News Stories

In May 2024, the D124 Board of Education approved the two newly created Dean positions at Central Middle School. The change introduced a new leadership structure, with Dr. Jenna Moller as Principal and Ms. Christina Lavin as Associate Principal, supported by the Deans, who focus on student events, behavior, and serve as instructional support and leadership in the building. 

This structure launched in the 2024-25 school year with John Jensen as one of the original hires for the first year. Danielle Weston, a familiar face to D124, joined him for the 2025-26 school year. 
 
So what does a day in the life of a dean look like at Central? They are both quick to say that there is no “usual day” for them. 

“You never know, honestly, so it’s all about being flexible,” said Weston. “You have a plan, but it usually doesn’t go your way.” 

“Each day the schedule is different,” added Jensen. “I get in early, sit down, pull up the calendar and look at the to-do list and try to know what’s coming that day.”

To be ready for anything seems to be a pretty normal requirement for this job, and thankfully, the team brings a positive attitude and energy to every day. 

Another Point of Contact for Students
According to the job description, the Dean of Students is responsible for monitoring and enhancing the quality of student life in the middle school, including student-focused events and student behavior. A Dean also provides instructional support and leadership in planning, coordinating, and administering school programs—including curriculum, instruction, assessment, student conduct, attendance, athletics, and extracurricular activities. Does that sound like a lot? It is, but the administrative team at CMS works together in many ways to achieve these goals, and it is clear that it is making progress.

“Last August, we had 36 student referrals, and this August, we had 15 referrals, which is a 54% decrease,” said Principal Jenna Moller. “This is a direct result of having clear expectations for students, families, and staff and intentional supports and interventions. When fewer referrals and disruptions happen in the classrooms, it creates a safe space for all students to learn, which is exactly what our goal is!”

Students with the last names A through L are seen by Dean Weston, while those with M-Z last names connect with Dean Jensen. It’s not just the students who need extra help who connect with the Deans; they try to be seen in the hallways as much as possible, letting students know that they are there for them. 

“It’s important to be visible so that we can be building relationships with kids,” said Jensen. “I started as a middle school special ed teacher and am very used to kids this age. I think I’m a kid at heart and feel like I am in the know while I try to get to know everybody as best I can.” 

Danielle Weston is used to the halls at Central; in fact, she was a student here not all that long ago. She became a teacher after college, teaching second and third grade, but always felt drawn to the administrative side of education. She jumped at the chance to come back to her hometown to be a part of the school community that made an impact on her. 

“Last year I was casually looking for jobs and just seeing what was out there,” said Weston. “I was excited to come home and deal with my community and bring my experience to the students here because I really understand them. We are a real team here and support each other. It’s great to see what is happening in Evergreen because we are all trying to be accountable, and we are building trust and respect.”

Activities, Athletics, Behavior, Encouragement, and More
Each Dean takes on a different role in extracurricular activity options for students. Dean Weston is in charge of the activities and club side, while Dean Jensen runs the athletics side. By being actively involved in the day-to-day life in the school, they are able to see more students, create more connections, and ultimately bring their support and encouragement to students beyond those coming to the office for potential issues. 

“It really helps to have a connection between administration and teachers directly with students because it’s not all about discipline,” said Weston. “We want students to know that we are here to help you because we care, not because you’re in trouble, but because I need you to take accountability for your actions.”

“We are much more preventative than reactive this year and are able to have more things come to us,” added Jensen. “We are having restorative conversations with students in conflict and working with teachers and students who may be having issues. We air it out, talk about styles, and work together to come to a place where we know we don’t all need to be best friends, but we do need to treat each other with respect.”

Both Deans say that they spend a lot of time emailing, calling, or speaking with students, staff, and families because it’s important to make sure everyone is on the same page. They are careful not to just reach out when there’s an issue, but to share improvements, positive interactions, or other achievements with families. 

Whether it is helping with conflict resolution, sharing study habits or anger management tools, or just being a trusted person to talk to, the position is really all about building connections with students to create a better learning environment and school community for everyone. 

“The students are doing great, honestly, and we are here to be supportive and not just as a consequence,” said Jensen. “It feels like being a middleman or liaison between the families and the schools, and we can really work together to support students. If a kid is struggling with attendance, we reach out and see what is going on and how we can help to work together with parents and teachers to make sure that even if a student is having a hard moment, they learn from it.”

“This is our next generation and it’s important that they learn the skills to make good choices,” added Danielle. “We are going to find a way to make our kids feel included, whether it is during the school day or in clubs or activities after school. The sense of community starts with administration and goes down to everyone else, so we stick together as EP Family and make sure no one is left out.”

There may not be a set schedule or structure for the day in the life of a Dean at Central, but it’s clear that these dedicated educators are open to being flexible and adjusting to the demands of the day. 

“John and Danielle are impacting the culture at CMS in a positive way by increasing interventions and supports for students through their dean’s groups, increased parent meetings, consistent re-entry meeting practices, increased communication to staff and families, and building strong relationships with the school community,” said Dr. Moller. “They are taking initiative and thinking through how to make the hallways flow better, piloting a new tardy procedure to get students to class on time, and always taking the time to listen to students and staff. Central is in good hands!”