Willowbrook Principal named 2013 DuPage County High School Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principals Association

During the April 29 District 88 Board of Education meeting, Willowbrook Principal Dan Krause was recognized as the 2013 DuPage County High School Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principals Association (IPA).

“Our mission at District 88 is to work for the continuous improvement of student achievement, and it’s through the dedicated, passionate and creative leadership of team members like Krause that we’re able to achieve that mission,” said District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton. “Through the years, Krause’s vision, experience and guidance have helped build futures for the students of District 88.”

The Principal of the Year award annually recognizes outstanding high school leaders who have succeeded in providing high-quality learning opportunities for students. The principals have made exemplary contributions to the profession and are acknowledged by their peers.

“This award is a recognition of what we’ve accomplished as a team in District 88,” Krause said. “It’s a great team, and I’m just thankful to be part of it.”

When he entered college, Krause planned to major in chemical engineering. But it didn’t take long for him to discover his true passion was helping people fulfill their goals, and he quickly changed his major. He received his undergraduate degree in math from Loyola University and then continued on to earn his master’s degree in educational leadership from Northeastern Illinois University and a certificate of advanced study in educational leadership from Lewis University. He’s currently completing his doctoral work at the University of Illinois.

“I love the excitement of seeing a student grasp a concept for the first time,” Krause said of why he became a teacher. “This is the best job there is – there’s nothing better than working with kids and helping them succeed.”

Krause began teaching in 1995 as a math teacher at Alan B. Shepherd High School in Palos Heights. He then taught math and was the director of math and science at Niles North High School in Skokie and was the director of math and applied technology at Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park. He came to District 88 in 2002 as an Assistant Principal at Addison Trail and then moved to Willowbrook as an Assistant Principal in 2005. He became Principal in 2007.

“During my third year of teaching, I realized I enjoyed the curriculum work involved in education, and I knew I wanted to pursue a career as an administrator,” Krause said. “I love working with a team to come up with new ideas and being creative to continually improve the learning environment for students.”

Krause said some of the highlights of his career have included helping to create a math course focused on solving real-world problems; developing small learning communities (where students are paired with specific teachers to enhance their high school experience); implementing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS); providing support to staff members to align to the new Common Core State Standards; and working on the District 88 Building The Future project, which was a $104.7 million referendum proposal to modernize the infrastructure and learning environment of Addison Trail and Willowbrook.

Outside of Willowbrook, Krause is President of the Villa Park Kiwanis Club and interacts with many local groups and organizations. He also can often be seen at community events and coaching his son’s baseball and basketball teams.

Krause is described by his peers as a zealous leader, whose energy, enthusiasm and positive attitude are contagious. While he’s being recognized for that leadership, Krause said it’s the people around him who have helped him succeed.

“We have a team of people who understand the need to focus on and celebrate the positive, because that is what will create an optimistic school culture,” Krause said. “It’s easy to be mediocre, but it’s a lot of hard work to be great. And we have a team that’s willing to put forth the effort – because our kids deserve great.”