HIGHLAND SCHOOL - Key Persons


Alexa Pascarella

Job Titles:
  • 3rd Grade

Alexandra Needle

Job Titles:
  • Literacy Specialist

Alfiah Dhaigham

Job Titles:
  • Lunch Room & Playground Supervisor

Ali Burrell

Job Titles:
  • 5th Grade

Ameera Hermez

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Paraprofessional K - 2nd Grade

Anna Johnson

Job Titles:
  • Coach
  • Instructional Coach

Annie Cahill

Job Titles:
  • Kindergarten

Asiya Hussain

Job Titles:
  • 1st Grade

Bradley Allen

Job Titles:
  • Kindergarten

Brandi Barnett

Job Titles:
  • 1st Grade

Carey Garrison

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant

Christina Heath

Job Titles:
  • Elementary Orchestra

Chrisy Han

Job Titles:
  • Newcomers / ESL Specialist

Cyndi Stevens

Job Titles:
  • 3rd Grade

DeAnn Saykawlard

Job Titles:
  • Art

Dr. James Garwood

Job Titles:
  • Superintendent

Dr. Karen Bradley

Job Titles:
  • Principal

Dr. Katrina Bell-Jordan - VP

Job Titles:
  • Vice - President
  • Vice President of the Board

Dr. Noelle Sullivan

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
Dr. Noelle Sullivan has been a resident of District 68 since 2012. She received a BA in anthropology and history, an MA in African and African American Studies, and and MA and Ph.D. in anthropology. She has one child attending Old Orchard Junior High starting in Fall 2023, one attending NTDSE's Molloy Education Center, and one child attending Niles North High School. Dr. Sullivan is faculty at Northwestern University in the Program in Global Health Studies.

Elizabeth Nielsen

Job Titles:
  • 5th Grade

Erica Beall

Job Titles:
  • General Music

George (Tony) O'Neill

Job Titles:
  • Gym Teacher

Ghotai Arghandiwal

Job Titles:
  • Library Assistant

J.D. Lathrop

Job Titles:
  • Speech and Language Pathologist

Jaclyn Pink

Job Titles:
  • Special Education

Janette Meim

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant

Jennifer Greene

Job Titles:
  • MTSS Specialist

Jess Clemmons

Job Titles:
  • 3rd Grade

Jocelyn Canchola

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant

Jordan Katz

Job Titles:
  • Special Education

Jose Garcia

Job Titles:
  • Custodian

Juliet Isaac

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant

Kendall Cox

Job Titles:
  • Special Education

Kim Weissenberg

Job Titles:
  • Social Worker

Kristy Frick

Job Titles:
  • 5th Grade

Laura Wloczkowski

Job Titles:
  • AIM Specialist

Lisa Talbert

Job Titles:
  • LMC Director

Lorenzo Verdugo

Job Titles:
  • Custodian

Lori Linforth

Job Titles:
  • 4th Grade

Maria Bataz

Job Titles:
  • Custodian

Mark Toliusis

Job Titles:
  • Elementary Band

Mary Eramia

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant

Megan Looney

Job Titles:
  • Science

Melissa Rothman

Job Titles:
  • 2nd Grade

Meredith Zimmermann

Job Titles:
  • School Psychologist

Molly Olson

Job Titles:
  • 2nd Grade

Mr. Jeff Sterbenc

Job Titles:
  • Secretary
  • Secretary of the Board
Jeffrey Sterbenc has resided in District 68 since 2012. He and his wife have three children who attended elementary and junior high school in District 68 who now attend Niles North High School. Mr. Sterbenc is a supervising attorney at the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian, and he is also the Public Guardian's Director of Community Outreach for their Juvenile Division.

Mr. Jinu Joseph

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
Jinu Joseph has lived in Skokie since 1988. He is an alumni of Highland, Old Orchard, and Niles North. He received his bachelor's degree in core mathematics from Purdue University, masters degree from DePaul University, and an Ed.S. degree from National Louis University. Mr. Joseph is currently an assistant prinicpal at Conant High School in District 211. Previously he worked as an assistant principal at Westmont High School and spent eight years as a high school math teacher in CPS prior to Westmont. Mr. Joseph has one daughter who attends Highland Elementary School.

Mr. Joseph Ruffner - President

Job Titles:
  • President
  • President of the Board

Ms. Anne Warshaw

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
Annie Warshaw resides in D68 (Devonshire) with her husband and is a proud Dolphin parent. She currently has one student at Devonshire and two more who will join the community in a few years. Annie currently works for Leadership for Educational Equity and serves as their Director, National Candidate Recruitment and Development. She is a serial entrepreneur with a track record of helping build mission driven companies. Due to her work in her businesses and education she is an expert in mindfulness for children and has done extensive work to shift the landscape of SEL support. She is also a former Gender Studies Professor at Roosevelt University. Prior to founding her companies she taught second grade and high school on the southside of Chicago. When she is not working, she volunteers her time with a number of social justice and political organizations in the Chicagoland area.

Ms. Emily Lonigro

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
  • Board Member Bios
Emily Lonigro resides in District 68, where she lives with her wife and three children, two of whom are in the District's schools. She has been a social justice-focused entrepreneur since 2004. Emily is the President of LimeRed, a Certified B Corporation, WBE and LGBT social impact branding agency, and Co-founder of Even Made, teaching home construction skills "to everyone else". Previously, was an entrepreneurial mentor at 2112 and 1871 for many years and has taught in the Media department at Columbia College.

Muhammad Aslam

Job Titles:
  • Urdu Bilingual Instruction

Nadine Oman

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant

Nahrain Sada

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Paraprofessional 3rd - 5th Grade

Nathaniel Mills

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Paraprofessional K - 2nd Grade

Nicole Cooney

Job Titles:
  • 4th Grade

Patty Perez

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Teacher 3rd - 5th Grade

Patty Perrin

Job Titles:
  • Math Specialist

Renee Rowen

Job Titles:
  • 2nd Grade

Roberta Woolard

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Teacher K - 2nd Grade

Sal Goldenstein

Job Titles:
  • Building Secretary

Sarah Hoefler

Job Titles:
  • Kindergarten

Shamiran Sadah

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Paraprofessional K - 2nd Grade

Shawn Smith

Job Titles:
  • Support Specialist

Shreya Vakharia

Job Titles:
  • Health Clerk

Suzanne Suszynski

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Paraprofessional 3rd - 5th Grade

Syeda Hussaini

Job Titles:
  • Teaching Assistant

Tess Byas

Job Titles:
  • 4th Grade

Veronica Doyle

Job Titles:
  • NTDSE Paraprofessional 3rd - 5th Grade