Starting July 1, Community High School District 99’s Board of Education has approved Katie Wood to take over the position of DGN’s English department chairperson Christopher Bronke, who has served this position for the past 12 years, will continue his career as an educational consultant.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to join District 99,” Wood said. “I look forward to building on the strong foundation here and collaborating with such a talented group of educators and students.”

After receiving her master’s degree in education from Benedictine University in 2006 and a bachelor’s degree in English secondary education from Millikin University in 2010, Wood began her professional career teaching English at West Chicago Community High School. For 11 years, she specialized in teaching Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition, as well as a plethora of other honors courses.

“English is one of our core subjects, and having an experienced leader for this department is essential,” DGN Principal Dr. Courtney DeMent said. “Katie has the right mix of experiences to succeed in this position, from having served as an English teacher to leading professional development and coaching others. We are excited to welcome her to the DGN family.”

Since 2017, Wood worked as an administrator at West Aurora High School District 129 as an English Curriculum Coordinator for Grades 9-12. At DGN, she will supervise several teachers and will work with the administration to produce the best program for student needs.

“I look forward to building on the strong foundation here and collaborating with such a talented group of educators and students,” Wood said.