District 88 welcomes new faces, new positions for the 2019-20 school year

As a new school year is set to begin at District 88, the district is excited to welcome new faces and staff changes for 2019-20.

Below is more information about several staff members who are new to the District 88 family, or who are moving to a new position this year.

District 88 Office

Name: Cindy Petrbok

Position: Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Recording Secretary to the Board of Education

Succeeding: Lauren Presta, who retired at the end of the 2018-19 school year after serving in this role since 2012. Presta brought with her 10 years of prior school experience, as she worked as an assistant at Komarek School District 94 and Riverside Brookfield High School. Before stepping into the education industry, Presta worked in law as an assistant at the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission, the Criminal Courts Building and for private practices. District 88 thanks Presta for her service and wishes her well in retirement.

Career background: Petrbok has nine years of experience as an administrative assistant and has served as assistant to the Principal at Lake Park Elementary School in Addison School District 4. She also has worked as an administrative assistant in the District Offices at Fenton Community High School (Administrative Assistant to the Director of Curriculum) and at Lake Park Community High School District 108 as Administrative Assistant to the Director of Human Resources. Petrbok is an alumna of Addison Trail and is the parent of Addison Trail graduates and current students.

Name: Dr. Jamie Gourley

Position: Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

Succeeding: Dr. Adam Cibulka, who served as Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment since 2015. Cibulka was Principal at Addison Trail from 2012 to 2015 and served as an Assistant Principal from 2008 to 2012. Cibulka joined District 88 in 2004 and taught economics, honors economics and political science. In 2007, he became the Social Studies Department Head. He also served as a teacher mentor, sponsored Youth in Government and coached a variety of sports, including football and basketball. District 88 thanks Cibulka for his service and wishes him well in his new role with Forecast5 Analytics.

Education background: Dr. Gourley received her bachelor’s degree in English from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned master’s degrees in the Teaching of Reading, Curriculum and Instruction with ELL concentration and Educational Leadership. She also earned a Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS1) Endorsement, as well as her doctoral degree in Ethical Leadership from Olivet Nazarene University.

Career background: Gourley joined Willowbrook in 2006 and served as a reading teacher, an ESL teacher, an instructional coach in literacy and technology, the Literacy Department Head and Assistant Principal. She also coached the boys and girls swim teams and sponsored Student Council.

What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
In this new role, I look forward to working with the administrative teams and staff in both schools to continue to support personalized learning opportunities and success for all students. I am excited to collaborate with the district administrative team to grow my learning and experience in the areas of curriculum and assessment to best meet the needs of our school communities.

Name: Jack Andrews

Position: Transitions Department Head
* The District 88 Transition Program helps individuals ages 18 to 21 who have disabilities learn life skills, obtain job training in a community setting and transition to life after District 88.

Education background: Andrews earned his bachelor’s degree in Education from Northern Illinois University in 2015. He also earned a Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS1) Endorsement. Andrews received his master’s degree in Education, Administration and Supervision from National Louis University in 2019.

Career background: Andrews came to Addison Trail in 2015. He has taught Chemistry Co-taught, Bridges Chemistry and Behavior Resource Center. He also has sponsored Lettermen’s Club and Pay it Forward and coached on the Boys Volleyball Team, Girls Volleyball Team and Boys Gymnastics Team. Before coming to District 88, Andrews served as Athletic Director at St. Philip the Apostle School.

What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
Our team in the District 88 Transition Program is always looking to improve and help prepare our students for life after high school. I hope to continue and build upon the tradition of high standards and the high success rate of the young adults who attend our program. As Department Head, I plan to be an advocate for the students and staff to make sure the needs of all students are being met. I hope to challenge the students and staff to grow and achieve even more than in years past. I’m excited to work with such a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, and I look forward to learning with them throughout the coming school year.

Name: Christopher Grice

Position: IEP Coordinator

Education background: Grice earned his bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Southern Illinois University in 2005 and his master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Chicago in 2009.

Career background: Grice came to Addison Trail in 2005. He served as a special education teacher for English, Speech, Math 1, Math 2, Consumer Math, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2 and Physics Concepts. He also Co-Taught Algebra, Algebra 2 and Physics. Grice sponsored Special Olympics Basketball as well and serves as a coach on the Boys Tennis Team and the Girls Tennis Team.

What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
I’m looking forward to working with all of the outside agencies and making sure all of our special education students are getting the services they need.

Willowbrook

Name: Yvonne Tsagalis

Position: Assistant Principal

Succeeding: Dr. Jamie Gourley, who has been named as District 88’s Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction (read more about Dr. Gourley above).

Education background: Tsagalis earned her bachelor’s degree in the Teaching of Physical Sciences with an Emphasis in Chemistry from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1998. She received a master’s degree in Teacher Leadership and Curriculum from Roosevelt University in 2001 and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership Type 75 from Northeastern University in 2006.

Career background: Tsagalis joined Willowbrook in 2007. She has served as the Science Department Head and a Chemistry teacher. She also was a Science Olympiad coach and Human Relations Award Coordinator and served on the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Curriculum Writing Team, Equity Task Force, Senior Honors Awards Assembly Volunteer, ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) Trainer and Summer School Coordinator. Before coming to District 88, Tsagalis was a Chemistry teacher and Lead Teacher for Science at Warren Township High School and a Chemistry teacher at Elmwood Park High School.

What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
In my new role, I hope to continue to work toward the mission of District 88, which centers on raising student achievement, and to continue building strong relationships between students, staff and the entire Willowbrook community.

Name: Julio A. Del Real

Position: Director of Deans

Succeeding: Jose Jaramillo, who joined Willowbrook in 2012 and served as Dean of Students and Director of Deans. District 88 thanks Jaramillo for his service and wishes him well in his new role at Glenbard South High School.

Education background: Del Real earned his bachelor’s degree in Education from Rockford University in 1991 and his master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Aurora University in 2005.

Career background: Del Real joined Willowbrook in 2007. He has served as Dean of Students and Director of Deans. Before coming to District 88, Del Real was a teacher and an Assistant Principal at West Chicago Junior High School, as well as the Director of The Newcomer Center for students in fourth through twelfth grades.

What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
I would like to continue with the success we had under previous leadership and bring new ideas to continue making the Deans Office and Willowbrook High School a better and more enjoyable place to be.