Getting to Know Decatur Classical School’s Principal for Principal Appreciation Month

As a Humboldt Park native and CPS graduate, Principal Marisol Negrón says that her story is grounded in community and being a mirror or a window for her students. She is driven by a passion for mentoring students to obtain access to more opportunities. 

Her teaching career spanned almost 20 years, and she taught at the same school that her three daughters attended. Her perspective on education was shaped by her role as a mom, as she was focused on making sure that her daughters had everything they needed to be successful both in and out of the classroom. 

She feels that she transitioned into school leadership at exactly the right time. 

“As I looked back on the hundreds of kids I had in my classroom, this impact propelled me forward,” said Principal Negrón. “I thought about the bigger impact I could have on a whole school community instead of just 30 kids a year.” 

Many of the foundational pieces of her classroom are now her core values as a leader. One of them is a focus on social-emotional learning. As a teacher, she cared about her students’ hearts, minds, and well-being. Now, as a principal, she treasures her responsibility to coach teachers on incorporating these practices into their classrooms. 

“I joined Decatur during the pandemic, and I think what drew me here was its core value of educating the whole child,” she said. “Working here means being grounded in a kid-first mentality.” 

Principal Negrón often says that strong schools survive and thrive with trust. At the same time, she always tries to model gratitude for both her staff and her students. These values have helped Decatur have its best launch yet this school year. She believes that the energy can be felt in the building and that students are building on the momentum they had at the end of the previous year. 

One area she is especially excited about is the work of her instructional leadership team. They are launching a new way for staff members to grow in their roles: individualized learning plans. 

“What I really want is for each member of my team to lead their own learning plan in a way that is differentiated and honors their unique growth,” she said. “It might be a little messy and up in the air at first, but I’m excited to support them and connect this work to our Continuous Improvement Work Plan.” 

She is a mixture of identities: A Latina, wife, mother, daughter, educator, and leader. She explains that she has remained anchored in her purpose because she has prioritized maintaining a personal balance between all of these roles. This involves reminding herself that her work as a principal is a marathon, not a sprint. She surrounds herself with people who can help her grow and carves out space to protect her peace so that her job stays sustainable. 

“Principals were chosen to lead a community for a reason, and I know why I am at Decatur,” she said. “We have to walk in that confidence and lean into that purpose, trusting our gut that we’ve got this.” 

And, as Principal Appreciation Month starts winding down, she hopes that other school leaders across Chicago remember to prioritize their peace and happiness. She will continue to champion the District’s focus on emotional well-being, making sure that it is central to the culture at Decatur.

“When we are strong physically, mentally, and emotionally, we can find genuine joy in our jobs on a daily basis,” she said. “This is what will allow us to be loving, transformative leaders that our communities need.”