Dear Hilltop Parents/Guardians,

We are pleased to announce that Matthew Decker has been selected to take on the role of principal at Hilltop Elementary School, after serving for more than 13 years in administrative positions in school districts in the Chicago area. He aims to create environments where praise and compliments allow students and staff to feel that they are valued and appreciated as well as implementing instructional strategies and techniques that provide students the skills to be lifelong learners and productive members of society. 

For the last six years, Mr. Decker has been the assistant principal at Washington Elementary School in Waukegan Public School District 60. There, he led the creation of a PBIS program to encourage positive student behavior, improved teacher’s commitments to follow curriculum aligned to the Common Core Standards, and redesigned the school’s master schedule to include a 40-minute intervention block to assist in ELA and math deficiencies. He was also a leader in creating mission and vision statements, goals, and a budget for a new School Improvement Plan. 

From 2016 to 2019, he was the assistant principal at Lundahl Middle School in Crystal Lake Community Elementary School District 47. There, he evaluated teachers, librarians, and instructional coaches; presided over IEP meetings; created and reviewed 504 plans annually; organized standardized testing, and used restorative practices for sixth through eighth graders.

Other roles in education include serving as dean of students at McHenry East High School, as the assistant technical director at Palatine High School, and the assistant to the site director at North Cook Young Adult Academy in Des Plaines. 

Mr. Decker holds a bachelor’s degree in history from North Central College, and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Roosevelt University.

Please join me in congratulating Matthew Decker on his new role at Hilltop Elementary School.

Sincerely,

Teresa Winters

Executive Director of Elementary Schools, Streamwood Network

School District U-46

In U-46, we believe that Every Minute Matters. Our schools are dedicated to providing an exceptional education for all students, laying a strong foundation for their future success. For this to happen, it's crucial that schools, families, and students work together to ensure consistent attendance. Learn more about the importance of attendance and what you can do to ensure your child is in school and learning by exploring the information and resources on our website. 

As we move forward with the Unite U-46 process, it's crucial to keep the entire U-46 community informed and involved in the confirmation of the plan and projects. Stay up-to-date by checking out the Unite U-46: Mapping Our Future page for upcoming community engagement sessions and recordings of past updates.

Let’s Talk! is an open invitation from U-46 to submit feedback or a question directly to the U-46 staff member who can promptly respond. You'll also get a chance to offer feedback on our response. 

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