Steve Diveley Honored As Illinois Middle School Principal Of Year

GLEN ELLYN, IL — Steve Diveley, principal of Hadley Junior High School recently got the surprise of his career when he was honored by students, staff and family members with an unexpected assembly announcing he had been selected as the 2023 Illinois Middle School Principal of the Year.

This annual award from the Illinois Principal Association is given to principals who positively impact students, cultivate a positive climate in their schools, collaborates well with staff, works toward the school's objective and keeps community members informed.

Diveley began his role as Hadley's principal a decade ago, according to a news release from Glen Ellyn. Prior to that, he served as principal and assistant principal at a middle school in Plainfield.

In a statement, Diveley said,

"To be a successful instructional leader, my energies and actions should center around knowing my community and seeing or learning where I can lead the organization to meet the demands of my community. This includes cultivating trust with staff and stakeholders to adapt in ways that promote learning and high expectations for the community. I believe that the middle school model of common plan time for staff, smaller communities of students in teams, a focus on SEL for early adolescents, and a robust exploratory, co-curricular, and extra-curricular program is needed to develop our young people. This is not done alone, for to implement change requires the trust of the people around you. When they have a voice in the decision, trust the path and methods, and are part of the celebration, improvement in the educational program and student achievement will follow."

Diveley was selected from nominees throughout the nearly two dozen regions represented by the Illinois Principals Association.

“Steve has been willing to take risks to improve student learning and anticipate change. Steve is an effective leader because he values relationships," District 41 Board of Education President Robert Bruno said in a statement.

Bruno added," He works collaboratively with teachers and other staff to improve educational programming and student achievement. As a result, Principal Diveley has distinguished himself as a very strong instructional leader.”

Diveley will be officially honored in October when the Illinois Principals Association hosts its Education Leaders Annual Conference.