New Leadership Takes Reins at District 47

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — As District 47 preps for the upcoming school year, there will be several educators who will be taking on new leadership roles within the local ementary school district. Two schools, Bernotas Middle School and Wehde Education Center, will get new principals while new assistant principals will start at Woods Creek Elementary School, North Elementary School, Lundahl Middle School, Hannah Beardsley Middle School and Bernotas Middle School.

In addition, Meggan Dacy, will take on the role of assistant director of special education at the CORE Center. Dacy has been with District 47 for the past 12 years. She worked as a special education teacher at South Elementary for the first five years with D47 and then transferred to Wehde Early Childhood Center, according to the D47 news release.

She was a classroom teacher at Wehde until 2018 when she became a Local Education Agency (LEA) coordinator. Prior to coming to District 47, Dacy taught for four years at Barrington School District 211 as an early childhood special education teacher.

She received her bachelor's degree in early childhood education from Northern Illinois University and her master's degree in educational leadership from Aurora University.

Here is a look at other D47 employees who have been promoted to new leadership positions within the school district:

Bernotas Middle School

Kellie Marks will take over as the new principal at Bernotas Middle School and Evan Kozlowski will become the school's newest assistant principal. Prior to her new role, Marks served as the assistant principal at Bernotas since 2016, according to District 47.

Prior to joining District 47, she was a sixth grade classroom teacher for 14 years in McHenry School District 15. During that time she taught language arts and math, served as a student council advisor, and took an active role on many school and district committees, according to Distict 47.

Marks graduated from Cary-Grove High School and went on to attend the United States Air Force Academy for two years. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in education from Illinois State University and her master’s degree in educational leadership from Aurora University.

Kozlowski returns to District 47 after serving as a health/physical education teacher, driver education teacher and coach at McHenry School District 156 for the past 13 years. While in McHenry, he took on the role of instructional leader and worked to develop the physical education department into a state-recognized Blue Ribbon program in 2018.

Prior to that, from 2005 to 2007, he taught 7th and 8th grade physical education at Bernotas Middle School. Kozlowski has a bachelor's degree in physical education and school health education and a master's degree in educational administration from Northern Illinois University.

Wehde Early Education Center

Monica Furlong will take over as the new principal at Wehde Early Education Center. She began her career in District 47 in 2006 when she served as a speech paraprofessional and special education teacher. In 2013, she became an assistant director of special education in Grayslake and has been a director of special education for Huntley District 158 for the past five years, according to District 47.

Furlong holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in speech pathology and audiology and master’s degrees in special education (Roosevelt University), literacy (Olivet Nazarene University) and educational leadership (Concordia University).

She received her director of special education endorsement from the University of St. Francis. In addition, she is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in curriculum and instruction from Aurora University.

Hannah Beardsley Middle School

Maggie Fitzgerald will be the new assistant principal at Hannah Beardsley Middle School. She has been with District 47 as an instructional coach for the past two years. Prior to that, she taught middle school for 10 years at Marquardt District 15 in Glendale Heights.

She received her bachelor's degree in education from Northern Illinois University and her master's degree in educational leadership from Concordia University Chicago.

Lundahl Middle School

Angela Carvell will take on the role of assistant principal at Lundahl. She comes to District 47 with seven years of middle school teaching experience — three years at Yorkville D115 and most recently at McHenry District 15.

She received her bachelor's degree in education from Northern Illinois University and her master's degree in educational leadership from Aurora University.

Woods Creek Elementary

Jason Brogan has been a teacher at District 47 elementary and middle schools since 2007. Most recently, he taught 4th/5th grade multiage at Woods Creek Elementary School. Prior to that, he was a 4th and 5th grade teacher at Indian Prairie Elementary School and was a language arts and social studies teacher at Bernotas Middle School.

In addition, Brogan served as an English language arts/social studies facilitator at District 47's CORE Center.

Brogan holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and master's degrees in literacy education and educational administration from Northern Illinois University. He will begin pursuing his doctoral degree in literacy from Judson University in 2021. In addition to his career in education, Brogan is a certified firefighter and EMT, and has served part-time as a member of the Rutland-Dundee Fire Protection District for the past nine years.

North Elementary School

Danielle Bredemus will take over as the new assistant principal at North Elementary School. She has taught fourth grade in District 47 for the past three years. Prior to that, she taught at Holy Angels Catholic School in Chicago for three years.

She received her bachelor's degree in education from Michigan State University and her master's degree in educational leadership from Concordia University.