FOREST LEAVES - June 8, 2005

 

Willard principal hired

 

BY CHRIS LAFORTUNE

STAFF WRITER

 

Barrington school principal Janice DiVincenzo will take over as the new principal at Willard School starting in July.

 

The District 90 School Board approved a three-year $108,358 contract for DiVincenzo at its meeting last Wednesday. DiVincenzo will replace outgoing principal John Swanson.

 

Swanson announced in May he was resigning as principal to take a job closer to his home in Lincolnwood. He will be assistant principal at Attea Middle School in Glenview Public School District 34.

 

DiVincenzo will take over the principal's position July 1.

 

District 90 Superintendent Marlene Kamm said DiVincenzo comes with many years of experience as principal, both in LaGrange and in Barrington.

 

Background

 

"She has an extensive background in reading and special education," Kamm said. "She's been a reading specialist and been the coordinator of language arts and reading programs when she was in the Gurnee school district."

 

Kamm knows DiVincenzo and asked her to apply for the job. The two worked together about 10 years ago when Kamm was assistant superintendent of curriculum in Lake Forest District 67.

 

DiVincenzo said she and another teacher were creating a reading support program in the district's primary buildings when she met Kamm.

 

"Our paths crossed for two or three years," DiVincenzo said.

 

Lake Bluff resident DiVincenzo said she has been in education for about 27 years, starting as a special education teacher. She also worked as a reading specialist and reading and language arts teacher. For the last 10 years she has been an administrator.

 

Willard will be DiVincenzo's third principal's position, she said. She is currently principal at Lines Elementary School in Barrington Community Unit School District 220.

 

Smaller setting

 

DiVincenzo said she likes that Willard is in a community committed to education and a high performing school system. It's a system similar to the one in Barrington, she said, but in a smaller setting.

 

"I feel like I really can spend more of my time on things that aren't administrative," DiVincenzo said. "When you're the only person in a building of 600, it's not the same as in a building of 300."

 

Kamm said the district recruited experienced principals for the Willard position. There were about 95 applicants for the job, she said.

 

"We were not interested in looking for people who had less than three years experience as principals or administrators," Kamm said.