Principal Picked For Elmhurst Middle School

ELMHURST, IL – A Naperville principal has been hired for the same role at Elmhurst's Sandburg Middle School.

On Monday night, the Elmhurst School District 205 board voted for Joshua Louis, principal of Steeple Run Elementary School since 2017, as Sandburg's leader.

The current principal, Linda Fehrenbacher, is set to retire after nearly a decade at the helm.

District 205 did not indicate when Louis would start, but most such transitions happen on July 1.

According to the district's news release, the district received 71 applications for the position. Fifteen were chosen for first-round interviews, with the number whittled down in later rounds.

Louis has more than two decades of experience serving high school, middle school and elementary students in various roles. He has taught social studies and science.

Louis received a bachelor's degree in biology and pre-medicine from Augustana College, a master's degree in teaching from Wheaton College and a master's degree in educational leadership from North Central College.

A District 205 spokeswoman told Patch that Louis' salary would be $140,000. At Steeple Run, Louis' pay is $112,000, according to public records.

Under Louis' leadership, Steeple Run saw student achievement gains that resulted in a 2022 Blue Ribbon School designation, according to District 205.

Both Steeple Run and Sandburg are in relatively wealthy areas. According to state data, 17 percent of Steeple Run students are considered low-income, compared with 7 percent at Sandburg.