April 25, 2023

MUNDELEIN, Ill. -- Fremont School District 79 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Trisha Kocanda has announced the appointment of Krista Winkelman as the District’s new Executive Director of Student Services effective July 1, 2023.

She will replace Dr. Jane Pedersen who recently was named the Director of Human Resources at Kildeer Countryside School District 96. Pedersen and Winkelman will collaborate on the transition throughout the remainder of the 2022-23 school year.

Winkelman is no stranger to FSD79, as she has been a staff member in the District in various roles since 1993, including serving as the principal of Fremont Middle School since July 2018. She began her time at Fremont as a special education teacher before becoming the Student Services coordinator in 2009 and then associate principal of the Middle School in 2016 prior to becoming the Middle School principal two years later.

Winkelman recently was honored by the Illinois Principals Association as the 2023 Lake Region Middle School Principal of the Year.

“It is an honor to continue serving Fremont School District 79 in a new capacity as the Executive Director of Student Services,” Winkelman said. “I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Kocanda, the Board of Education, and the interview team for their confidence in my leadership abilities. 

“I also want to thank the middle school students and staff for allowing me to lead and learn alongside them during my tenure as the middle school principal. I am excited to lead in this new role with passion and an open heart so that all students can learn and grow in a culture of belonging.”

Winkelman earned her master’s degree in educational administration and master’s degree in elementary education from Northern Illinois University. She also earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. 

FSD79 will immediately begin a search for its next Middle School principal.

Fremont School District 79 is a preschool through eighth-grade public school district serving more than 2,100 students. It serves students from the communities of Grayslake, Hawthorn Woods, Libertyville, Long Grove, Mundelein, Round Lake, and Wauconda.