.

Knoth replaces Carolyn Stadlman, who will become District 47's new director of math, science and STEM. He also will oversee the district's Title I and Title III summer school programs as principal.

During his 11 years in District 47, he has served as a math teacher at Bernotas Middle School, a technology coach at Woods Creek Elementary School, and most recently as a full-time instructional coach at Hannah Beardsley.

Knoth has a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Illinois State University, a master's degree in curriculum instruction from National Louis University, and a master's degree in instructional leadership from Aurora University.