Marlene Aponte-Mathews

Principal

Marlene Aponte-Mathews is a proud wife and mother of three boys. She arrived Dawes as a seasoned educator and instructional leader. This marks her 18th year striving for educational equity and accelerating academic achievement. Raised by immigrant, working class parents in New York City, she learned early on the importance of being humble and having a strong work ethic. More importantly, she was taught that language was the bridge to her ancestors and the heart of her cultural heritage. This led her to become a bilingual teacher in Brooklyn. After 11 years as an educator, she became an instructional coach with a deep desire to advance student learning at scale and mentor educators. She was soon promoted to Director of Coaching where she led a team of instructional coaches advancing school improvement efforts across multiple schools in Chicago. Marlene couldn't be more excited to join the Eagle community, where every voice matters and the culture of every child is viewed as the foundation for academic success.

TERESA QUINN

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Teresa Quinn has been a proud member of the District 65 community for 12 years.  Professionally she has worked as a School Social Worker for 13 years, 10 of which have been with District 65, at Chute Middle School.  She then transitioned to leadership roles as a district based Restorative Practices Coach and the Dean of Culture and Climate for all K-5 schools. Teresa has always been committed to empowering school communities through creating supportive and inclusive environments, building healthy relationships between educators, students, and families, and the development of engaging curriculums.  She has an extensive background in partnering with students with special needs and their families, honoring the power of collaboration. Teresa’s enthusiasm for equitable opportunities for all has always driven both her professional and personal life, and she looks forward to partnering with the Dawes community to help grow our children into highly discerning people who care about the world around them.