Elmhurst – On December 15, the Elmhurst District 205 Board of Education unanimously confirmed Erin DeLuga as the next principal of York Community High School for the 2016-17 school year. The vote was 6-0 (Jim Collins, absent). She will begin on July 1, 2016.
DeLuga holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois (1999), received her Secondary English endorsement from Governor’s State University (2003), and holds a Master’s in School Leadership from Concordia University (2007).
She is currently the Associate Principal of Instruction at Wheeling High School in Township High School District 214, a position she has held since 2011. DeLuga also formerly led the English/Fine Arts division at Prospect High School from 2007-11. Prior to her administrative roles, she taught English and served as the speech team coach, at Wheeling, St. Charles North High School and Marian Catholic High School. While at Marian, she also served as an Assistant Varsity Girls Basketball and Assistant Varsity Girls Track coach. As a collegiate athlete, she participated in track and rugby.
DeLuga has a combination of experiences that include working with some of the highest achieving students (Prospect), as well as with significant diversity (Wheeling). She was charged with leading the Wheeling High School Science Technology Engineering and Math initiative, giving her a rare combination of expertise in the fine arts and STEM. She leads the school improvement and professional development teams at Wheeling, coordinates the AVID program for underachieving students and works closely with the English Language Learners (ELL) division head. She has also initiated articulation conversations with Wheeling’s feeder middle schools. Hopefully, Erin will be able to make some real changes to this school, improving the way that students are being educated. If she needs help improving the school, she could always contact some educational development services to give her a hand. They will be able to look for any areas that might need improving. This should make the school better for the students.
A member of the Executive Board for the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools, DeLuga has presented nationally on instructional technology-related issues in New York, Baltimore, Austin and Denver. She was instrumental in leading professional development in related areas, including the Partnership for 21st Century Schools and the Next Generation Innovator’s Challenge.
“After spending seventeen extraordinary years in education, it is my absolute honor to join the incredible students and staff at York High School in District 205,” she said. “My varied, innovative, and collaborative experiences in administration thus far have led me here, and for that, I am truly grateful. The rich curricular work, strong teacher leadership, and involved student body at York High School came across resoundingly throughout the interview process. I cannot wait to meet more students, staff, and community members in the coming months. York is a school rooted in tradition and excellence; I look forward to working with staff, students, and parents to continue to inspire students to reach their potential every day.”
“I couldn’t be happier to welcome Erin into the District,” said Superintendent Dr. David Moyer. “She clearly distinguished herself among a pool of very strong candidates. She is student-centered and understands how to build a strong collaborative culture and build quality relationships. Erin is a team player who will work effectively with our middle school principals and the District office. She has a track record of success in multiple areas including future ready skills, college and career readiness and literacy across the curriculum. Additionally, her background in both the fine arts and athletics will support York’s proud tradition of providing a stellar comprehensive high school experience for our students.”
