Members
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Adriana Arias
Adriana Arias is the proud principal of Nightingale Elementary School in the Gage Park neighborhood. Adriana joined the Principal Advisory Council to share ideas and listen to different perspectives.
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AngeĢlica Altamirano
Hubbard High School
Angélica Altamirano has been a CPS educator for 20 years. She is proudly serving in her third year as principal of Hubbard High School. As a member of the Principal Advisory Council, Angélica looks forward to bringing her experiences as a CPS English learner, CPS parent, and CPS teacher to conversations on district-wide issues that will impact all stakeholders.
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Dr. Amy Vondra
Alexander Hamilton Elementary School
Dr. Amy Vondra is the principal of Alexander Hamilton Elementary School and serves on the PAC in order to support the district’s continuous improvement efforts to provide a high-quality education to all students.
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Alberto Juarez
Joseph E. Gary Elementary School
Alberto Juarez is the proud principal of Joseph E. Gary Elementary School in the Little Village neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Alberto joined the PAC so he could represent fellow Network 7 schools in discussions on district-wide policies and initiatives.
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Barbara SanRoman
George Washington High School
Barbara San-Roman is currently the principal of George Washington High School on the Southeast side. She believes that serving as a member of the Principal Advisory Council creates the space to impact her school community at a greater scale and also allows her to better understand the policies at the district level that directly impact her school. She believes that deepening the connection between the school and the district has a significant impact on the students she serves.
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Brigitte Swenson
Peace and Coalition High School
Brigitte Swenson has proudly dedicated twenty-two years to the Peace and Education Coalition High School (PECHS) as a founding teacher and principal. After leading PECHS for eleven years, she continues to focus on positively impacting the educational experiences of our district’s most vulnerable students. As a member of the PAC, Brigitte hopes to offer her perspective, experience, and support to the district as CPS continues its commitment to equity and excellence for all students.
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Charlie Bright
Bret Harte Elementary
Charlie Bright is the principal at Bret Harte Elementary School - a Level 1 elementary school in Hyde Park. Charlie has cultivated partnerships with the University of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, MAC Properties, and other organizations. These partnerships connect with the school’s vision to promote learners and leaders who actively engage in real world experiences, problem solving, and critical thinking. In 2019, Charlie was the recipient of The Outstanding Mentor Award from The University of Chicago’s Office of Civic Engagement.
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Emily Mason
Muchin College Prep
Emily Mason is the proud principal of Muchin College Prep (Go Mountain Lions!), and serves on the PAC to bring a charter school perspective to district policy discussions and actions. Emily is also focused on bringing what she learns from the PAC back to her own network.
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Fareeda Shabazz
Richard T. Crane Medical Preparatory High School
Fareeda Shabazz is the founding principal of Richard T. Crane Medical Preparatory High School, Chicago’s premier health science high school. As principal, Fareeda is responsible for directing Crane’s marketing and branding efforts, establishing viable and sustainable partnerships within the Illinois Medical District, developing a student-focused college-preparatory curriculum, and recruiting dedicated teachers. Fareeda joined the PAC in order to serve her fellow educators and to share her perspective on developing and sustaining new schools in the district.
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Dr. Leonard Harris
Nancy B. Jefferson School
Dr. Leonard Harris is in his third year serving as principal of Nancy B. Jefferson School, which exclusively serves detained youth. Jefferson students have identifiable needs that must be met for graduation, and by targeting these needs, Leonard has improved student outcomes significantly. These needs are universal, and Leonard joined the PAC to share knowledge and learn new strategies to help all CPS students succeed.
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Margaret Byrne
Northwest Middle School
Margaret Byrne is the principal of Northwest Middle School and is serving on the PAC to learn about district policies and collaborate with colleagues.
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Manda M. Lukic
Daniel Beard Elementary School
Manda Lukic has served as the principal at Daniel Beard Elementary School for over eight years. As an intervention school promoting successful early childhood outcomes, Beard provides immediate support services to two distinctly different groups of students: preschoolers and kindergarten through third-grade students with diverse learning needs. Manda believes that all students can learn, regardless of their disability or age.
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Dr Maria Teresa Campos
Lozano Bilingual International Center
Dr. Maria Teresa Campos (Terri) is the principal of Lozano Bilingual International Center. She joined the Principal Advisory Council (PAC) to become part of a group of like-minded intellectuals focused on a common goal: student achievement. The PAC is the perfect opportunity to gain feedback from colleagues on ways to improve systems and structures at Lozano that will positively influence student achievement.
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P. Joseph Powers, Ph.D.
Jones College Prep
P. Joseph Powers joined CPS in 2008 as principal of Jones College Prep and serves on the PAC to provide district leadership with a perspective informed by more than 45 years in the field of education.
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Jennifer Sutton
Friedrich Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center
Jennifer Sutton is in her twenty-first year as an educator and her second year as principal at Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center. Jennifer joined the PAC to support the district’s focus on equity, design solutions based on the CPS Five-Year Vision, and focus on providing schools with the resources they need to succeed.
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Jasmine L. Thurmond
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice
Jasmine L. Thurmond is the principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice in the Englewood community on the South Side of Chicago. She joined the PAC because it is an opportunity to help the CPS vision come into fruition, and actively and positively contribute to refining district-wide policies and procedures to ultimately increase student achievement and success.
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JenniferVentimiglia
Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy (IJLA)
Jennifer Ventimiglia serves as the principal of Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy (IJLA), a small Options high school in Pilsen known affectionately in the community as “Rudy” in memory of the late civil rights activist Rudy Lozano. True to its namesake, IJLA students, staff, and community members work together to transform societal injustices into positive, equitable change. Jennifer joined the Principal Advisory Council to collaborate with the district and other educational leaders while representing the needs of students in an alternative setting.
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Jimmy A Lugo
Harriet Beecher Stowe Dual Language School
Dr. Jimmy A. Lugo is the principal of Harriet Beecher Stowe Dual Language School in Humboldt Park. As a member of this year’s Principal Advisory Council, Principal Lugo looks forward to sharing input on current issues and concerns.
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Kelly Thigpen
Burnside Scholastic Academy
Kelly Thigpen is principal of Burnside Scholastic Academy on the South Side of Chicago, and serves on the PAC as a voice for her staff, students, and families. Over the past 20-plus years, Kelly has developed a big-picture perspective on the district through her experiences as a CPS student, parent, teacher, math coach, assistant principal, and currently, principal.