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Board introduces two newly appointed administrators for 2025–26 school year
Summary
The board introduced Kristen Argellen as dean at West Aurora High School and Sarah Hayes as assistant principal at McCleary Elementary, both beginning in the 2025–26 school year.
The West Aurora USD 129 Board of Education on June 16 introduced two newly appointed administrators who will begin roles for the 2025–26 school year.
Kristen Argellen was introduced as the new dean of students at West Aurora High School. The board record says Argellen most recently served as department chair and behavioral health team lead at Farragut Career Academy in Chicago and previously held leadership and counseling positions at Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy and Thomas Kelly College Prep in Chicago. The transcript records Argellen saying she is “very passionate about helping young people find purpose through education” and that she looks forward to partnering with the school leadership team, staff, students and families.
Sarah Hayes was introduced as the assistant principal at McCleary Elementary for the 2025–26 school year. The record lists Hayes’s prior role as dean of students at Washington Middle School in West Aurora 129 and about 10 years teaching bilingual education, language arts and social studies at Churchill Middle School in Elmhurst. Hayes said she is “deeply grateful” and “honored to continue serving this wonderful community.”
Both introductions were made after approval of the personnel report; the meeting record links the personnel report to these appointments but does not show a separate roll-call vote specifically for each hire beyond inclusion on the personnel report portion of the agenda. Education and credential details recorded in the introductions: Argellen holds a master’s in school and community counseling from DePaul University and a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and is finalizing a master’s in educational leadership; Hayes holds a master’s in educational leadership from Aurora University, a master’s in teacher leadership from Elmhurst College and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from DePaul University.
No additional contract terms or salary figures for either appointment were disclosed in the meeting record.
