'One of a kind': Naperville North's Posey named DuPage high school principal of the year

Stephanie Posey doesn't see just her name on the award she received from the Illinois Principals Association.

She sees a community of thousands.

Naperville North High School's principal recently was named the IPA's Principal of the Year for the DuPage County Region. She was honored at last week's Naperville Unit District 203 school board meeting, where she thanked her family, her team at Naperville North, the students and the community.

“I'm honored and I'm humbled to be recognized by my peers and my colleagues,” she said. “This really is an award that speaks to everyone and belongs to everyone at Naperville North High School.”

Illinois Principals Association Past President Dan Krause, principal at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, told the school board Posey was a unanimous selection by the DuPage County IPA board.

Posey is one of 21 regional winners in Illinois, Krause said. A statewide winner will be selected later this month.

“Stephanie is one of a kind,” Krause said. “Certainly tremendous in her leadership and the work that she does throughout this community and the state of Illinois.”

This is the second time Posey has been named a regional winner by the IPA. Posey was given the Southwest Region honor when she was principal at Belleville East High School in 2013.

Posey was principal at Belleville East from 2010 until she was hired at Naperville North to replace Kevin Pobst, who retired in 2015. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Southern Illinois University before earning a doctorate from Lindenwood University.

In addition to her time as Naperville North's principal, Posey served as the interim assistant superintendent of secondary education in Naperville 203 during the 2020-21 school year to help guide the district through the pandemic.

“Part of our work is to recognize amazing talent,” said Raul Gaston, principal at Jefferson Middle School in Villa Park and president of the IPA. “Ms. Posey is definitely one of those people that needs to be recognized and brought forward.”