Metro-east elementary starts school year without its principal
A retired Collinsville Middle School administrator is stepping in to lead Maryville Elementary while its principal recovers from an unexpected medical issue, the district announced Thursday.
Madonna Harris served as an assistant principal at Collinsville Middle School for seven years before retiring in May 2025. When Maryville Elementary Principal Charity Eugea was unable to start the school year due to health concerns, the district called Harris in to be the school’s acting principal, Collinsville school district superintendent Brad Skertich said.
Per privacy concerns, Skertich did not disclose more about Eugea’s absence. He did say that Maryville will be Eugea’s “ship to run” when she returns, though.
Parents and guardians can contact Harris in Eugea’s absence by calling the school at 618-346-6262, reaching out via Parent Square or emailing maharris2@cusd.kahoks.org.
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In addition to working with middle school students, Harris has experience at the elementary level, too. The district’s news release said she was a principal at Swansea’s Wolf Branch Elementary School and teacher at Union Elementary in Belleville District 118. At other points in her career, Harris was a teacher and dean of students at Belleville’s Central Junior High School.
This school year marks Eugea’s first as principal at Maryville Elementary School. She previously was an assistant principal at Collinsville High School, although, like Harris, she also has experience with younger students.
Before coming to Collinsville, Eugea was principal of Evansville Attendance Center, which serves kindergarteners through 8th graders. She previously taught third, fourth and fifth graders in the Waterloo School District where she grew up, another district news release said.
This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 12:57 PM.
