Geneva Middle School North Principal Westerhoff resigns

GENEVA – Geneva Middle School North Principal Brenna Westerhoff resigned her post Wednesday afternoon, Geneva District 304 Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Adam Law said.

The day before, Westerhoff notified her staff that she was stepping down, Law said.

“We have been in communication with her leading up to her announcement,” Law said.

The Dec. 14 school board agenda listed Westerhoff as having intermittent family medical leave.

Law said the next agenda for Monday night will list her resignation.

“Assuming that her resignation will have board approval, yes we would be posting that vacancy going forward for the following school year,” Law said.

Assistant Principal Karen Kim has been named acting principal, he said.

Westerhoff first was hired by the district in 2002 as a language arts teacher at Geneva Middle School before there were two buildings, then she was the student assistance coordinator. She also was principal at Harrison Street Elementary School and was in her second year as Geneva Middle School North’s principal, Law said.

In a long posting on the school’s internal newsletter called Gimme Smore, Westerhoff wrote that, “After a challenging couple of months and a lot of reflection, I have worked with the district and we’ve determined that it would be best for me to step away from the principalship here at Geneva Middle School North.”

“Thank you for being a part of my life and making me a better human each and every day,” the posting stated in part.

As to her future, Westerhoff said, “I’m looking into all sorts of options.”

“I just completed my doctorate in education – leadership and complex change,” Westerhoff said.

However, Westerhoff declined to comment about leaving the district, except to say that it was a separation agreement between her and the district.

The Kane County Chronicle has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for a copy of the separation agreement.

Westerhoff is the third major resignation the Geneva district has experienced this month, after board member Alicia Saxton and former Board President Taylor Egan.

If Superintendent Kent Mutchler is chosen as the new superintendent at Dubuque Community School District in Dubuque, Iowa, he would be the fourth major resignation as he would have to begin work there on July 1.