The District 161 school board approved a contract with Ursula Parris to serve as the next principal at Parker Junior High School in Flossmoor.
Parris will come to the district starting July 1 after serving as a school administrator in Florida where she has nearly 15 years of school administration experience, and has been in education for the last 27 years.
According to a report presented to the school board by Eric Melnyczenko, director of human resources, at the board’s Feb. 28 meeting, Parris is credited with turning her current school around, improving their accountability score from an F to a B within her first two years.
The district started with pool of 55 candidates that was narrowed to eight and eventually four finalists.
Parris’s starting salary will be $135,000. She was given a two-year performance-based contract linked to student performance and academic achievement.
Amabel Crawford has been serving as Parker’s principal the past two years. She plans to return to her prior role as director of learning and instruction.