Building Leadership Appointments Announced

Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 has announced building leadership appointments in preparation for the 2024-25 school year.  

The appointments were approved on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, by the District #7 Board of Education at their monthly meeting.  

All five will assume their positions July 1, 2024.  

Cole Kringlen, Columbus Interim Principal 
Kringlen is currently the administrative intern at Leclaire Elementary and Lincoln Middle School. Recently assigned as the Interim Assistant Principal at Lincoln Middle School, Kringlen will now take on the role of Columbus Interim Principal. He spent the 2022-23 year as a physical education teacher at Woodland Elementary after relocating to the area from Colorado. 

While in Colorado, Kringlen spent seven years as an assistant principal, including at South Ridge Elementary, Mesa Middle School, and Roxborough Intermediate. He has also served as a moderate needs educational assistant and taught sixth grade for eight years. 

Kringlen has a bachelor’s degree in education from Mayville State University and a master’s in educational administration from Argosy University Denver. 

Brandi Alvarado, Nelson Elementary and Leclaire Elementary Administrative Intern 
Alvarado is in her 10th year as a fourth-grade teacher at Columbus Elementary. She previously taught in Springfield, Illinois. 

Alvarado is a member of the PLC guiding coalition team and has served on the science curriculum committee. 

She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Blackburn College and a master’s degree in administration from the University of Illinois Springfield. 

Jamie Anderson, Lincoln Middle School Assistant Principal 
Anderson is in her 12th year as a first-grade teacher at Leclaire Elementary, following 11 years as a kindergarten teacher at Nelson Elementary. 

During her time with District #7, Anderson has been part of the District #7 Leadership Academy and a member of the Leclaire Building Leadership Team. 

She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in elementary education from SIUE and has earned her educational administration degree from SIUE. 

Holly Hampton, Midway Elementary and Hamel Elementary Administrative Intern 
Hampton is in her 15th year with District #7 and has spent the last 13 years as the K-5 RTI Reading Teacher. She also spent two years at Liberty Middle School and previously taught at Litchfield Middle School and Staunton Junior High. 

During her time with District #7, Hampton has participated in the Teacher Leader Academy, is a PLC school coalition leadership team member, served as chair of the D7 Staff Appreciation and Wellness Team, helped District #7 form a partnership with SIUE literacy professors, participated in the development of the Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan, and implemented school-wide reading activities to encourage a love for reading. 

Hampton has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Illinois and earned her master’s degree and educational administration degree, both from SIUE. 

Leslie Simpson, Glen Carbon Elementary and Goshen Elementary Administrative Intern 
Simpson is in her 14th year at Edwardsville High School, where she serves as a Spanish teacher and instructional technology coach. She previously taught third and fourth grades at Albert Cassens Elementary and spent four years at Okaw Valley School District #302 as a kindergarten and high school Spanish teacher. 

During her time with District #7, Simpson was a member of the inaugural Teacher Leadership Academy, an active leader with MTSS at EHS, participates on the EHS PLC building coalition team, is a member of the Grading Assessment Team, and helped design and lead the New Teacher Training Course. 

Simpson has a bachelor’s degree from SIUE and is completing her master’s degree in educational leadership with a principalship endorsement from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, with an anticipated completion date of December 2024. 

Cari Wencewicz, Worden Elementary and Columbus Elementary Assistant Principal  
Wencewicz is currently the reading specialist at Nelson Elementary. She previously taught first grade at Leclaire and Goshen Elementary Schools from 2006 to 2013. 

During her time with District #7, Wencewicz has been part of the PLC guiding coalition, the District #7 Leadership Academy, and has served as a building facilitator for Fastbridge Fast for Success. 

She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Southeast Missouri State University. Wencewicz also earned her master’s degree as a literacy specialist from SIU Edwardsville and is completing her principal certificate and an Ed.S. in educational administration, both from SIUE.