Wheeling District 21 hires three more new principals
Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 has hired three more new principals for the upcoming school year, joining three others appointed earlier.
Effective July 1, Anastasia Netzel will become principal at London Middle School, Jorge Almodovar at Whitman Elementary and Crystal Jimenez at Field Elementary. Their hirings were confirmed during a special school board meeting Thursday night.
At London, Netzel becomes the top administrator after serving as assistant principal at Cooper Middle School in District 21 since 2018. She previously was dean of students and a language arts teacher in Addison Elementary District 4. In recommending her approval to the $115,000-a-year job, district administrators said Netzel distinguished herself in the search process with a thoughtful, well-grounded middle school approach to education. She will replace Luis Correa.
Almodovar, the new Whitman leader, has been a principal in Carpentersville-based Community Unit District 300 since 2014, and previously was that district's coordinator of Title I services and dean of students. A fluent Spanish speaker, Almodovar has experience with dual language schools, which District 21 officials said will be an asset to Whitman. Almodovar, who will be paid $125,000, will replace Jennifer Kiedaisch.
Jimenez, the new Field principal, has been assistant principal of John Jay Elementary in Mount Prospect since 2017. Also a fluent Spanish speaker, Jimenez previously was a dual language teacher. Her hiring to the $115,000-a-year job follows current Principal Luis Bonilla's request for reassignment to a teaching position.
Earlier this year, the school board approved new principals for Holmes Middle School, Twain Elementary and Robert Frost Elementary. District 21 has 13 schools that serve students in six communities.