I’m breaking children free from the cycle of poverty, changing one life at a time. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything. Model PLC School Leader
🌟 THEY LEAD, THEY LISTEN, THEY DO IT ALL — HAPPY PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION WEEK! 🌟
This week, we pause to lift up our school leaders as Cicero District 99 celebrates Principal Appreciation Week!
Let's shine a spotlight on what our principals do — day in and day out:
✅ They lead the heart of the school: welcoming students in the morning, checking in with staff, setting the tone for the day
✅ They balance big vision with practical decisions: crafting the climate for learning, ensuring supportive environments, and aligning goals with student success
✅ They are instructional leaders: not juts administrators behind a desk, but mentors, observers, coaches — visiting classrooms, helping shape lessons, guiding teacher growth
✅ They manage so much behind the scenes: budgets, staffing, compliance, resources — all while keeping students at the center.
✅ They build relationships with the entire community: they listen when a student is struggling, they encourage when a teacher is innovating, they partner when families want to engage.
✅ The respond and adapt every day: when a student crisis arises, when staffing shifts, when new mandates or challenges come their way — they adjust, they lead, they make it work.
✅ They celebrate the wins — big and small: that "aha" moment in class, the student who conquered something they thought they couldn't, a teacher's breakthrough with new strategy.
So if you see @jevan325, @JillMil46113311, Ms. Morales, @donata_heppner, Mr. Garcia, Mr. Henley, @tgeraghty611, @LiteracyLee, @Mr_R_Mensch, Ms. Espinoza, Ms. O'Connor, @lagosherlock, @HJMathis, Ms. Jenke, or @cicd99litcoach — THANK THEM! Drop by their office, write them a quick note or card!
When we value our principals, we value our children's education environment. The research is clear: strong principals make a difference. They are the ones who create the conditions for teachers to do their best work, and for students to flourish.
Thank you to our principals — we see you. We appreciate you. We celebrate you!
@ilprincipals
#WeMoveForwardTogether #AvanzamosJuntos #ThankAPrincipal
It was Boss’ Day yesterday; I was caught completely off guard. I’m honored and blessed to be working with such amazing and talented individuals. I truly love my work family. Beyond touched by their kindness and generosity. My cup runneth over. 💙🐾💙🐾 #BulldogStrong@D99Cicero
🚪 October is National Principals Month 🚪
Principals don’t sign up for easy.
You take on the weight no one else wants to carry.
You’re the one people look to when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
You live in the late nights, the second-guessing, and the quiet moments where you wonder if you’re really making a difference.
And still—you show up.
You walk the halls.
You steady the culture.
You carry belief when others are running on empty.
That’s leadership.
Not the title. Not the office. Not the checklist.
Leadership is presence.
It’s courage when it costs you.
It’s leaving people better than you found them.
So this month, more than anything—thank you.
Thank you for standing with your staff.
Thank you for believing in your students.
Thank you for leading schools that change lives.
BREAKING: Anthony Rizzo is retiring as a Cub and will be honored this Saturday at Wrigley Field and he’ll also become an ambassador for the organization. 🥹
Whoa. So it’s a lot when you’re thinking about a linguistic repertoire that’s more than one language. So much more has to be automatic and explicitly taught…it’s a lot but the benefits are huge! #SOLin99 @D99Cicero
Woah, @benzulauf2 does it again! Another D99 Cicero Literacy Symposium that simultaneously leaves me proud of the work we have done in @D99Cicero and ready to conquer the next chapter! Sherlock’s next move to systematize and align our fluency instruction loading….