The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board Monday night approved the hiring of three new principals and an assistant principal.
The new principals are Kimberly Watson of Dewey Elementary School, Elizabeth Cardenas-Lopez of Washington Elementary School and Charmekia McCoy of Willard Elementary School.
Teresa Quinn will be the new assistant principal at Dawes Elementary School.
They all start their new positions on July 1.
Watson has 12 years of teaching experience and has served as an assistant principal for two International Baccalaureate schools, Prosser Career Academy and the Ogden International School of Chicago. Most recently she led Westchester Elementary School as part of City Schools of Decatur in Decatur, Georgia. She holds a doctorate in educational policy, organization and leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was a Bill & Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar.
Cardenas-Lopez has over 20 years of experience as an educator and previously served as District 65’s director of literacy and worked to improve the core instruction and educational outcomes of Black and Hispanic students. She has a doctorate and a master’s degree from Chicago State University and a school administration and leadership degree from National Louis University.
McCoy has 11 years of experience as an educator, serving as a principal for both East Elementary School and West Elementary School in District 6 in Zion, Illinois. She holds master’s degrees in secondary education from Loyola University Chicago and in educational leadership from the American College of Education.
Quinn is currently dean of culture and climate in the district’s elementary schools. She has a background in social work, racial equity, special education, and leadership, with an emphasis on restorative justice practices and social emotional support.
District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton said the new leaders “are truly an inspiring group of individuals and I am grateful that they are joining our District 65 community.”
He said they have in common “a commitment to racial and educational equity and honoring and building upon the unique strengths of every student.”
Horton says opportunities are being planned for the new leaders to meet with members of their new school communities.