Community leaders to serve as 'Principals for a Day' in U-46

Elgin Area School District U-46 will host its 11th annual "Principal for a Day" event on Friday, Dec. 7, with more than 50 local leaders experiencing school life from a new perspective across the district's 11 communities.

"This annual event is not only a way to celebrate our schools, but it is also an opportunity for our district to create and strengthen relationships with community leaders," said CEO Tony Sanders. "These relationships matter; they are what build and sustain our schools and communities."

Participating guest principals include police officers, firefighters, leaders in the areas of medicine, finance, business and education, and more than a dozen elected officials.

They will all get a behind-the-scenes look at the life and responsibilities of a school leader in a diverse district of nearly 39,000 students. Twenty-two of the 57 guest principals are new participants in the annual event.

The participants are always encouraged to develop long-term partnerships with the schools they visit by committing to activities such as mentoring and tutoring, hosting field trips, sponsoring a school activity, or being a guest for career day.

To conclude the "Principal for a Day" event, the guests will convene for a luncheon sponsored by Marco, a leading technology services provider, from noon to 2 p.m. at Villa Olivia in Bartlett.

The featured speaker will be state Sen. Andy Manar, the chief advocate of the evidence-based school funding reform in Illinois focused on equity for all students and schools. The reform brought additional state funding to U-46, $24 million during the 2017-18 school year and $18 million during the 2018-19 school year. He will address attendees on statewide education initiatives during the luncheon.

Below is a chart that outlines which community leaders will serve at individual schools.

• Abbott Middle School: Leslie Maloney of JPMorgan Chase

• Bartlett Elementary: Hasi Smith of Alignment Collaborative for Education

• Bartlett High School: Richard Miskiewicz of Baird & Warner

• Canton Middle School: Streamwood Village Board trustee Mary Thon

• Centennial Elementary: Samantha Alloway of Elgin Area School District U-46 Citizens' Advisory Council

• Central School Programs: Heather Weiss of DUTU

• Century Oaks Elementary: Linda Deering-Dean of Advocate Sherman Hospital

• Channing Elementary: Yvonne Irving of KCT Credit Union

• Clinton Elementary: South Elgin Fire Department Chief Steve Wascher

• Coleman Elementary: Paul Bednar of Vintage Home Realty

• Dream Academy: Jenette Siebens of Family Service Association

• Eastview Middle School: Bartlett Mayor Kevin Wallace

• Elgin High: Mary Perkins of Elgin Community College

• Ellis Middle School: Chris Price of JPMorgan Chase

• Fox Meadow Elementary: Elgin City Councilwoman Tish Powell

• Garfield Elementary: state Sen. Andy Manar

• Glenbrook Elementary: Kelly Behnke of Three Fires Council Boy Scouts of America Inc.

• Hanover Countryside: Veronica Betz of AT&T

• Harriet Gifford Elementary: Dave Burisek of Taylor Family YMCA

• Hawk Hollow Elementary: Tina Smith of JPMorgan Chase

• Heritage Elementary: Denise Espinosa of Walgreens

• Highland Elementary: Elgin City Councilwoman Rose Martinez and U-46 board member Melissa Owens

• Hillcrest Elementary: Robert Cox of RCDC Services

• Hilltop Elementary: Clinton Scharff of Three Fires Council Boy Scouts of America Inc.

• Horizon Elementary: state Rep. Michelle Mussman, 56th District

• Huff Elementary: Elgin Fire Chief Dave Schmidt

• Illinois Park: Amber Peters of Elgin Partnership for Early Learning

• Independence: John Parquette of Hanover Township

• Kenyon Woods Middle School: Wayne Township Trustee Brandi Ramundo

• Kimball Middle School: state Sen. Andy Manar

• Larkin High School: Melissa Barbosa-Guzman, Law Office of Melissa Barbosa-Guzman

• Larsen Middle School: Joseph McMahon, Kane County State's Attorney Office

• Laurel Hill Elementary: Michael Cohen, Hanover Township Youth & Family Services

• Liberty Elementary: Bartlett Police Officer Tracey Dendinger

• Lincoln Elementary: Velma Sept of African American Advisory Council

• Lords Park Elementary: Ernie Broadnax, "Project 3-2-1"; and the Rev. Nathaniel L. Edmond, Second Baptist Church of Elgin

• Lowrie Elementary: Elgin Township Supervisor Franklin Ramirez

• McKinley Elementary: Ralph Martire, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability

• More at Four: Elisa Lara, VNA Health Care

• Nature Ridge Elementary: Hal Theis, retired, Texas A&M and McDonald's Corp.

• Oakhill Elementary: Nancy Coleman, Alignment Collaborative for Education

• Ontarioville Elementary: Ron Wentzell, Three Fires Council Boy Scouts of America Inc.

• Otter Creek Elementary: U-46 Educational Foundation board member Dawn Curran

• Parkwood Elementary: Hanover Park Village Board Trustee Sharmin Shahjahan

• Prairieview Elementary: Kane County Board member Philip Lewis

• Ridge Circle Elementary: Streamwood Police Chief Daryl Syre

• Ronald D. O'Neal Elementary: Elgin Police Chief Ana Lalley

• South Elgin High School: State Sen. Andy Manar

• Spring Trail Elementary: Daniel Potter of JPMorgan Chase

• Streamwood High School: Fatima Reyes of Avid CNA School

• Sunnydale Elementary: Oswaldo Alvarez of Grand Victoria Foundation

• Sycamore Trails Elementary: Bartlett Police Officer Victoria Anderson

• Tefft Middle School: U-46 board member Sue Kerr

• Timber Trails Elementary: Dave Bearden, Elgin Symphony Orchestra CEO

• Washington Elementary: Maggie Sifuentes, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois

• Wayne Elementary: Wayne Township Commissioner Martin McManamon

• Willard Elementary: Kane County Board member Michael Kenyon