New Principal Appointed At Timber Ridge Middle School

PLAINFIELD, IL — A current assistant principal at Ira Jones Middle School will shift roles and serve as the new principal at Timber Ridge Middle School starting in the next school year. Catie Peterson was appointed for the role at Monday's Board of Education meeting.

Peterson will replace Dean Kariotakis, who is retiring in June after leading the District 202 middle school for 11 years. Having been with the Plainfield school district for 17 years, Peterson started her career in 2001 as a special education teacher at Still Middle School in Aurora.

"Her leadership goes beyond special education," Shannon Miller, District 202 director for middle school administration and personnel, said in a statement. "She strives to improve instructional practices and impact student achievement, in a support and collaborative environment. We are excited to have her lead Timber Ridge."

The middle school administrator first began working in District 202 in 2005. Between 2005 and 2016, she taught eighth-grade English and social studies. In a slight overlap with that role, she also served as Heritage Grove Middle School's interim assistant principal for student services from 2014 to 2015.

From 2016 to 2019, Peterson served as Drauden Point Middle School's assistant principal for student services before being appointed to her current position at Ira Jones in 2019.

Before District 202, Peterson worked as an eighth-grade social studies teacher and sixth-grade drama teacher at Thompson Middle School in St. Charles from 2004 to 2005.

In a statement, Peterson said she is excited and honored to begin working as Timber Ridge's principal.

"I look forward to working with the staff, students, and community to continue to build on the successes, great traditions, and culture of the school," Peterson said.