What an honor and privilege it is to be serving as the newest Principal of Lakes Community High School (LCHS)! Education has been a strong presence in my life as my mom and both my grandmothers were all teachers. After graduating from Miami University and marrying an Air Force Pilot, I enjoyed the diverse experiences of teaching math in Texas, Washington, and New Mexico. Our young family and ties to Illinois brought us to the Lindenhurst/Lake Villa community in 2002. I have been an educator in District 117 for 20 years and was a member of the team that opened Lakes in the fall of 2004. My roles at Lakes have included being a math teacher, the Math Department Chair, the Assistant Principal of Student Services, most recently the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction, and currently proud mom – our daughter was in the LCHS Class of 2018 and our son is in the LCHS Class of 2024. Both the community and the school have captured my heart.
What makes Lakes so special? LCHS was built on the motto of Respect + Courtesy = Pride, and it has turned into a true guiding light for our practices in the classroom, on the stage, on the field, and anywhere Lakes is represented by students, staff, and families. This motto grounds us in our decisions and our actions as a community.
Respect: a feeling of deep admiration for oneself and for others
Courtesy: a showing of respect through attitude or action
Pride: a feeling of satisfaction derived from your own achievement or achievements of those admired
There is an unmatched, powerful energy at Lakes created to focus on providing all students opportunities to find their passion. My goal as Principal is to continue to build on the successes we have at Lakes through our foundation of Respect + Courtesy = Pride while expanding our reach to lift up every student to be ready for their own unique future.
I look forward to seeing each of you at an upcoming Lakes event! GO EAGLES!
In the Eagle Spirit,
Jori Bowen
Principal
Lakes Community High School
