Elmhurst Elementary Principal Leaving For Another Job

ELMHURST, IL – Christine Trendel, principal of Elmhurst's Jackson Elementary School, is leaving for a job in another suburban school district.

She has been named the director of curriculum and instruction for River Forest District 90, starting in July. She has been Jackson's principal for seven years.

Trendel also held administrative roles in Naperville School District 203 and Arlington Heights School District 25.

In River Forest, she will work in a district with 1,400 students. By comparison, Jackson has 435.

At Jackson, 6 percent of students come from low-income families, according to the Illinois Report Card. The rate is 4 percent in River Forest.

Patch left a message with Trendel on Monday.

On Tuesday, the Elmhurst School District 205 board plans to vote on a new principal for Jackson. The recommended candidate's name is being kept under wraps from the public.

If past practice is a guide, the district has settled on a candidate and is now preparing a news release to be issued within moments of the board's decision.

Not all districts keep their staff's recommended candidates secret beforehand. Algonquin-based District 300 is among those that don't.

For example, District 300 last month revealed in its board's meeting agenda that Hinsdale South Principal Patrick Hardy was the recommended candidate for principal at Hampshire High four days ahead of the board's vote.