District 88 shares staff changes for the 2019-20 school year
As a new school year begins at District 88, the district is excited to share staff changes for 2019-20.
Below is more information about several staff members who have moved to a new position this year.
Addison Trail
Name: Jenny Kowalski
Position: Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department Head
Succeeding: Juliann Boudouris, who retired at the end of the 2018-19 school year. Boudouris joined the Addison Trail learning community in 1995, bringing nine years of experience from four school districts. She retired having completed 33 years as an educator. Boudouris filled many roles in District 88, beginning with her position as a teacher in the Business Education Department. She also served as the Business Professionals of America (BPA) sponsor and Work Program Coordinator for Office Education. Boudouris then took on a new role as the Business Education Department Head and later became the CTE Department Head.
Education background: Kowalski earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Career & Technical Education from Eastern Illinois University in 2010. She received her Master of Science degree in Teaching and Learning from University of St. Francis in 2014 and her Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership in 2017.
Career background: Kowalski joined Addison Trail in August 2011 and has served as a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, a special education teacher and class sponsor for the classes of 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2022.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? As CTE Department Head, I would like to continue building our program and would like to incorporate more internship experiences and job shadowing field trips. I also would like to provide additional dual-credit opportunities and work with the Special Education Department to help create CTE classes to better fit the needs of our special education students. I also hope to help prepare our students for their post-secondary lives, whether that be going to college or starting a career.
Name: Holly Fournier
Position: Dean of Students
Succeeding: Curtis Tate, who is now a Dean of Students at Willowbrook. Read more about Tate below.
Education background: Fournier earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University and her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Aurora University.
Career background: Fournier joined District 88 in 2016 and has served as a Spanish teacher/ESL teacher/Principal Intern. Prior to coming to District 88, Fournier was an ESL/Spanish teacher in Lake Mary, Fla. She also served as an English teacher in Granada, Spain.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? My goal is to help struggling students and give them hope!
Willowbrook
Name: Donna O’Neill
Position: Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director
Succeeding: Janice Kiefer, who retired at the end of the 2018-19 school year. Kiefer worked at Willowbrook for 27 years and served as a student supervisor supporting the Dean’s Office and then as the Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director.
Education background: O’Neill is a proud graduate of Addison Trail.
Career background: O’Neill joined Addison Trail in April 1996 and served as the Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director. Prior to coming to District 88, O’Neill worked at Caterpillar for six years and at Kellogg’s for 12 years.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? My goal is to continue to assist and make the Athletic Director’s role as smooth as possible. Willowbrook is an amazing place to work. I truly love it here and in this position. They work as a team and make you feel welcome and appreciated.
Name: David Garcia
Position: Science Department Head
Succeeding: Yvonne Tsagalis, who is now an Assistant Principal at Willowbrook. Read more about Tsagalis at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/11093.
Education background: Garcia earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a minor in Secondary Education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received his master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University.
Career background: Garcia joined District 88 in 2007 and has served as a science teacher, Science Club Sponsor, Model UN Coach and Progress teacher. Prior to coming to District 88, Garcia worked at Proviso East High School for two years and at Morton Freshman Center for one year.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? I hope to continue the excellence in student achievement, increase the amount of students in Advanced Placement (AP) and dual-credit courses and keep on innovating in our teaching methods.
Name: Angela B. Ruiz
Position: Student Accountant
Succeeding: Veronica Diaz, who retired at the end of the 2018-19 school year. Diaz began her career with District 88 in 2007, when she was hired to work at Willowbrook as the Student Accountant. She served in that position for 12 years and also sponsored the Sabor Latino Club. Diaz worked for Chicago Public Schools for 17 years before joining the District 88 community.
Education background: Ruiz earned her bachelor’s degree in Business, with a certification in Human Resource Management.
Career background: Ruiz joined District 88 in July 2018 and has served as the Financial Secretary. Before coming to District 88, Ruiz worked at Oak Park and River Forest High School. She worked in food service as Bookkeeper and Administrative Assistant and then as Divisional Secretary for the World Languages, History and English departments.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? I hope to provide the same service our students and parents have received in the past years. However, I would like to find ways to improve and apply some of my skills and make them more effective and efficient. I also look forward to providing help and services to our community, students, teachers and staff within District 88.
Name: Brett Maguire
Position: Social Studies Department Head
Succeeding: Peter Montgomery, social studies teacher at Willowbrook, who has been with Willowbrook since August 1994.
Education background: Maguire earned his Bachelor of Science degree in History Education from Southern Illinois University in 1999. He received a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Benedictine University in 2011 and a master’s degree in Differentiated Instruction from Concordia University in 2015.
Career background: Maguire joined Willowbrook in August 2008. He has served as social studies teacher, Dean of Students, Director of Deans and Boys Track Team assistant coach. Before coming to District 88, Maguire worked in several school districts. He began his career at a small school in Missouri called Pacific High School. He then subbed at York Community High School and Willowbrook before gaining a job at West Chicago Community High School. He taught there for three years before moving to Springfield for his wife’s educational pursuits. In Springfield, he taught at Douglas School until moving back to the Chicago area.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? My goal is to help teachers be their best and to help students accomplish their goals.
Name: Sue Bower
Position: Administrative Assistant to Assistant Principal Yvonne Tsagalis
Succeeding: Marilyn Zydlo, who joined Willowbrook in January 2012 and served as Department Secretary and Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Principal. District 88 thanks Zydlo for her years of service and wishes her well in her new role at North Central College.
Education background: Bower graduated from Downers Grove North High School in 1977. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Merchandising from Northern Illinois University in 1981.
Career background: Bower joined District 88 in fall 2003 and has served as Girls Volleyball Team Sophomore Coach, Girls Volleyball Team Varsity Coach, Boys Volleyball Team Junior Varsity Coach, Special Education Aide, Temporary Registrar and Sub Coordinator/Facility Scheduler. Before coming to District 88, Bower worked as an administrative assistant for Dietzler Construction Corporation and H F Vegter Excavating Co, as an executive assistant for First Options of Chicago and as a mill planner/scheduler for Container Corporation of America.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? My goal is to help contribute to the efforts of the amazing team and work done in the main office to help our students and families.
Name: Curtis Tate
Position: Dean of Students
Succeeding: Julio A. Del Real, who is now the Director of Deans at Willowbrook. Read more about Del Real at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/11093.
Education background: Tate earned his Bachelor of Science degree from North Park University and received his master’s degree in Administration from Concordia University.
Career background: Tate joined Addison Trail in August 2010. He has served as a Dean of Students at Addison Trail, as well as a football coach, Black Student Union (BSU) sponsor and Youth Equity Stewardship (YES!) series sponsor. The goal of YES! is to prepare students to recognize and learn from the diversity around them.
What are your goals/what do you hope to accomplish in your new role? With moving from Addison Trail to Willowbrook, my goal is to learn a new school. I also hope to eventually move to an administrative position.