District 88 appoints new Assistant Principal at Willowbrook

A new Assistant Principal will join the administrative team at Willowbrook starting on July 1, but it will be a familiar face to the school and community.

During its June 12 meeting, the District 88 Board of Education approved Jamie Gourley as the school’s new Assistant Principal. Gourley will succeed Doug Wildes in that position, and District 88 wishes Wildes well in his new role as Principal at Elmwood Park High School.

“I have no doubt Gourley will be a positive addition to our administration and will continue the tradition of excellence that has been established here at Willowbrook High School,” said Willowbrook Principal Dr. Daniel Krause. “Her knowledge, skills and passion will be a tremendous asset to ensure the Warrior Pride at Willowbrook continues for years to come.”

Gourley joined Willowbrook in 2006 and has served as a reading teacher, an ESL teacher, an instructional coach in literacy and technology and as the Literacy Department Chairperson. She also has coached the boys and girls swim teams and has been the sponsor of Student Council. She 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 and is pursuing her doctoral degree in Ethical Leadership.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the Board’s decision to appoint Jamie Gourley to this position,” said District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton. “Her experience, work ethic and commitment to the students of District 88 will help ensure we accomplish our mission of working for the continuous improvement of student achievement.”

As Assistant Principal, Gourley said her focus will be to partner with the district’s stakeholders to continue building on the opportunities Willowbrook provides for its pupils.

“I am looking forward to working with the District 88 team of educators to continue to provide engaging learning experiences, supports and programs for all of our students,” Gourley said. “I am excited to be a part of the planning and implementation of innovative programs and 21st-century learning initiatives as we strive to make sure all students graduate from District 88 having had a comprehensive learning environment in preparation for their next steps in life. I am hopeful I can bring my experiences as a classroom teacher and an instructional coach to support our talented staff at Willowbrook to maintain and enhance that culture.”

Gourley lives in La Grange with her husband, Scott, and their two children, Porter and Payton.