Whittier Leadership Team

Andy Kramer 
Principal 

Ms. Ellen has been serving the students of Whittier School for the past 3 years. It is her privilege to co-lead Whittier School and the many talented teachers and students.  Her goal is to continue the school improvement work by providing a supportive climate and culture that is conducive to teaching and learning.  By doing so, every student can experience growth to reach their highest potential.  Ms. Ellen looks forward to interacting with all stakeholders this year, to strengthen the connection between school and home.

Trish Cier
International Baccalaureate (IB) Coach

Alex (Ames) Burks
School Psychologist/MTSS Lead

Mrs. Corona has been at Whittier Elementary School since 2005 where she has taught kindergarten and second grade and is currently the Instructional Support teacher.  She is a member of the MTSS team, IB team, and Instructional Leadership Team. 

She has a passion for small group instruction and believes in fostering a nurturing learning experience through collaboration, high expectations, and differentiated learning opportunities.  Her goal is to encourage curiosity and inquiry to create self-motivated lifelong learners and leaders.

Natalie Vanlaningham
5th Grade Teacher

Ms. Victoria Labelle is a member of the fourth-grade team and a part of the dual-language program. This will be her second year at Whittier and she recently joined the instructional leadership team. Previously, Ms. Labelle taught the IB program in both schools in Mexico and Colombia. She uses this previous experience to help support the IB implementation team. Fostering a growth mindset in students and creating spaces for inquiry based learning are two things she is passionate about. 

Tamara Feldman
3rd Grade Teacher

Andy has taught 3rd grade and 5th grade in Boynton Beach, Florida, Chicago Public Schools, and Northbrook prior to joining Waukegan Public Schools. While in Florida he was awarded the South Florida Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year nominee. Andy has spent the past four years as the Assistant Principal at Little Fort Elementary School in Waukegan District 60. Andy’s wide range of experiences have developed a sound understanding of how to serve people. Serving those he leads has shaped his approach to becoming a transformational leader. He leads by example and with his colleagues to build up their capacity. Andy believes that students come first and every staff member plays a vital role in supporting students. It’s been his pleasure to build relationships with staff and parents to provide the best learning experiences for students. He has helped transform student behaviors through community development and restorative justice. Andy has also shaped the school's approach to monitoring student data. He has coached and trained staff to understand standards and develop bite sized objectives and measurable exit tickets. This focus has led to teachers building their capacity to differentiate lessons and use data to drive instruction. 

Andy has been eager to get an opportunity to lead a building as the principal. He brings a supportive approach that believes in honest decision making with specific transferable feedback. Andy passionately believes in the transforming Whittier Elementary School into a International Baccalaureate school!!

Jen Ellen
Assistant Principal 

Katherine Peregrin
Instructional Coach / ILT Lead

My name is Alex and I have been the School Psychologist at Whittier Elementary School since 2018. I love being a School Psychologist because I have a passion for helping students and families find the support they need. As the School Psychologist I have the unique opportunity to work with students, parents, and teachers across all grade levels to help students at all stages of learning. Whittier is an amazing school community that has so many great teams working together to help students foster curiosity within their instruction, develop a passion for learning, and self-advocate around their own growth. Always feel free to reach out with any questions!

Angelica Corona
Instructional Support Teacher (IST)

Victoria Labelle
4th Grade Teacher

Melissa Ramlow
School-based Equity Facilitator