Eileen Nelson has been hired by School District 157-C to be principal at Grand Prairie Elementary School for the 2011-2012 school year.
The Board of education approved Nelson for the position at its regular meeting on June 20. She will replace Bill Hermanson who has accepted a teaching position at Chelsea Intermediate School.
Nelson comes highly recommended and was the unanimous choice of the teachers, administrative team and parents on the principal selection committee. She brings 17 years of experience to the district, as well as a strong background in curriculum and instruction.
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Supt. Thomas Hurlburt said, “Her decision making is data-driven while being child-centered. She demonstrates a great passion for getting into the classrooms and being a very hands-on principal who is connected to the students. Her six years of experience with the implementation of the Reach to Intervention process in her previous district will provide valuable leadership and direction for the Grand Prairie staff.”
Nelson served as principal of Ridge Elementary School, a kindergarten through fifth grade building in Plainfield. She was also the assistant principal of Central Elementary School and a classroom teacher at Wesmere and Walker’s Grove Elementary in Plainfield Consolidated School District 202.
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She earned a Master of Education Degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
Nelson expressed her excitement at coming to Grand Prairie. “While I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as an administrator in Plainfield District 202, the focus of a kindergarten through second grade building has long been a dream.”
She said that she is looking forward to getting to know all of the Grand Prairie students by getting into the classrooms and that her philosophy is to build trust and relationships with the teachers.
"I want to be in the building when the kids are there. I will come early in the morning to do the managerial things associated with the job so that I can interact with students and teachers during the school day.”
"Eileen has already met with some of the staff. She is very bright and experienced. She is smart and strategic and knows that building relationships is very important,” said Hurlburt.
