Principal
From the Desk of Ms. Bennett
Principal
847-973-3280 ext. 407
cbennett@gavin37.org
About Ms. Bennett
Welcome to Gavin Central! I’ve been Principal at Gavin Central Elementary School since July of 2023. I work alongside students, teachers, staff, parents, community members, and administration to continue the wonderful progress, traditions, and achievements at Gavin Central.
Education has been a priority in my life for as long as I can remember and I am proud to have served in public education for more than 25 years. I have spent time as a classroom teacher, an assistant principal, an elementary principal, a director of educational programs, and a preschool principal.
After graduating from Northern Illinois University, I began my teaching career in Zion School District teaching first grade. I loved every minute of the day, but after two years, I had the opportunity to move to Fremont School District where I have been for the past twenty-six years as a teacher and then in several administrative roles. During my first two years at Fremont, I pursued my Master's Degree in Educational Leadership at National Louis University. Shortly thereafter, an assistant principal position opened and I began my 23 years in administration.
My passion has always been in elementary education. It is such an honor to foster a love of lifelong learning beginning with our youngest learners. It’s always a joy to see the passion in students as they learn new things and that is what drives me to continue working with our next generation of learners.
Outside of school, I love to spend time with my family, particularly my niece and nephew. I also love reading a good mystery book.
I’m thrilled to continue my educational journey at Gavin Central Elementary School and am excited to work with teachers and staff, students, and parents. Education is truly a gift and is a combined effort between the schools and home. The connection between home and school is crucial for the growth of all students. Children need to feel happy and safe to continue to grow and learn so my goal is to continue to provide that environment for students at Gavin Central Elementary School.
I look forward to the opportunity to meet all of you. My door is always open.
Sincerely,
Carol Bennett
Assistant Principal
Mary Orozco
Mrs. Orozco-Fortin is the Assistant Principal at Gavin Central Elementary School. A Golden Apple Award winner and nominee for Illinois Teacher of the Year, Mary has taught general education and special education students in bilingual, dual language and ESL programs over two decades. She believes that investing and building capacity in teachers is the best way to improve student engagement and learning. As such, Mrs. Orozco-Fortin has become an acitive member of IPA (IL Principal Association), NABE (National Association of Bilingual Education) and IAMME (IL Association of Multilingual and Multicultural Education) and IAASE (IL Alliance of administrators of Special Eduation) to access resources for supporting our teachers and student here at Gavin. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and an M.Ed. in Bilingual-Bicultural Education from DePaul University, as well as an M.A. in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education. Mrs. Orozco-Fortin is also a recipient of the IL Aspiring School Leader Network Scholarship and the "Good Things at Gavin" Award for her successes with our students here at Gavin. She has lived and worked in Mexico and the United States and represents Gavin as a Fullbright Scholar and a WIDA Fellow. She is passionate about building an elementary school where all students have access to the highest quality of educational opportunities and incorporating interventions and accommodations to ensure the access and engagement of all students.