Starting with the 2021-22 school year, Mr. Matthew Palcer will serve as principal of Centennial Elementary School, bringing more than a decade of leadership experience to School District U-46. 

Mr. Palcer has served as the principal of Marie Murphy Middle School in Wilmette since July 2012 where he led the coordination of standards implantation, resource adoption, professional development and training of new materials, and assessment.

He previously served as principal at Pleasant Hill Elementary School in Palatine and as the assistant principal at Jane Addams Elementary School in Palatine. Mr. Palcer has also worked as a middle school student advisor and teacher.

Mr. Palcer believes in creating and living a mission statement that focuses on high expectations for all students, developing a continuum of services that emphasizes differentiation so that all students can experience success, articulating data used to determine growth and achievement, and establishing procedures and expectations for a family and community engagement.

Mr. Palcer earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary social studies education from University of Illinois, a Master’s degree in education administration from National Louis University and is currently working on obtaining his Doctorate from Concordia University.