On May 18, the District 65 School Board voted to appoint Amber Henderson as the new principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School and Christopher Latting as the new principal of Haven Middle School.
Dr. Amber Henderson
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Henderson and Mr. Latting to our District 65 family. They are two tremendous leaders,” said Dr. Phil Ehrhardt, Co-Interim Superintendent. “Both of their qualities and experience closely align with the leadership profiles developed by their respective school communities.”
Dr.Henderson is a veteran educator and administrator with over 15 years of experience, says the District in a prepared statement. She currently serves as the Assistant Principal of Roberto Clemente High School in Chicago Public Schools. Before that she held roles as Assistant Principal of Harold Washington Elementary School (K-8), and Resident Principal and Department Chair at Wendell Phillips High School.
In her current role, Dr. Henderson leads the school’s Culture and Climate Team which has focused on the implementation of Restorative and Trauma-Informed Practices. She describes herself as a leader who is committed to strong communication and building school communities where high expectations for student and adult learning are systemically supported at all levels.
Dr. Henderson earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She was awarded her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She earned her Doctoral Degree in Urban Education Leadership from the University of Illinois, Chicago.
“I am honored to be selected to serve as the new principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary & Fine Arts School,” said Dr. Henderson. “It is a privilege to join an astounding community of talented and steadfast staff, students, and parents. I am confident that through our collaboration and communication, we will achieve amazing success.”
Christopher Latting
Mr. Latting has spent his educational career in Joliet Public Schools and has 14 years of teaching and administrative experience ranging from kindergarten through eighth grade, said the District in a prepared statement. He is currently in his second year as principal of Isaac Singleton Elementary School.
Prior to his current position, he served as the Principal of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Assistant Principal of M.J. Cunningham Elementary School, and Interim Dean of Academics at Dirksen Junior High School. He began his career as an eighth grade science teacher at Dirksen. He describes himself as a servant leader who is committed to visibility, clear communication, distributed leadership, culturally sensitive policies and practices, and high expectations.
Mr. Latting earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from University of Wyoming. He has also earned two Master’s Degrees in Teaching and Leadership and is currently pursuing his doctorate in Educational Leadership at University of St. Francis.
“I am extremely delighted to be joining the team at Haven Middle School,” said Mr. Latting. “I look forward to our collaborative efforts to provide all students and staff with rich and meaningful opportunities for social, emotional, and intellectual growth.”
Dr. Ehrhardt said, “We are so appreciative of those who shared their voice and helped us to identify the qualities, skills, and experience desired for their next school leaders. And, we are grateful for those who participated in the survey, focus groups, and to our interview committee of educators, parents/caregivers, and administrators. With the assistance of BWP & Associates, we were able to facilitate transparent and inclusive search processes that ultimately led us to these outstanding leaders.”