Glenbard District 87 is poised to embark on an exciting new chapter in its remarkable 100-year history. Following a legacy of eight superintendents, the establishment of four schools, and the education of millions of students, the district is set to make history with the appointment of its first female superintendent. As Dr. David Larson prepares to retire in late July, Glenbard South Principal Jessica Santee is ready to take the helm as the new superintendent of the Glenbard district, ushering in a dynamic era of leadership and innovation.
Santee’s early aspirations were not related to the education field. In an interview, she shared with The Glen Bard staff that she initially “had all intentions of going to law school,” for which she went to undergrad at Ohio State University. She has much experience working in the prosecutor’s office and at the local office in her hometown. She also has 10 months of experience in Children and Family Services. While working at Children and Family Services, she realized she belongs in education, not law. There, she helped at-risk youth ages 13 to 18, advocating for and protecting children and their families. Santee reflects, “The place where the most impact happens, and where you actually…had the most ability to make a difference in the kids’ life was in the schools.”
This prompted her to apply and eventually obtain her master’s in secondary education and receive her certification as a social studies teacher. Social studies is a fitting subject for a woman with a political science and criminology sociology degree; she would later continue her education with economics from the University of Cincinnati.
In her professional work, Santee worked at York, where she developed a research-based curriculum program designed to create research-based course disciplines across all departments. In 2016, she went from administrative work at York, with over 2000 students, to an assistant principal position at Lisle Community High School, with almost 400, in which she stated she had “fewer students but more jobs.” Aspiring to be a Principal, she joined Glenbard as Assistant Principal for Instruction in 2019 at Glenbard South, ultimately becoming principal in 2021.
Santee is a strong leader, but she does not take over as superintendent without proper credentials. During her time as principal, she’s been awarded the Illinois Principal Association Principal of the Year for 2023-24, North Central College Leader of the Month for 2023, and asked to co-author an article for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, amongst other previous awards.
In a different interview conducted by The Glen Bard, we get a preview of the district’s future policy. Regarding Glenbard coalitions, Santee states, “Our multicultural night and our musical festivals exist between all the buildings, and I think we can continue to look for ways to build that community across all of Glenbards.”
