Wilmette District 39 Names New Principal Of Harper Elementary School

WILMETTE, IL — The incoming principal at Harper Elementary School will be a familiar face after the Wilmette School District 39 board approved the promotion of Jackie Brennan.

Since 2021, Brennan has been assistant principal of Harper, a K-4 school with about 413 students. In July, she is due to succeed Aaron Dubnow, who was named Harper Elementary School principal in February 2019.

District 39 Superintendent Kari Cremascoli said the district had completed a rigorous screening process to identity the best candidate for the job.

"We were incredibly impressed by the candidate pool throughout the process," Cremascoli said at Monday's board meeting. "This position garnered tremendous interest from many experienced, knowledgeable and enthusiastic candidates — from within our district and well beyond our district boundaries."

Brennan started her career teaching in Chicago Public Schools, came to District 39 and taught fourth grade at Central Elementary School for two years, before transitioning to administration and becoming assistant principal at Scammon Elementary School in Chicago.

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Cremascoli said Brennan had been a valued member of the administrative team since returning to the district.

According to the superintendent, the assistant principal has played a leading role in working with Harper's foundation teams, developing multi-tiered support systems and the instructional leadership team.

"As part of this work, Jackie collaborated with teachers and staff to analyze and support student performance data and growth and has really served as an integral member of the comprehensive safety protocol at the school as well," Cremascoli said. "She's been a tremendous support to our special education students and staff and really a positive influence at Harper Elementary School."

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Brennan said she was incredibly excited and honored to be named the next principal at Harper, one of six schools in the 3,300-student New Trier High School feeder district.

"I've loved the last two years that I've spent as the assistant principal there, and I've worked hard to establish strong relationships with my students and staff and families," Brennan said.

"I truly look forward to doing that work to push Harper students forward in the years to come," she told the board. "Thank you so much for this honor. I'm really looking forward to it."