Veteran D202 Educator Named Principal Of New Elementary School

PLAINFIELD, IL — The Plainfield School District 202 Board of Education, during its Monday meeting, approved the appointment of Stacey DiBitetto as the principal of the district's newest elementary school Wallin Oaks.

The new school is being built to help create enough space in all the district's elementary schools to allow for full-day kindergarten for all eligible students. It should also allow for additional space for special education classes and programs district wide.

DiBitetto is a 25-year veteran educator with classroom and administrative experience at both the elementary and middle school levels. She has served as Ridge Elementary School's principal since 2011. From 2008-2011 she was assistant principal at Walker’s Grove Elementary School, and taught 6th grade at Ira Jones Middle School from 2005-2008.

She has also served as an adjunct professor at Aurora University since 2016.

"DiBitetto was chosen from a strong pool of internal candidates because of her wide range of teaching and leadership experience, literally from elementary to college," said Superintendent Lane Abrell. "She is a skilled educator and administrator and will do a great job leading Wallin Oaks, especially during a challenging time for the district and the community.

Wallin Oaks will be a full-service, Pre-K-5 school, the same as the district's other elementary schools, and will be 10,000 square feet, making it larger than Elizabeth Eichelberger, the last elementary school to open before District 202's growth stopped in 2008.

DiBitetto said she is excited and looking forward to her new role.

"Wallin Oaks will bring in students from nearby neighborhoods with expectations for academic rigor, and I know my leadership can match that demand," she said. "I'm very excited to begin meeting the parents and students to make connections, once we have the opportunity to do that."

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