District 88 to recommend appointment of Director of Student Services

During the Oct. 31 District 88 Board of Education meeting, the District 88 administration will recommend that the Board approves naming Alena Edwards (pictured above) as the district's new Director of Student Services, effective Jan. 9, 2023.

Edwards joined Willowbrook during the 2020-21 school year as a Dean and served as an adviser for the class of 2023 and the AMEMSA (Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian) affinity group. She is currently an Assistant Principal at Willowbrook.

Before coming to District 88, Edwards was a Dean at York Community High School, where she also served as an interim Assistant Principal of Student Services and coordinated the Extended School Year (ESY) program for a summer. Edwards began her career as a teacher assistant and a special education teacher at Waubonsie Valley High School. She then taught special education, served as a 504 Plan coordinator and led a bridge class to help incoming freshmen prepare for high school at Metea Valley High School. During her time at those schools, Edwards also coached boys and girls volleyball and Special Olympics bowling and track and sponsored Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Student Council.

Edwards earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from University of Michigan, where she also minored in statistics. She earned her Master of Arts degree in special education, her administrative credentials and completed credits for her Director of Special Education Certificate at Lewis University. Edwards also took continuing education courses at Augustana University.

Edwards lives in Kane County with her husband and their two children.