Special Ed Teacher Named Dean At West Aurora High School

AURORA, IL — A special education teacher at an Aurora middle school was named the next dean of students of West Aurora High School, the district announced.

The West Aurora School District 129 Board of Education approved Jessica Ciaccio for the role during its April 6 meeting. Ciaccio, who works at Washington Middle School, will serve as dean beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

"I am honored to step into the role of Dean of Students in the Pride House at West Aurora High School and would like to thank the SD129 Board of Education and district leadership for the opportunity to serve in this capacity," Ciaccio said in a statement. "I look forward to building strong relationships, collaborating with staff, and fostering a positive, consistent environment that supports student success."

In her role as a special education teacher, Ciaccio has worked closely with building and district administrators to ensure compliance with Individualized Education Programs, support instructional practices, and strengthen systems that promote students' success, according to a news release.

Officials said Ciaccio has also served on hiring teams and has helped develop systems that support consistent documentation and service delivery.

Ciaccio started her career as a special education teacher at the Kendall County Special Education Collaborative, supporting students with emotional and behavioral needs while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to provide individualized programming.

She received her bachelor's degree in biology and psychology from Augustana College, her master's in special education from Aurora University, and a second master's in educational leadership from Concordia University Chicago.