Above / New principals will serve beginning July 1, 2023: Katie Kempski, approved principal at May Watts Elementary; Rachel Witkowski, approved principal at Graham Elementary; Jill Keller, approved principal at Georgetown Elementary; Tarah Fowler, approved principal at White Eagle Elementary; and Dan DeBruycker, approved principal at Metea Valley High School. (Photo courtesy Indian Prairie School District 204)
At the Dec. 19, 2022, regular meeting of the Indian Prairie School District 204 Board of Education, hiring was approved for five individuals to serve as new principals for the 2023-24 school year.
Daniel R. DeBruycker
Daniel R. DeBruycker was approved as the principal of Metea Valley High School. DeBruycker is a familiar face at Metea as he currently serves as assistant principal and served previously as the athletic director. Prior to his time in Indian Prairie, he worked as an athletic director at Oswego East High School and assistant athletic director, math teacher, and head boys basketball coach at Crystal Lake South High School. DeBruycker earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Aurora University and his master’s degree in arts of teaching from Webster University. Mr. DeBruycker is replacing Dr. Darrell Echols who is retiring at the end of the school year.
Tarah Fowler
Tarah Fowler was approved as the principal of White Eagle Elementary. She currently serves as District 204’s Director of Middle School Core Curriculum, a role she has held since 2017. Previously she was a principal in Oswego District 308, assistant principal and lead administrator in Bensenville Elementary District, assistant principal in Pattonville School District, and an English Language Arts teacher in Wentzville School District and City of St. Charles School District. Fowler earned her bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and master’s degrees in Education and Educational Leadership from Lindenwood University. Mrs. Fowler is replacing Mary Howicz who is retiring at the end of the school year.
Jill Keller
Jill Keller was approved as the principal of Georgetown Elementary. Keller is currently the principal of Cisneros Elementary in Chicago where she also served as assistant principal and teacher. Prior to her time with Acero Schools, she held teaching positions in Round Lake and Schaumburg. Keller holds a bachelor’s degree in education from DePaul University and a master’s degree in education-school leadership from Concordia University. Ms. Keller is replacing Janan Szurek who is retiring at the end of the school year.
Rachel Witkowski
Rachel Witkowski was approved as the principal of Graham Elementary. She has been part of District 204 for the past twenty years, serving most recently at Peterson Elementary as student services coordinator. She has also held various teaching positions at Graham Elementary. Witkowski earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Illinois State University and master’s degrees in education from National-Louis University and educational leadership from University of St. Francis. Mrs. Witkowski is replacing Claudette Walton who is retiring at the end of the school year.
Katie Kempski
Katie Kempski was approved as the principal of May Watts Elementary. She joined District 204 in 2007 and currently serves as the student services coordinator at Brooks Elementary. She has also held teaching and interventionist positions at Peterson Elementary and May Watts Elementary. Kempski earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Illinois State University and master’s degrees in reading and literacy from Benedictine University and educational leadership from Aurora University. Mrs. Kempski is replacing Brian LeCrone who is retiring at the end of the school year.
All positions begin July 1, 2023.
Next Board of Education Meeting
The next regular Board of Education meeting is at 7PM on Mon., Jan. 23, 2023, at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. Meeting agendas and documents will be available online prior to the meeting.
Video of the regular meeting can be streamed live or viewed the following day via the District’s YouTube channel.
