As we look ahead to the next school year, Maercker D60 is pleased to announce the appointment of three Student Services Coordinators who will be joining our building-level administrative teams. These new positions are designed to elevate the support we provide to students who require additional services and to strengthen our commitment to the educators who work with them each day. The Student Services Coordinators will serve as key members of the school’s leadership team, helping to shape a collaborative, inclusive, and student-centered learning environment.
“This is an important evolution in how we support our students and staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Sean Nugent. “While these roles have existed in our schools before, they were previously held by teacher leaders. By transitioning these positions into formal administrative roles, we’re giving each building the leadership capacity, flexibility, and authority needed to deepen individualized learning and enhance support structures for both students and teachers.”
While one Student Services Coordinator is a familiar face and current staff member at Maercker D60, the other two schools will be welcoming new members to their teams. We are excited to introduce or reintroduce these talented leaders as they begin this important work.
Holmes Primary School - Megan Byrne
Megan Byrne will be joining the team at Holmes Primary School and brings with her years of experience, most recently as a pupil services administrator and student services coordinator at Hinsdale 181. She also has a history working in buildings with bilingual programs in her 18 years in education with experience in PreK-6 schools.
“I started as a teacher and then got my Masters in Special Education and have loved it ever since,” said Byrne. “Special education is my home and where I belong and I especially love working with the primary grades because it is often the first time families are interacting with the school system. I enjoy getting to help them navigate that process and set them up for positive experiences and a love of learning.”
She chose to pursue a role at Maercker 60 because of the diversity of the population, the dedicated staff, and the opportunity to work with young learners.
“I am really looking forward to joining a strong team,” said Byrne. “I am especially excited to be able to be part of the team who develops the supports and advocates for what programs and the building needs based on what we are hearing from parents and staff.”
She lives in the Logan Square neighborhood in Chicago and enjoys taking walks in the city with her dog, reading, and exploring new restaurants.
Maercker Intermediate School - Shannon Polega
At Maercker, Shannon Polega will be joining the team as she shifts from her current role as Assistant Principal in Naperville 203 to her preferred area of student services. She was interested in joining the D60 team due to the smaller size and diverse community.
“Student services is where my passion lies and I want to be with a team that is collaborative and moving in the right direction for staff and students,” said Polega. “My brain is so tied to special education and being under that umbrella and focused on the school experience is really where my passion is.”
She has a teacher in her current building whose spouse works in Maercker, so she asked a lot of questions and heard about the strong teachers and culture of collaboration and doing what is best for kids.
“I want to be embedded in the culture and climate of the building,” said Polega. “I want to collaborate with staff to implement change and improve what is working and change things that aren’t while forming positive professional relationships to support staff and ensure students are moving towards their goals and having success in school.”
In her free time, she likes to spend time with her husband and two children as well as their dog. They enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time together outdoors.
Westview Hills Middle School - Christine Hallin
The final piece of the puzzle for the Student Services Coordinator program is a familiar face who even has the title already! Christine Hallin has been a part of the District 60 team since 2003, with the first 15 years spent at Westview Hills and recent years spent at Maercker Intermediate School.
With a Masters in Early Education, she was looking for a job in education and ended up teaching middle school and quickly realized that she really loved working with that student population. She was the first Student Services Coordinator in the district, first piloting the program and says she is looking forward to this opportunity to grow.
“I’ve already been doing some of the functions but will be able to make bigger decisions and grow additional support for students with the highest needs,” said Hallin. She has a strong understanding of the district vision and existing relationships with staff and students, so she feels prepared for the transition. When asked what has kept her at D60, her response was simple, but so true: “Liking going to your job every day is so important!”
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family including two high school aged daughters in District 99. They like to go camping and travel quite a bit to watch her daughter who plays club volleyball all over the country.
