The Board of Education hired Dr. Tatiana Bonuma as the next superintendent of Maine Township High School District 207 during a special meeting earlier today.
“Dr. Bonuma brings skills and a perspective to the superintendent role that we think makes her ideally suited to make key decisions about the future of District 207,” says Board of Education President Carla Owen. “She is an experienced and well-rounded educator and administrator who has excelled throughout her career in various leadership roles. She understands the important role that stakeholder engagement and relationship building have in supporting and expanding the innovative and important work that the district has done, and will continue to do, in service to all of our students. We look forward to what’s next for the District as Dr. Bonuma leads the excellent administrative team, talented teachers and dedicated staff of District 207.”
Dr. Bonuma will begin her role on July 1, 2024 after current superintendent Dr. Ken Wallace retires on June 30, 2024. She said the following as part of a news release the district shared with the media and will share with the community:
“I am honored and excited to join the Maine Township High School District 207’s administrative team. As we embark on this journey together, I want to express my deep commitment to our students, staff, parents, and the entire community. Together, let us continue to elevate our district, empower our students, and create a safe, inclusive learning environment. I look forward to working closely with all District 207 stakeholders as we shape the future of our schools.”
Dr. Bonuma currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent in Leyden High School District 212. As Deputy Superintendent she is responsible for the overall management of the school district and assumes the responsibilities of the superintendent when he is absent. She also directs the staffing, recruitment and hiring for all employees, as well as oversees and manages the benefits program. She has been in that role since 2019 and among her accomplishments include negotiating three contracts, assisting with the reimagination of the English Learners Program and leading a task force that designed the new program to reallocate resources and staffing based upon student needs.
She served as Principal of West Leyden High School from 2015 through 2019 and during that time she directed all aspects of the student instructional program and led the school improvement plan efforts. Dr. Bonuma also led a multi-year process that culminated in a statistical equity in AP enrollment while maintaining the level of success achieved prior to the plan. That work resulted in West Leyden High School being recognized and ranked 52nd out of 1,519 high schools in Illinois in 2018. She also directed the efforts to plan, design and successfully implement a $35 million construction project at the school. She was the Assistant Principal at West Leyden High School from 2007 through 2015.
Prior to arriving in Leyden High School District 212, she served as Associate Principal of Student Services at Grayslake North Community High School during the 2006-07 school year. She was Dean of Students at York Community High School from 2004 until 2006 and served that same role at Larkin High School from 2003 to 2004. She was also the ELL/Bilingual Divisional Director at Larkin High School from 2000 to 2003.
She began her teaching career in 1995 as a Spanish teacher at Larkin High School and became an ELL/bilingual teacher at Canton Middle School in 1997 and served in that role until 2000.
Dr. Bonuma earned her bachelor of arts degree from University of Dubuque with a triple major in Marketing, International Studies and Spanish. She earned her masters in Secondary Education with a Type 09 certificate in Spanish, Business and Social Studies from Roosevelt University. She earned her Ed.D. Educational Administration degree with a Superintendent Endorsement from Aurora University.
Dr. Bonuma has earned a Chief School Business Official Endorsement, General Administrative Certificate and ESL/Bilingual Endorsements. She is fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish. Dr. Bonuma is board member at Lycée Français de Chicago where she has served as Education Committee Chair and currently serves as Facilities Committee Chair. She is an adjunct professor at Loyola University in the School of Education. Dr. Bonuma is also a sought after presenter and has spoken to audiences on educational topics across the country and globe.
Dr. Bonuma’s three-year contract was approved by a unanimous vote.
A reception for Dr. Bonuma will be held prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The reception and meeting will be held at Maine South on January 8, 2024 at 5 p.m. Additional opportunities for the community to meet Dr. Bonuma will be scheduled and announced to the public.