Did your kid’s school get a new principal this year?

As metro-east students head back to school, they may be greeted by new faces in their school’s administration. More than a dozen schools in St. Clair County have new principals and/or superintendents this school year.

St. Clair County school leaders

Cahokia School District 187

Estelle Sauget School of Choice Principal: Trenese Steel

Last post: administrator in East St. Louis District 189

Education: bachelor’s degree in psychology, bachelor’s in elementary education, master’s in education administration and doctorate in education administration

Salary: $84,334

East St. Louis District 189

Gordon Bush Elementary School Principal: Brittany Green

Last post: assistant principal at Lincoln Middle School

Education: degree from Harris Stowe University and an educational specialist degree from Lindenwood University

Salary:​ $82,000​

Mason/Clark Middle School Principal: Keisa Garrett

Last post: associate principal at East St. Louis Senior High School

Education: master’s degree in educational administration from SIUE

Salary: $94,014

Freeburg School District 77

Interim Superintendent: Greg Frerking

Last post: Principal of Freeburg High

Education: Not provided

Salary: Contract scheduled to be approved at the Aug. 18 school board meeting

Freeburg High School Principal: Jill Jung

Last post: Assistant principal at Freeburg High for three years, teacher for 15 years

Education: bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University, master’s degree from SIUE, educational administration certificate from SIUE

Salary: Salary and contract to be finalized at Aug. 18 school board meeting

Marissa School District 140

Marissa High School Principal: Vincent Hughes

Last post: assistant principal in the Highland School District for 14 years

Education: doctorate from SIUE, master’s degree from SIUE and bachelor’s degree from Blackburn

Salary: $72,000

Millstadt School District 160

Millstadt Consolidated School Principal: Sandi Pegg

Last post: assistant principal at Millstadt School District 160

Education: bachelor’s degree in elementary education from SIUE and master’s degree in educational administration at SIUE

Salary: $87,000

St. Libory Consolidated School District 30

Superintendent: Thomas Rude

Last post: Principal at Woodlawn High School in Woodlawn, Ill.

Education: bachelor’s degree in accounting from SIUC, master’s degree in accounting from SIUC, master’s in arts and teaching from SIUC, master’s in administration from Eastern Illinois University and doctorate from Concordia University in Chicago

Salary: $64,000

St. John the Baptist School, Smithton

Principal: Roy Monti

Last post: Physical education teacher at Nottingham Community Access and Job Training High School in St. Louis

Education: bachelor’s degree in physical education from St. Mary of the Plains College in Kansas and two master’s degrees from Lindenwood University, one in school administration and one in character education

Salary: Not provided

St. Joseph School, Freeburg

Principal: John Correll

Last post: Fourth-grade teacher for five years in Steeleville

Education: bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in administration, both from SIUE

Salary: Not provided

Signal Hill School District 181

Superintendent: Janice Kunz

Last post: Previously superintendent of a K-12 district, just north of Springfield

Education: bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from SIUE and a doctorate in educational leadership from St. Louis University

Salary: $108,000

Signal Hill Elementary School Principal: Brooke Wiemers

Last post: Principal at Staunton Elementary and Junior High

Education: bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Millikin University, master’s in educational administration from Lindenwood University, and educational specialist from Lindenwood University

Salary: $83,000

Sister Thea Bowman School, East St. Louis

Principal: Daniel Nickerson

Last post: spent a year on a mission trip to Tanzania; former middle school math and science teacher at the school

Education: spent 22 years in the Air Force, bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, master’s degree in computer systems programming from Creighton University in Nebraska and master’s degree in education from McKendree University

Salary: Not provided

Whiteside Middle School District 115

Whiteside Middle School Principal: Monica Laurent

Last post: Assistant principal at Whiteside for five years

Education: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and an educational specialist degree, all from SIUE

Salary: $85,000

Wolf Branch District 113

Wolf Branch Middle School Dean of Students: Jennifer Poirot

Last post: fifth-grade teacher at Wolf Branch Middle School

Education: bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from McKendree University

Salary: $70,000

Madison County school leaders

Madison District 12

Superintendent: Dr. Warletta Brookins

Last post: Superintendent of Pembroke Community Consolidated School District in Hopkins Park, Ill.

Education: bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Western Illinois University Macomb; a chief school business officials certification from Northern Illinois University; a master’s degree in educational leadership and human resource management from Bradley University in Peoria; and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Loyola University in Chicago.

Salary: Not provided

Alton District 11

Superintendent: Mark Cappel, interim superintendent limited to 100 days in office

Last post: Retired after 36 years in education, most recently human resources director for a total of eight years and previously superintendent of Wood River-Hartford School District.

Circumstances: Previous Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Spells resigned this summer to become superintendent in South Bend, Ind. Due to the terms of the Teacher Retirement System, Cappel can only serve as superintendent for 100 working days before he must come out of retirement or resign as interim superintendent. By that time, Cappel said, the Alton School Board will have decided whether to hire him on permanently or search for a new superintendent for Alton schools.

Education: bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Illinois State University; master’s degree and specialist degree in educational administration from SIUE

Salary: $67,500 (based on the 100 days)

Alton High School Principal: Michael Bellm

Last post: Assistant principal at Alton High School

Alton Middle School Principal: Cindy Inman

Last post: Curriculum coordinator for Alton District 11

Roxana CUSD 1

Roxana Sr. High School Principal: Jason Dandurand

Last post: Columbia High School principal for four years

Education: bachelor’s degree in secondary education, master’s degree in educational administration and specialist degree in education administration, all from SIUE

Edwardsville District 7

Liberty Middle School Principal: Beth Crumbacher

Last post: Vice principal of Edwardsville High School

Education: bachelor’s degree in social work and master’s degree in elementary education from Central Missouri State University and specialist degree in education administration from SIUE

Salary: $97,350

Hamel and Midway Elementary Schools Principal: Matt Sidarous

Last post: school psychologist for Edwardsville High School and elementary schools

Education: bachelor’s degree in psychology and specialist degree in school psychology from Eastern Illinois University; credential in education administration from SIUE

Salary: $65,000

Collinsville Unit 10

Hollywood Heights Alternative School Principal: John Griffith

Last post: director of student services for three years, previously various principal positions for 19 years

Education: bachelor’s degree in middle school education from Eastern Illinois University; master’s degree in educational administration from Northern Illinois University; and doctorate in educational administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis

The following new school leaders could not be reached for comment regarding their new positions:

▪  Madison Jr./Sr. High School Principal Juan Gardner

▪  Bethalto District 8 Superintendent Dr. Jill Griffin

This story was originally published August 17, 2016 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Did your kid’s school get a new principal this year?."