This week, we pause to lift up our school leaders as Cicero District 99 celebrates Principal Appreciation Week! 
Let's shine a spotlight on what our principals do — day in and day out: 

✅ They lead the heart of the school: welcoming students in the morning, checking in with staff, setting the tone for the day 
✅ They balance big vision with practical decisions: crafting the climate for learning, ensuring supportive environments, and aligning goals with student success 
✅ They are instructional leaders: not juts administrators behind a desk, but mentors, observers, coaches — visiting classrooms, helping shape lessons, guiding teacher growth 
✅ They manage so much behind the scenes: budgets, staffing, compliance, resources — all while keeping students at the center. 
✅ They build relationships with the entire community: they listen when a student is struggling, they encourage when a teacher is innovating, they partner when families want to engage. 
✅ The respond and adapt every day: when a student crisis arises, when staffing shifts, when new mandates or challenges come their way — they adjust, they lead, they make it work. 
✅ They celebrate the wins — big and small: that "aha" moment in class, the student who conquered something they thought they couldn't, a teacher's breakthrough with new strategy. 

So if you see Ms. Evans, Ms. Miller, Ms. Morales, Ms. Heppner, Mr. Garcia, Mr. Henley, Mr. Geraghty, Ms. Smith, Mr. Mensch, Ms. Espinoza, Ms. O'Connor, Ms. Lago, Ms. Mathis, Ms. Jenke, or Ms. Thul — THANK THEM! Drop by their office, write them a quick note or card! 

When we value our principals, we value our children's education environment. The research is clear: strong principals make a difference. They are the ones who create the conditions for teachers to do their best work, and for students to flourish.

Thank you to our principals — we see you. We appreciate you. We celebrate you!