In-House Hire For Elmhurst School Principal

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst assistant principal was appointed Tuesday as the new principal of Emerson Elementary School.

The Elmhurst District 205 board unanimously voted for Jill Zapata, assistant principal at Conrad Fischer Elementary School, as Emerson's new leader. She starts July 1.

The district highlighted the gains at Fischer since Zapata was hired two years ago.

Zapata replaces Sheleen DeLockery, Emerson's principal for the last seven years. DeLockery's next move is publicly unknown.

Zapata's education career has spanned 15 years. Before joining Elmhurst, she served as the director of bilingual services in Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89.

She has also worked in East Aurora District 131, Yorkville District 115 and School District 15 in Palatine.

Under Zapata's leadership, Conrad Fischer saw a 14 percent increase in math achievement and literacy, according to the district. The school also recorded a 5 percent hike in attendance.

Zapata is leaving a school with Elmhurst's highest percentage of low-income students, at 51 percent, to one with 11 percent.

In 2010, Zapata received her bachelor's degree in elementary education, Spanish and reading from North Central College in Naperville. She earned her master's degree at National Louis University in Chicago.

She is working on her doctorate in education.

The Emerson principal's position attracted 73 applicants, according to the district.

As of last year, Emerson's enrollment was 436.