Administrators shuffle roles for new year at Belleville high schools

Students within the Belleville Township High School District will see some familiar administrative faces next school year, although these individuals will be stepping into different roles.

April’s board meeting yielded a list of personnel shifts.

At the individual school level, Krysten Harres, who is currently an assistant principal at Belleville East, will be the school’s associate principal. Also, the district’s current Director of Special Education Brent Whipple will be the assistant principal at The Center for Academic and Vocational Excellence (or CAVE).

Here’s what to know about Whipple and Harres before they step into their new positions:

Brent Whipple moves from district to CAVE

Whipple has worked in the district in multiple capacities. Before becoming its special education director, he was an assistant principal at both East and West.

That background will come in handy as The CAVE sees students from both high schools, Whipple said.

In a way, Whipple’s transition from 201’s director of special education to assistant principal at The CAVE is a natural one since both involve centering the needs and desires of individual students, he said.

“Education is a great equalizer, and I feel like District 201 has programs and services that allow for all students to be as successful as possible,” Whipple said.

Brian Mentzer, District 201’s superintendent, explained The CAVE’s assistant principal primarily works with its alternative school. Whipple said his new role will allow him to work more directly with students, something he’s looking forward to.

“I’m excited to work with students to find a career path that’s going to benefit them and change their future,” Whipple said.

Whipple’s salary as The CAVE assistant principal will be $120,000, Superintendent Brian Mentzer said.

Rashida McKinley, The CAVE’s current assistant principal, will be moving to East as one of its assistant principals.

Krysten Harres will be associate principal at Belleville East

After three years as an assistant principal at Belleville East, Krysten Harres will be the school’s associate principal next school year.

“I just want to continue supporting student academic success,” Harres said. “I think we’ve done a lot this year to foster a positive school environment.”

Harres said her new role will open up different opportunities to build on that success. The associate principal has traditionally handled the enrollment process and works more heavily on school safety. But, just as she does now as an assistant principal, Harres will continue to work with a specific grade.

This year, Harres was officially tasked with working with part of the freshman class. But, with her background as a Spanish teacher, she said she was able to have an even broader impact on the student body.

“Language is such a powerful tool, so I’ve been able to form bonds with not only our freshmen, but also (older) students,” Harres said.

She said she looks forward to continuing to help Spanish-speaking families “feel a part of our school community.”

Harres’ salary as East’s associate principal will be $113,000, Mentzer said.

Harres will be succeeding current Associate Principal Joe Rujawitz, who will be East’s principal starting next school year.

More changes at the district level

School administration changes come on the heels of district-wide moves, the largest being the new superintendent.

Marshaun C. Warren will be District 201’s superintendent starting July 1 as Mentzer leaves the district for Millstadt Consolidated Community School District 160. Warren’s superintendent salary will be $195,000.

In April, the board approved Soune Ursani to be the district’s director of curriculum and Stacy Louderman to replace Whipple as the district’s director of special education.

Ursani has been with District 201 for 16 years, during which time she’s been an English teacher and, more recently, the library director at West, Warren said. Louderman is currently the principal at the Regional Office of Education’s Safe School, which Warren said has given Louderman and District 201 opportunities to work together.

Louderman’s salary will be $125,000 in her new role, and Ursani’s will be $117,000.

This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 6:00 AM.