Administration

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL 

I am honored to serve as the associate principal of West Aurora High School. Prior to this role, I served as assistant principal of student services, assistant athletic director, and dean of students. 

Before transitioning to administration, I taught English and coached football and basketball at Lisle Senior High School. I graduated from Augustana College, where I majored in secondary English education and was also a member of the football team.

Since joining School District 129, I have enjoyed building relationships with students, staff, parents, and community members in each of my roles. I look forward to continuing to serve the West Aurora community and contributing to our shared success.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF STUDENT SERVICES

Hello! My name is Patrick Eschman and I am happy to be serving as assistant principal of student services. Most recently I worked as dean of students in the Pride House at West Aurora High School.

Before becoming a dean, I worked as a teacher in the self-contained program for students with emotional disorders here at West. I was also a student council sponsor focused specifically on school spirit and helping connect students to the traditions that make West Best and increasing Blackhawk Pride.

Before coming to West Aurora School District 129 I taught at a middle school in Southern Illinois for five years where I also taught in a self-contained program for students with emotional disorders. 

I am an avid West High sports and activities fan. You will probably see me at many after-school events cheering on and supporting students as they compete. When I am not at school I enjoy cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals and Blues and spending time with my dog, Maggie. One of my favorite pastimes is hiking and I have a goal of visiting all of the National Parks.

I am eager to collaborate with students and families, serving as a resource to connect students with West High and inspire them to discover the curiosity, complexity, and joy of learning.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF TEACHING & LEARNING

I am honored and excited to be the assistant principal of teaching and learning at West Aurora High School.

I’ve proudly spent my whole professional career in School District 129, with administrative experiences as a middle school assistant principal of teaching & learning as well as a mathematics curriculum coordinator.

I started as a mathematics teacher right here at West Aurora High School.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Western Illinois University, and a Master of Arts in educational leadership from the American College of Education. I believe in lifelong learning and continuing education.

I believe that all students should be challenged to grow in their education. I look forward to welcoming your child as a Blackhawk and am excited for the new challenges we will provide to your students! 

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

I graduated from Aurora University in 1998 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, then with a Master’s Degree in Teaching from AU in 2001. From 2001-2012, I worked in the Oswego School District at Thompson Junior High (2001-03), Oswego High School (2003-04), and Oswego East High School (2004-2012) teaching Social Studies. At OEHS, I was also the Head Boys Basketball Coach, Head Boys Golf Coach, and Assistant Athletic Director.

I have served as Athletic Director at West Aurora High School since 2012.

Assistant athletic director

I graduated from Augustana College in 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education and History and began my teaching career as a paraprofessional at Lockport High School. While working as a paraprofessional I earned my Special Education Endorsement from the University of St. Francis.

I began teaching at West Aurora High School in 2014 as a LBS teacher. In 2017, I earned my Master's Degree in Educational Technology from the American College of Education. I have been an Assistant Coach for both Boys and Girls Soccer, and currently, I am an Assistant Coach for Girls Wrestling.

I am excited to serve in my role as Assistant Athletic Director for West Aurora High School where we can foster a competitive and inclusive environment for our student-athletes across our sports programs. 

Mr. Dan Rymarz

I have been working for West Aurora School District 129 at West Aurora High school since 2008.  I earned my bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst College in History and Secondary Education, earned my endorsement in Special Education from Roosevelt University, and my Master’s in Educational Leadership from North Central College.  I began my career in Special Education before moving into my current role as Dean of Student in the Ambition House. 

MS. LAUREN LIHOSIT

I am honored to be part of carrying out the mission of West Aurora High School. I look forward to putting students first by providing abundant opportunities for growth and success. 

I bring one year of related experience to my new role, having served as dean of students at Yorkville Middle School during the past school year. In addition to my typical duties as dean, I was responsible for developing whole-staff professional learning focused on student interventions. 

My teaching experience includes having taught English language arts and social studies for seven years at KD Waldo Middle School in East Aurora School District 131. My leadership experiences while in that role included coordinating and supervising extracurricular activities at Waldo and participating in an administrative internship across several schools in the district.

I began my educational career as a teacher’s assistant in Benjamin School District 25 in West Chicago.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as the dean of students at West Aurora High School. I look forward to collaborating with the students, families, teachers, staff, and administrators to help our students become Blackhawk Ready.

Before joining West Aurora, I served as the assistant director of student services for Valley View School District. In that role, I led educational and crisis management initiatives, collaborated on academic and social-emotional learning programs, oversaw crisis response, and provided professional learning. My work also involved contributing to curriculum development, policy enforcement, and staff evaluation.

My educational career began as a special education teacher at Plainfield South High School, where I taught for three years. I hold a Bachelor of Science in history education from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Arts in educational leadership from Concordia University. I am honored to bring my experience and dedication to West Aurora and remain committed to fostering a supportive and enriching environment for all.
 

As the dean of students at West Aurora High School, I bring a diverse range of experiences, having served as a world language teacher, girls cross country coach, and Hispanic Heritage Month celebration organizer. My leadership roles have involved contributing to curriculum development, serving on the school’s improvement team, and leading professional learning community meetings focused on enhancing the heritage Spanish program.

Before joining School District 129, I was a teacher assistant at Rollins Elementary School in School District 131. During this time, I was honored with the title of "Rookie Personnel of the Year."

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Carthage College and a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from the American College of Education. I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to continue working with students in my role at West Aurora High School, building on the strong relationships I have established over the years.

Ms. BRITTA DAHLBERG

I am honored to join the administration team at West Aurora High School and I look forward to partnering with the students, staff, and families in the coming year!

For the past four years, I have worked as a physical education and mathematics teacher at Golder College Prep, a grade nine through 12 charter school in Chicago. In addition to my responsibilities in the classroom, I served on multiple curriculum design teams and delivered various strength, conditioning, and wellness-related extracurricular opportunities for students.

Before my time at Golder College Prep, I spent a combined eleven years at the middle school level. Three of those were spent at Jane Addams Middle School in Bolingbrook and six at Alaine Locke Charter School in Chicago. I began my educational career at Laura Ward Elementary School in Chicago, teaching various subjects to sixth through eighth-grade students.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in recreation, leadership, and management and a Bachelor of Science in elementary education, both from Ferris State University. I also have a Master of Education in educational leadership from the American College of Education. 

MR. DEMETRICE STEPHENS

From 2014 through 2021, I taught physical education at various levels within School District 129. Most recently, I taught self-contained physical education at the Blackhawk Academy and served as a summer school administrator. Through my role as summer school administrator, I oversaw daily operations such as the coordination of transportation and course placements for students. I also bring a wealth of experience in athletics to my role, having coached basketball, soccer, and football. 

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in physical education from Judson University and a Master of Arts in leadership and administration from National Louis University.