New Administrators Join Dist. 99 Team

Dist. 99 announced the hiring of a new assistant principal and two department chairs that will be joining the teams at Downers Grove North and South high schools.

Omar Davis will return to District 99 as the new associate principal for operations and technology at South High. Davis has served as the assistant principal for athletics at Glenbard East High School for the past four years; before that, he served as a dean of students at North High for two years.  He has also served as a teacher, coach, and dean at Crete Monee High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Benedictine University and a master’s degree in educational administration from Governors State University.

“As part of the South High administrative team, I know that I will be working with individuals who have put student achievement and the creation of a safe, enriching, and engaging learning environment as their top priorities,” says Davis. “I look forward to the opportunity to contribute new and innovative ideas in education with students and staff. Go Mustangs!”

Davis will start on July 1.

Jenne Dehmlow will become the new department chair for social studies at North High. Dehmlow has been the social studies chairperson at Naperville North High School for the past five years. She has also taught at Wheaton Warrenville South High School, was an assistant principal at Edison Middle School, a teacher at Blackhawk Middle School, and a teacher at Valley Middle School in Minnesota.  Dehmlow earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia College and her master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Aurora University.

“I am so excited to be coming to Downers Grove North.  My impressions of the district have been that it is a district dedicated to finding the very best educators possible to join already outstanding schools,” says Dehmlow. “For two large high schools serving many communities, the district seems to have maintained a deep commitment to a familiar and connected approach to education and to young people.”

She assumes her new role at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.

Jorie Burtnette will become the new department chair for special services. Burtnette has been a special education teacher at Hinsdale Central High School since 2008. Prior to her current position, she taught at Neuqua Valley High School.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a master’s degree in special education from Northern Illinois University, and a master’s degree in educational organization and leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“I am very excited to work with the students, staff, and families in the North community.  There is a tradition of excellence here and I look forward to continuing that into the future,” says Burtnette. ”The teaching staff is incredibly talented and I am lucky to work with such an impressive group of professionals.”

Burtnette will start at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.

The appointments were approved at the Dist. 99 Board of Education's meeting on April 21.