The Weekly Update #4

There has been a lot of progress made on the construction at Plum Grove. The crew is currently focusing on our new cafeteria, the expanding of the parking lot, and additional spaces in the lower level. We will also have new lockers installed in the coming weeks and an additional entry way for our car line. Things are progressing along and moving towards completion.

The Plum Grove Administrative team consist of Mrs. Rivera (principal), Allison Brand (associate principal), Michael Coleman (assistant principal), Abbey Grabowski (assistant principal), and Karla Richards (special education coordinator). We wanted to share with our community a little about each administrator.

It is hard to believe that this is my 25th year as an educator! I am truly excited to welcome in two grade levels of new students this year as we transition from a junior high to a middle school. Prior to being an administrator I taught 5th, 6th and 7th grade. Every year has been a gift and has allowed me to grow not only as an educator but as a person.

I am a Chicago native and continue to live there with my family. Every year, my hope is to get to a few Cubs game both at Wrigley and at other stadiums.

I am beyond excited to be here at Plum Grove as we transition into a middle school! This will be my second year in the district. This year I will have the honor of working closely with 8th grade students, staff and community. This year as an administrative team, our goal is to foster the mindset of making everyday matter for our Plum Grove Chargers! Happy 24-25 school year!

A little about me:

I came to Community Consolidated School District 15 as a Director of Social Emotional Learning in Community Consolidated School District 62 in Des Plaines. Prior to this assignment, I served as a behavior specialist in District 62.. I began my career as a Special Education teacher in a self-contained ED classroom in Glen Ellyn District 41 and a self-contained ED teacher at Glenwood Therapeutic Day School. A majority of my career has been specializing in working with students and families who have significant behavioral, emotional, and mental health needs.

I earned my bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst University in Special Education. Additionally, I hold two master's degrees in both applied forensic psychology and educational administration.

I currently live in Inverness and enjoy spending my time with my husband Tommy, and children Brooklyn and Weston (and two dogs).

I have proudly served in District 15 for the last 11 years as an Assistant Principal and Interim Principal. I have had the privileged opportunity to work at Willow Bend, Hunting Ridge, Winston Campus Elementary, and most recently Lincoln Elementary. I am very excited to take on this new role as Assistant Principal at Plum Grove Middle School. I have Bachelor's Degrees in Elementary Education and Economics from Northeastern Illinois University. I hold a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Roosevelt University and a Master’s Degree from Concordia University in Curriculum and Instruction.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my wife, our three daughters, and our new dog. I can’t wait to get to know everyone and serve the students and staff of Plum Grove as Assistant Principal.

I have been in education as a high school and middle school math teacher for the past 9 years. I most recently taught in District 57 in Mount Prospect where I taught the high school credit math courses to our 8th grade students. During my time as a teacher, I had many leadership roles such as math curriculum leader, a teacher mentor, a building leadership team member, and a coach for various sports and activities. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Northern Illinois University, a Master’s Degree in K-12 Technology from Northern Illinois University, and a Specialist Degree in Educational Administration from Southern Illinois University.

I am a graduate of Plum Grove Jr. High and my two kids attend schools in the district. During my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and camping. I am excited to get to know you all better and I am looking forward to a great school year!

My career in education began in 2008 at District #116, where I taught middle school Language Arts. In 2018, I transferred to the high school as the Special Education Department Chair. Finally, in 2021, I transitioned to the Assistant Principal of Educational Services at the High School. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in business from Roosevelt University and attended National Louis University for my Master's in Special Education (2008) and Educational Leadership (2019).

My family lives in Palatine and we enjoy fishing and spending time at the lake. I look forward to working with the Plum Grove Middle School students, staff, parents, and community–Go Chargers!

Our PTA executive board will be meeting in the summer to plan for the upcoming school year. There are opportunities for parents/guardians to volunteer. If you are interested in working with our PTA please contact them at plumgrovepta@gmail.com

Our school supply list can be located on our website. Each middle school student will be provided a planner on their first day of school.

Below are some key dates for families for the upcoming 2025-205 school year.

• August 19th- Schedules Available Through Infinite Campus at 5:00 p.m.
• September 3rd-Walk Your Schedule 12:45-1:45
• September 5th-First Day Of School
• September 26th-Half Day Of Student Attendance

You can also access the official district calendar for all important dates on the district's website

Our school nurse prepared a letter with some key information for parents in regards to required physicals, and immunizations. This information can also be found on our district's webpage.

Please note that if your child wishes to tryout for one of our competitive sport teams they will need to have a current physicals on file with the school nurse. Physicals are valid for 13 months.

Information in regards to our Fall sports will be shared in August. This information will be available on our district website and an email will be sent to families. We will also share information about clubs after school starts in September.