Lake County Gazette

Community Unit School District 200 has announced several new administrators for the 2025-26 school year. The district, which serves a range of schools in DuPage County including Pleasant Hill Elementary, Monroe Middle School, and Lowell Elementary, welcomes leaders with varied backgrounds and experience.

Hugh Boger will serve as Principal at Pleasant Hill Elementary. He previously worked in Naperville Community Unit School District 203 as Principal at Scott Elementary School, where he contributed to the school's recognition as a National Blue Ribbon institution. Mr. Boger also held assistant principal roles in three different schools within District 203 and began his career teaching fourth and fifth grade before becoming Dean of Students at Stonybrook Intermediate Academy in Indianapolis. He holds a master's degree in education from Indiana University and received his principal licensure from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Dr. Eleni Gajewski is joining as Director for Elementary Instruction. She brings 24 years of experience that began with ten years teaching PreK through sixth grade in Chicago Public Schools, followed by positions as Reading Specialist and Differentiation Specialist. Dr. Gajewski has also served as an assistant principal and K–8 districtwide curriculum coordinator, focusing on MTSS, gifted education, special education, and authentic curricular experiences during her doctoral research.

"She earned her Doctorate from National Louis University, where she now teaches as an adjunct, and holds Master’s Degrees in Educational Leadership and Reading Specialist, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on ESL; National Board Certification, and a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood from the University of Iowa."

Jennifer Gorniak becomes Assistant Principal at Monroe Middle School after eight years as an educator and three years serving as a middle school assistant principal. Her career started teaching high school social studies at Whiteland Community High School near Indianapolis before moving to middle school social studies positions at Leman Middle School (West Chicago) and Shawnee Mission School District (Kansas City), where she was appointed assistant principal. She earned her Masters in Educational Leadership from Aurora University.

Keira Quintero will be Principal at Lowell Elementary after more than ten years working within schools. She was previously both principal and assistant principal at Community Consolidated School District 93, served two years as an assistant principal in West Aurora School District 129, and spent twelve years teaching music. Ms. Quintero holds degrees from Harper College (associate’s), Elmhurst University (bachelor’s), and Aurora University (master’s).

Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez joins the district as Director of Multilingual Learners following over twenty-five years’ experience—eleven spent teaching first through seventh grades for Chicago Public Schools—and fourteen years as an administrator. Dr. Rodriguez is bilingual in Spanish, is National Board Certified, has served as Bilingual Lead Teacher Coordinator, holds degrees from Northeastern University (bachelor's), National Louis University (master's), completed doctoral studies at the University of St Francis.

Jennifer Rutkas will serve as Director of Special Education for the Essentials Program after eighteen years working across educational settings—including Assistant Director of Preschool Programming/Student Service for West Chicago District 33; Student Services Coordinator for Yorkville District 115; ten years teaching middle school special education students at Joliet 86; along with degrees from the University of Houston-Clear Lake (bachelor’s), Aurora University (master’s), Olivet Nazarene University (master’s) plus endorsement for Director of Special Education.

Community Unit School District 200 encompasses numerous elementary schools such as Lowell Elementary—where Keira Quintero will be principal—as well as multiple middle schools like Monroe Middle School—where Jennifer Gorniak assumes her new role—and Pleasant Hill Elementary led by Hugh Boger https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/. According to recent data reported by the Illinois State Board of Education https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/, CUSD 200 employs over 850 teachers who earn an average salary just under $78,000 annually; nearly three-quarters are women while about one-quarter are men; none had more than ten absences per year.

The student body within CUSD 200 reflects diverse backgrounds: approximately sixty-three percent White students make up most enrollments while Hispanic students represent about seventeen percent; Asian students account for just over eight percent; Black students comprise roughly six-and-a-half percent https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/. In fiscal year 2020 expenditures totaled more than $286 million or roughly $23,295 per student https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.