Dr. Atria has worked for the Chicago Public Schools since 1974 as a high school mathematics teacher, area mathematics coordinator and central office administrator.  In 1999, he earned his doctoral degree in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University, where he also served as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Educational Foundations.  Dr. Atria is currently the Principal of Sullivan High School and has held that position since January 2006.  He is a 1970 graduate of Steinmetz High School.

Gale Thompson Baker is from the class of 1966. While at Hirsch she was actively involved in the school chorus as well as a cheerleader. She attended Tennessee State University and recieved post graduate degrees from Chicago State and Governor's State University. She is currently Principal of Ronald H. Brown Academy.

Dr. Cozette Buckney, former Chief Education Officer of the Chicago Public Schools, graduated in 1961 from Ruggles Elementary.

Dr. Connery (1923-2008) graduated from Hirsch High School in 1940. He then enlisted in the Air Force, serving as a pilot during World War II. Connery was awarded the Purple Heart. After graduating from Chicago's Teachers College and serving as a teacher and assistant principal, Connery became principal of Hess U.G.C. He would later serve as principal of Harlan and Steinmentz High Schools. Dr. Connery finished his tenure at CPS as a district superintendent. During his 36 years with CPS, Dr. Connery served as mentor to many including Warnery Saunders and Al Raby.

Attended Linblom H.S. from 1964-68. Played on baseball team for two years ( Under Mr. Woody Urchack ). Graduated from Chicago State and Roosevelt University's. Presently principal of Newton Bateman School (CPS).

Leon Davis (1933-2009) - Davis was a Vice President at Peoples Gas specializing in community relations and governmental affairs. A long record of civic leadership led to his appointment to the Chicago School Board by Mayor Jane Byrne, where he served a short time before being replaced. It was an experience led him to explore the political arena more seriously, supporting an African-American for mayor and running unsuccessfully for congress. Davis served as chairman of the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities in Illinois, which oversaw five schools throughout the state.

Bernarr Everett Dawson (1924-2008) - An outstanding educator, Dawson served the students, parents and teachers of the City of Chicgo thougout his long and illustriuous career. He began his career as a teacher at DuSable High School and later became the principal of DuSable Upper Grade Center and Calumet High School. Mr. Dawson was the founding principal for Whitney Young Magent High School, a school that has been recognized as one of the top schools in the City of Chicago and in the Country. Dawson later became the Superintendent of District 17 in Chicago. During his retirement, he served as an educationaal consultatnt for Chicago Public Schools as well as the Posen-Robbins School System and was the recipient of many awards.

Dillanado began her teaching career at Englewood High School in December of 1971 and gave twenty eight years of dedicated service to her alma mater. She left in 1999 as the Dean of Girls and is now the Principal of Mayo Elementary.

After attaining a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Bilingual Education in 1980, Ms Garcia began teaching in a first grade bilingual classroom at Kanoon Magnet School in the Little Village community. She taught in the classroom for 5 years and continued to serve as a Program Coordinator, Bilingual Lead Teacher and Assistant Principal. She also had the opportunity to work as an Assistant Principal at Columbia Explorers Academy. Ms. Garcia was selected to open McKinley Park Elementary School in 2003 where she now serves as the Principal/Instructional Leader and has raised the scores from 40% to 71.5% of the students meeting/exceeding the state standards in 4 years! Her school has been featured at the Chicago Cultural Center, James H. Thompson Center, The Newberry Library, and Chicago's Field Museum.

Richard Glass is the current Principal of Gale Elementary School in Rogers Park. As a CPS student, Glass attended Dunne Elementary School. Before his tenure as principal, Glass taught in the classrooms of Gregory Elementary School and Mays Academy.

Annette D. Gurley is currently an Area Instructional Officer for CPS. Before becoming an AIO, Gurley was a teacher, an assistant principal, and ultimately principal at Michele Clark Middle School. As principal of Michele Clark, Mrs. Gurley lead the transition of Michele Clark Middle to Michele Clark Academic Preparatory Magnet High School, the first CPS school to offer both the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme. In 1999, as an assistant principal at Michele Clark, Annette Gurley was one of the $25,000 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award recipients. In 2000, Annette was also a recipient of the Chicago Principals' and Administrators Association/LaSalle Bank Outstanding Leadership Award

Dr. Warletta Brookins was the only principal at Fulton that received an Academic Improvement Award from the state which was given because the school's ISAT scores were sustained over a two year period with a total increase of 15.7%. She was hired by the LSC in January of 2005 and even though Fulton is set to be reconstituted in 2008, she maintained a positive atmosphere with her staff and showed the character and strength that true leaders possess. 

Saundra Jones (born Saundra Glover) is the principal of West Park Academy of Fine Arts and Technology. She attended Chicago State University for her undergrad and graduate degrees. As a CPS student, Jones attended Waller High School.

Beverly Jordan - After graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 1986, Dr. Jordan worked in a couple other fields prior to entering into education in 1990. Since 1990, Jordan has taught both in private and public schools, with the most time being with the public schools. She worked on the Southside for 10 years before going back to her roots on the Westside to continue her passion for teaching and learning. Dr. Jordan started off as a substitute, then Full Time Provisional Teacher to state certified teacher to Reading Specialist to Assistant Principal to Principal; and has taught all grades at the elementary level both regular year and summer school. Dr. Jordan earned her Masters in Education from Chicago State University and a Doctorate in Education from Loyola University.

First principal of Irma C. Ruiz and currently the Chief Human Resources Officer for the CPS.

Current Area Instruction Officer, Area One. Former principal, Peterson Elementary School; assistant principal, Belding and Mather HS. Achieved National Board Certification in 2006. 1970 graduate of Fenger High School. Awarded NCAA Track and Field scholarship to Loyola University Chicago.

Always remembering Amundsen High School fondly, Katherine Konopasek, an active and involved student there, joined the Future Teachers of America as a freshman. She always knew that education would be her career. After graduation, she attended Northeastern Illinois University as an Illinois State Scholar. She moved to the University of Illinois in Urbana, under teaching assistant scholarships, receiving two Masters Degrees there. Ms. Konopasek became a principal with the Chicago Public Schools at De la Cruz Academy. The Academy has received an ISBE Spotlight Honor Roll School Award. Ms. Konopasek is a fourth generation Chicagoan and studies the city’s history as a hobby.

Chris Kotis is the principal of Beaubien School and was also a student at the school when I was a student. Chris has taken his dedication to education seriously and has overseen the growth of Beaubien School and has made it a model for advanced elementary and middle school education. He continues to get the alumni involved in the school and further grow the scope of the resources and educational information for his students. - [submitted by Anthony M Pellini, President/CEO Pellini & Associates, Class of 1968.]

Dr. Madon has taught English at Steinmetz Academic Centre for many years and has been the principal since 2004. She is an alumni of Steinmetz High School, class of June 1960.

Carolyn Miller - Principal Miller is a native Chicagoan. She attended Charles P. Caldwell Elementary School. She graduated from Kenwood Academy High School over two decades ago. In the course of becoming an educator, following in her mother and grandmother’s footsteps as public school administrators, she found a program for aspiring school leaders called New Leaders for New Schools; which helped her land a Principal internship at Kenwood Academy. She worked there for a year from 2003-2004, while earning her second masters degree in Administration and Supervision from National Louis University. Prior to returning to Chicago to lead in high schools, Ms. Miller lived and worked in Los Angeles, California after obtaining her Bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and a Masters degree from Pepperdine University. In 2005, Principal Miller was appointed founding leader of the DeVry Advantage High School, a unique and innovative high school – university partnership between CPS and DeVry University. The school currently has a 100% graduation rate for the fourth consecutive year. The ACT average consistently exceeds 19, with a small study body of 88-120 mature and well-rounded students. DeVry has been associated with Area 19 since its inception, but truly functions best as an autonomously managed performance school. Principal Miller recently completed a doctoral program in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University this summer. Bio written by: Mycheal Manning, graduate of DeVry Advantage High School, Class of 2009.

Veronica L. Griffin (Brown) has been employed with Chicago Public Schools for over 15 years. Mrs. Griffin is an award winning educator havining won the Kohl McKormick Early Childhood Teaching Award in 2003. She also serves on the Kohl Academy Board of Outstanding Educators. Veronica is an accomplished educator who achieved National Board Certification, the highest credential a teacher can earn nationally. Veronica Griffin has been a teacher leader for CPS for many years as a mentor and supervising teacher for pre-service, new and experienced teachers as well as other teacher candidates for National Board Certification. She currently serves as Instructional Specialist for the Chicago TAP Program, a new CPS Teacher Performance Pay initiative. Veronica, her husband Daren Griffin (Whitney Young 85', and her children are all proud CPS Alumni.

Richard Norman is the principal of Senn High School and a 1966 graduate of Lane Tech High School. Norman's education began at Irving Park Elementary School led to Loyal University and Northeastern Illinois University.

Alice Hayes Phillips has attended Chicago Public Schools from Kindergarten through 12th grade. After graduating from Harlan, Alice attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and earned a bachelor degree in Spanish Secondary Education. While teaching high school in Chicago Public Schools and after a short hiatus as a retail manager, Alice Phillips earned a Master Degree and Type 75. She has taught at Corliss, Harlan, Morgan Park, CVS, Schurz and Kennedy High Schools. Alice taught for 17 years at Kenwood Academy High School. Alice is presently Principal at World Language High School on Little Village Lawndale Campus. She is currently ABD as she works toward finishing her doctorate at UIC in Urban Transformational Leadership.

Darlene Pollard is currently the principal of Andrew Carnegie Elementary School. She attended the Richard J. Oglesby Elementary School as a child and earned degrees from Chicago State University and Governors State University.

Abelino came to Sullivan in 1970 from Mexico. He graduated in 1973 and attended St. Francis de Sales High School. Following graduation, he enrolled at Chicago State. He began his teaching career at Whittier Elementary School and is currently the principal of the Finkl School at 24th and Western.

Martha Graciela Quiroga is the current principal of the Galileo Scholastic Academy. She attended elementary school at Benito Juarez Community Academy and Josiah L. Pickard Elementary. After high school, Quiroga earned an under grad and graduate degree of the University of Illinois in Chicago. Before taking the helm at Galileo, Quiroga worked at Walsh, John A. Walsh Elementary School and Zapata, Emiliano Zapata Academy.

José A. Rico is an immigrant from Mexico living in Chicago since 1976. He grew up and lives in the Pilsen/Little Village community with his wife Angelíca and three children. For the last 15 years, he has focused on transformational education as a way to improve our community. Mr. José A. Rico graduated from Whitney Young High School and attending the University of Illinois at Urbana where he earned an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. While at the University, he was a student leader that inaugurated the Latin@ Studies Program. He has worked as a community organizer and educator promoting cultural education as a means for empowering our youth. He also worked to establish the Little Village/Lawndale High School through a community –wide effort sparked by a 19-day hunger strike. Mr. Rico is the founding principal of the Multicultural Arts School, a place for students, parents, and teachers to learn, inspire and create themselves.

Gloria attended Von Humboldt Elementary School and Tuley High School (now Clemente). She attended Felician College, where she received her Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. She then attended the University of Illinois at Chicago for two semesters. She received a Transfer Student Academic Scholarship from Roosevelt University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. Her first teaching position with Chicago Public Schools was a Bilingual Teacher at Monroe School. She taught there for ten years. She received her Master of Arts in Bilingual Education from Governor State University and her Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership from National Louis University. In 1990, Gloria was tapped by the District Superintendent to serve as interim principal of a new school that was to be opened to relieve overcrowding in six schools: Monroe, Nixon, Nobel, Mozart, Funston, and Cameron. Gloria received her first principal contract from the newly elected LSC and in 1991, the school was renamed Ana Roque de Duprey. Since that time, Gloria has worked with a committed team of educators to build the school community to what it is today. The school won a 2006 School Improvement Award from the Illinois State Board of Education for exemplary gains on the Illinois Learning Standards. Gloria earned a Doctor of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University in Chicago.

Michael Scott (1949 - 2009) - As President of the Chicago School Board, Michael Scott earned a reputation as a calm and trusted leader. Appointed to the posistion twice by Mayor Daley, it was one of many stops in his 30 year role as a public servant. In addition to CPS, Scott spent significant time leading the Chicago Park Distirct, and serving on the boards of the Regional Transit Authority and Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. In addition to Daley, Scott served in high profile positions for Mayor's Jane Byrne, Eugene Sawyer, and Harold Washington. Outside of his civic leadership, Scott was a successful developer with ties to community leaders throughout Chicago.

Margie Dunlap Smagacz - Golden Apple Award Winner 2002, National Board Certified Teacher 2003, and Assistant Principal, Franklin Fine Arts Center.

Felicia P. Stewart,  principal of George Rogers Clark is a  graduate of Lindblom High School and attended Ruggles Elementary School. Stewart is a graduate of Loyola University.

Dr. William Truesdale the Principal of Douglas Taylor Elementary School is a proud product of the Chicago Public Schools. Dr. Truesdale has led Taylor School to be recognized for two consecutive years as a Spotlight School by the Illinois State Board of Education on the Illinois Honor Roll. In Addition, Taylor School has won a national competition K-8,  the only Chicago Public School recognized as a  Break Through School by the National Association of Secondary Principals. Taylor School was awarded a $ 5,000 grant  from the Met-Life Foundation and national recognition as a highly effective school. The school will be featured in the June 2009 edition of Principal Leadership Magazine. Dr. Truesdale will be presenting on the Break Through Schools Model at the National Association of Secondary Principals 2009 Conference in San Diego, Ca. on February 28, 2009. Dr. Truesdale is an adjunct professor in the Department of Educational Leadership Curriculum Foundations at Chicago State University. Dr. Truesdale also serves the East Side Community on the Board of Directors of the East Side Chamber of Commerce and as the Beat 432 facilitator for C.A.P.S.

Roxanne Ward is President of the Black Corporate Directors Conference (BCDC), a forum for seasoned black directors of publicly traded companies and Vice President, Corporate Liaison, of Ariel, a Chicago-based investment management firm founded in 1983. Ms. Ward spent four years working for the Chicago Park District and more than 15 years working as a private sector attorney. Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed her to the Chicago Board of Education in April 2005. She is also on the boards of directors of WTTW, the Safer Foundation and the Federation for Community Schools. Ward was the 2005 recipient of the Chicago United Business Leaders of Color Award and is serving as Chair of the 2007 Chicago United Business Leaders of Color Committee. Ward graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago, followed by a Master of Arts degree in SSA from U of C and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Ms. Ward was born and raised in Chicago. She has two daughters, Courtney and Corinne Charity, both of whom are exemplary products of the CPS system.

Watkins tenure with the Chicago Public Schools has included teaching at  the Louis J. Agassiz and Arthur R. Ashe, Jr. Elementary Schools and serving as an administrator in the Chicago Public Schools' Office of Specialized Services. She is the recipient of several awards including the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching, Kathy Osterman Award for Superior Public Service and the Michael Jordan Education Club Teacher Achiever Award. Watkins is currently the principal of the John J. Pershing West Magnet School.

Jesse White (June 23, 1934 - Present) - White has had several distinguished careers since his school days where he was an all city basketball and baseball player. He signed with the Chicago Cubs but never played as he was drafted in the Army and served with the 101st Airborne Division. For 33 years, White worked as a teacher and administrator, including at alma mater Schiller Elementary School. During this time, White created the internationally renown Jesse White Tumblers. Turning to public service, White has served for 16 years in the IL General Assembly, as the Cook County Recorder of Deeds and is currently the IL Secretary of State.

Rufus Williams was appointed to the Chicago Board of Education in 2005 by Mayor Richard M. Daley. The following year, Williams became president of the board. He is a product of the Chicago Public Schools, the parent of a CPS graduate, and now the president of the Chicago Board of Education. He is also President and CEO of Olympus, LLC, a business management and contract negotiation firm. Williams has launched a variety of programs at CPS including, in 2007, Real Men Read which in its first year attracted more than 300 volunteers to read to boys and girls in second, fifth, and seventh grades in their schools.. Williams graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA magna cum laude, with a degree in accounting. Williams began his professional career at Arthur Anderson & Co. and eventually made his way to the Harpo Entertainment Group, where he would ascend to chief financial officer. In addition to serving as president of the Chicago Board of Education, Williams serves on the boards of the Chicago Public Education Fund, the Renaissance Schools Fund, the Children First Fund, After School Matters and the Public Building Commission of Chicago. Williams is married with two children.

Dr. Michelle R. Willis has been the principal of Frank L. Gillespie Technology Magnet Cluster School since April 2007. Previously she served as the principal of Nia Middle and Foundations Schools for three years. Prior to becoming a principal, Dr. Willis was an Assistant Principal and Reading Specialist at Carroll-Rosenwald School. She was also an adjunct professor of reading at Chicago State University from 1997-2003. Dr. Willis started her teaching career at Countee Cullen and Henry Clay Elementary Schools. Dr. Willis is a proud CPS alum! She graduated from Mt. Vernon Elementary School in 1980 and Whitney Young Magnet High School in 1984. She is still active with the Whitney Young Alumni Association; and co-chaired the 10th and 20th reunions of her graduating class. After high school, Dr. Willis attended the University of Wisconsin for her Bachelors degree, attained two Masters degrees from Chicago State University (reading specialist and administration) and her Doctorate degree (curriculum and instruction) from Loyola University Chicago.