October is Principal Appreciation Month

October is Principal Appreciation Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the important work principals do. Principals, assistant principals and deans play a vital role in our schools, setting the tone for learning while creating a safe and positive environment for students and staff alike.

As we wind down the month, we want to take a few minutes and introduce you to our amazing school leaders. These remarkable men and women work tirelessly every day with their teams to provide students with safe environments within which to receive high-quality educations.

Sorrick Elementary School: Principal Natalie Profita
Hired in 2009 as a third-grade teacher at Oak Ridge School, Natalie is in her sixth year at the helm of Sorrick Elementary School. She also spent time as a technology information coordinator prior to being named principal. "This school is an amazing place," she said. "We have such an awesome staff that consistently makes a tremendous impact on our kids. You can just feel the energy in this school."
“The staff here is so dedicated and professional,” Profita said. "They do whatever they have to to help students succeed. And we celebrate students’ successes. I love being part of this team.”
Natalie and her husband, Bob, have a daughter, Liliana, 5, and a son, Leo, 4 months.

Dorn Elementary School: Principal Jolanta Dziatkowiec
Jolanta is in her first year as principal at Dorn School. Hired in 2017 as a Polish bilingual specialist, Ms. Dziatkowiec spent the previous three years as an EL team leader at Oak Ridge. "As a team leader, I worked with the teachers," she said. "As principal, I'm working with the teachers, but also with the students. The Pre-K students give you hugs and waves. They are always so happy." In her free time, Jola enjoys spending time with her family, including her three nieces and one nephew. She also enjoys hiking, reading and cooking.

Oak Ridge School: Principal Stephanie Johnson and Assistant Principal Jessica Mycyk
Stephanie has been in NPD117 for 16 years and has been principal for the last two years. Mrs. Johnson has served as a team leader at Sorrick School and a teacher and assistant principal at Glen Oaks School. She said the best part of being principal is "being able to work with the entire school community, including the students, teachers and parents." Mrs. Johnson and her husband, Aaron, have two Golden Retrievers, Tesla and Leilani. The couple enjoy traveling and trying new restaurants.

Jessica grew up in the community and was a student in NPD117. After college, she was hired in 2013 as a special education teacher and team leader prior to becoming assistant principal. Asked what was the most 'challenging’ part of the job, Mrs. Mycyk said “The multiple hats you wear.” She added that she and Principal Johnson have “a great team to turn to if they need them.” Jessica and her husband, Nick, have a daughter, Annie, who is 6 months old. The couple also enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants and taking long walks in nature.

Glen Oaks School: Principal Farah Daoud and Assistant Principal Emily Betts
Farah and Emily are both in their first year in their new positions as principal and assistant principal, respectively. Farah served last year as the assistant principal at Glen Oaks. She was hired in 2014 as a first-grade Arabic bilingual teacher prior to becoming a team leader. She said keeping students and staff at the forefront is her main objective. "We want to make sure teachers and staff have the tools and knowledge they need to be the most successful they can. The goal is to continue the amazing work with our great staff." Farah and her husband, Mohammad, have a daughter, Lara.

Emily was hired in 2020 as a sixth-grade math teacher at Conrady. She served previously as a team leader at Dorn. Mrs. Betts said she is"so happy to be part of the Glen Oaks' team." Both ladies went on and on about how welcoming the entire school community has been. "Students, staff and families have been just amazing," Emily said. She and her husband, Nick, have two daughters: Teresa and Brooke.

Conrady Junior High School: Principal Adrienne Muniz, Assistant Principals Dorita McCabe and Spencer Brown and Dean Jed Ramsey.
Adrienne is in her fifth year as principal at Conrady Junior High School. She was hired in 2005 as a sixth-grade math teacher and has served over the years as a team leader and an assistant principal. Mrs. Muniz and her husband, Justin, have a 6-month-old son, Xavier.

Dorita said she "loves being in the classroom observing the amazing work our teachers are doing to help our students learn and achieve their goals." She said the most challenging part of the job is "we don't have enough hours in the day." Hired in 2019 as an assistant principal, Mrs. McCabe taught middle school English Language Arts for 17 years in Indiana. Dorita and her husband, Matt, have two daughters: Kylie and Regan. Both are in high school. The girls play high school and club volleyball, and Dorita and Matt can be found cheering for their teams.

Spencer is in his second year as assistant principal. He said he enjoys "working interdependently with our dedicated students and staff to help students find successes and overcome challenges." Prior to joining the Conrady team, Mr. Brown served as an assistant principal at both a middle school and a high school. He and his wife, Kristen, have two children. Spencer enjoys music, sports, reading about history and "anything outdoors."

Jed has been in District 117 for 12 years all of which have been spent as the Dean of Students. He said he enjoys the "opportunities to work with students on learning the behavioral expectations at Conrady and developing individual goals and plans to meet those expectations." He previously served as a physical education teacher and an assistant principal. Jed and his wife, Kathleen, have three daughters: Deanna, Abby and Kaley. Mr. Ramsey enjoys spending time with his family, working out and is a fan of college sports, especially the University of Illinois.