By Jane Charmelo
Larry Joynt has been named the new principal at Edison Elementary School in District 205, and welcomes the opportunity to build relationships with students, parents and staff. He was hired following the retirement of Principal Jim Pluskota.
Larry Joynt says he did not really think about going into education as a career, but he felt a “nudge” of sorts from the people around him.
He recalled that even as a kid growing up in Country Club Hills, his family, friends and even teachers kept telling him “that I should go into teaching.”
Why is that? Well, he responded, he thinks it was “my calm and my patience” that everyone thought would be the qualities of a good teacher.
Joynt said he even heard the same suggestions while in high school, but at the time, he said he was “not really knowing what I wanted to do.”
But, at the same time, with all the suggestions, “Because of that I was really resistant to it,” he said with a chuckle.
A class at Joliet Junior College changed all that. While taking a variety of courses, he took an Introduction to Education course, and “I never really looked back from there.”
Joynt went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Governors State University, and later, a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University Chicago.
He recounted how he started off teaching fifth grade in Crete and Arlington Heights, saying he enjoyed the elementary school experience, because of “the opportunity to build connections” with the students and parents and, having the students all day, “That was really appealing.”
Just as people saw qualities in him that would make for a good teacher, so did administrators see that Joynt had leadership potential.
He recalled that the principal at the Crete school recognized that potential, and “That was a really good push for me.”
He said in Arlington Heights, he also involved himself in leadership roles—where he was encouraged to do so—to “accelerate my learning.”
It seems that “others noticed things in me before I noticed things in myself,” Joynt shared.
He served as assistant principal at Skokie School in Winnetka District 36, where he focused on advancing social-emotional learning, literacy initiatives and professional learning communities. He then served as principal on special assignment at Crow Island Elementary School, also in District 36, where he “successfully led school operations during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” a District 205 release mentions. He then went back to serving at the Skokie School.
Joynt was one of 54 candidates who were narrowed down to six semi-finalists, according to the district. They were invited to attend in-person interviews with a panel that included district and building leaders “across departments and schools.”
Each semi-finalist was asked to present a 10-minute data presentation before being interviewed, so the process was rigorous.
The number of candidates was then narrowed down to three, and “There was a clear consensus around Mr. Joynt as the right choice to lead Edison Elementary School,” the release states. “By the end of the interview process, he demonstrated that his skills best align with the needs of the Edison community.”
“I’m really proud to be stepping into a building that is in such a good place culturally and academically,” Joynt shared, adding that he feels he and the staff will work well collaboratively, and he plans to focus on professional learning opportunities for staff that will then benefit the students.
“I’m excited about the next step in our instructional growth,” the principal said.
Especially to answer the question, “How can we improve the way we’re providing small-group instruction?”
“We are thrilled to welcome Larry Joynt at Edison Elementary,” District 205 superintendent Dr. Keisha Campbell said in the release. “Throughout the interview process, Larry stood out as a clear fit for the Edison community … and we are confident that he will continue the strong student growth that Edison has seen in recent years.”