The East Moline School District 37 Board of Education has approved a new principal for Glenview Middle School, Karla Hawley, to start this July.

She is currently the principal at Prairie High School in the College Community School District in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Previously, Hawley has worked as the associate principal at Rock Island High School and started her career as a kindergarten teacher at Ridgewood Elementary in East Moline.

She was chosen by a group of stakeholders from Glenview Middle School and the East Moline School District including employees and parents, according to a district release Tuesday. Hawley was chosen for her student-centered focus, leadership, and passion for bringing educators together around a problem of practice.

“Mrs. Hawley brings a remarkable amount of energy and leadership to this role,” district superintendent Kristin Humphries said. “We are very excited about her ability to bring a team together for a higher purpose – serving our students and families.”

“I am so honored and excited for this opportunity to lead Glenview Middle School,” Hawley said in the release. “I’m looking forward to working with Glenview students, staff, families, and the East Moline community to support and celebrate all students and their educational goals and successes.

“Our youth are coming of age in a time where our world evolves almost overnight; it is our responsibility to introduce, teach, and hone the skills that they will one day rely on to be successful global citizens,” she added. “I truly can’t wait to meet everyone and get started.”

Hawley is originally from East Moline. She graduated from United Township High School; and earned both her bachelor’s (2001) and master’s in educational leadership (2008) degrees from Western Illinois University.