Board hires new Brokaw and Grande Park administrators
June 25, 2012
Andrew McCree, Brokaw Early Learning Center
For the past year Andrew McCree has been working at District 308’s Wolf’s Crossing Elementary School as an assistant principal. On July 1, his job responsibilities will get bigger while the students he serves get younger as he assumes the top position at Brokaw Early Learning Center. McCree was approved as the new Brokaw ELC principal by the District 308 Board of Education Monday night.
McCree will replace outgoing Principal Jeff Modaff who is leaving the district on June 30 to assume the principal position at Grace McWayne Elementary School in Batavia. Both Modaff and McCree began their District 308 careers as assistant principals at Wolf’s Crossing where they worked for one year before becoming the ELC principal.
"The Oswego community has always had a special place in my heart,” McCree said. “Wolf’s Crossing has been good to me, and I am excited to become a part of the Brokaw family. I look forward to getting back to my early childhood roots and working with the future of 308.”
Prior to coming to District 308, McCree was employed in Joliet Public School District 86 as a classroom co-teacher at both Parks Cultural Studies Academy and Marycrest Early Childhood Center.
McCree has a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from the University of Illinois and a master's degree in leadership and administration from Benedictine University. He holds certificates in administration and early childhood and approval in early childhood special education.
“Our district’s Brokaw Early Learning Center is very fortunate to have Andrew (AJ) McCree serve as its new principal,” said Todd Colvin, District 308’s associate superintendent for administration. “Andrew has a strong background in early childhood education and great energy and enthusiasm. He has done an excellent job as assistant principal at Wolf's Crossing Elementary School and we look forward to his positive contributions to the students and families at our ELC.”
McCree is a District 308 alumnus who graduated from Oswego High School in 2002. Today he lives with his wife, Christine, in Plainfield.
Sean Smith, Grande Park Elementary School
Monday night, the District 308 Board of Education approved Sean Smith as the new Grande Park Elementary School Assistant Principal. Smith was selected from a slate of 84 interested candidates for his strong technology skills, experience working with gifted students, ability to provide staff development in the area of differentiation and experience in school guidance counseling.
“District 308 is pleased to bring Sean Smith on board as assistant principal at Grande Park Elementary,” said Todd Colvin, District 308’s associate superintendent for administration. “Sean is incredibly student centered and brings a wealth of experience with elementary students to Grande Park. His strong communication skills and ability to positively influence students, staff and parents make him a great fit for our Grande Park School community.”
Since January 2004, Smith has been educating elementary grade students; for 5 months as a long-term substitute teacher in Joliet Public School District 86 and the next eight years as a classroom teacher in Will County School District 92 in Lockport. In addition to his teaching experience, Smith also served as a school guidance and counseling intern at Ludwig Elementary School and Joliet Premier Academy and served Will County School District 92 as an administrative intern and teacher’s union president.
“I am honored and very excited to have the privilege of serving as the new assistant principal at Grande Park Elementary School,” Smith said. “Through my past experiences as an educator, I hope to bring a fresh perspective as well as great passion and enthusiasm. I look forward to creating positive partnerships with the students, staff, parents and community members.”
Smith earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Eastern Illinois University, a master’s in school guidance and counseling from Lewis University in Romeoville and a master’s in educational leadership from University of St. Francis in Joliet.
For next school year Smith will take over the Grande Park assistant principal duties from Mary Weber who split her time last year between Grande Park and Homestead Elementary Schools. Due to rising enrollments, Weber will serve Homestead full time in the 2012-13 school year and Smith will serve the Grande Park staff and students.
Smith and his wife Mary, a marketing analytics manager, have lived in Shorewood for the past four years with their two children, Ava (5) and Andrew (3).