Liberty Elementary leader is new Plainfield North HS principal
Ray Epperson, who has led Liberty Elementary School for three years, is the new principal for Plainfield North High School.
The District 202 Board of Education approved Epperson's new position by a 5-2 vote at a special meeting on July 8, 2009.
Board members Stuart Bledsoe and Michelle Smith voted no, but stressed that they objected to the interview process, not Epperson. Smith added that she also voted no in reflection of the views of some of the committee members.
Epperson is a 27-year veteran teacher and administrator with administrative and classroom experience at all levels.
He will be the third PNHS principal since the school opened in 2005. Epperson replaces Eric Vance who served one year in the position before resigning this past spring for personal reasons.
Per the district's normal procedure, committees of parents, staff and district and building level administration interviewed Epperson. He was chosen from an initial field of about 90 candidates. Of those, 10 were interviewed as finalists.
"Mr. Epperson's considerable experiences in all areas of education make him an excellent choice to lead Plainfield North," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Harper.
Epperson came to District 202 in 2006 as principal at Liberty Elementary.
He started his education career in 1982 as a mathematics teacher at Hill Middle School in Aurora. From 1986-89, he taught math at Waubonsie Valley High School. Epperson moved to Kaneland High School, also teaching math from 1989-1995.
From 1995-1998, he served as assistant principal at Kaneland Elementary School in Aurora. He then served from 1998-2006 as principal of Prairie View Elementary School, also in Aurora. From 2000-2002, Epperson also served as an adjunct professor at Waubonsee Community College.
Among his professional achievements, Epperson twice presented at the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics State Convention; served on Waubonsee Community College's Tech Prep Advisory Council; and implemented the Applied Algebra course at Kaneland High School.