Orzel: Old Quarry Welcomes New Principal

—Submitted by Lemont-Bromberek District 113A Superintendent Dr. Courtney Orzel

Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A welcomed new principal, Mr. Johnny Billingsley on July 1. Mr. Billingsley, also known as “Mr. B.,” was named as the West 40 Principal of the Year through the Illinois Principals’ Association in 2015 and led his former middle school to be state and nationally recognized as a “School to Watch.”

The search to find Mr. Billingsley involved a rigorous process including a candidate pool of over 75 applicants and multiple rounds of interviews with administrators, staff, parents, the Board of Education, and community leaders. The interview process also included various performance assessments related to a principal’s responsibilities as well as a site visit.

During the interview process, staff described Billingsley as “a strong leader” who is “experienced, positive, student-focused, enthusiastic, and someone with vision.” Parents and community members also commented that he is a “student advocate” and is “articulate, personable, engaging, well-rounded, inspiring, and forward thinking.”

Old Quarry Middle School has long had a reputation for academic excellence. Mr. Billingsley’s vision is rooted in the research of high-performing and highly successful middle schools that are academically excellent and developmentally responsive. Developmentally responsive schools involve families and students in the decision-making process and engage them as partners in learning, a major focus for Billingsley.

Mr. Billingsley quickly immersed himself into the position and began meeting with staff, students, parents, and community members. He conducted a needs assessment, reviewed all relevant student data and gathered input from teachers on the strengths and areas of growth.

In an effort to create small learning communities that foster respectful relationships, one of Mr. Billingsley’s first goals is to create a strong advisory program for students. Advisory opportunities ensure that the organization embraces the developmentally responsive behaviors necessary to meet the needs of middle level students while maintaining high standards of academic excellence.

Mr. Billingsley plans to meet monthly with student leaders to discuss academics, extra-curricular activities, and school climate. These conversations will be used to set goals and help build a strong coalition among adminstration, students and teachers. Under Mr. Billingsley’s leadership, Old Quarry has already developed a comprehensive plan to engage parents and community organizations on a monthly basis.

Mr. Billingsley embodies all of the attributes that the district was seeking in a principal and has the qualities that we expect of our school leaders. He is extremely knowledgeable and knows what it takes to be a school of excellence and has high standards for everyone in the learning community, including himself. He understands the academic, social and emotional needs of middle school students and brings experience, energy, and enthusiasm to the position.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Billingsley to Old Quarry Middle School.