Two new school principals hired in Rock Island
Andrew Walker
Published Mar 14, 2026
Jennifer Alongi will be the new principal for Rock Island’s Eugene Field Elementary School and John Hawley will be principal at Rock Island Center for Math & Science, starting the 2022-2023 school year.
The Rock Island-Milan School District board of education approved the hires — each at a $116,501 annual salary — at its regular meeting on Tuesday, April 12.
Alongi’s experience includes holding positions as an English Learner (EL) teacher for four years, an EL Curriculum & Instruction Specialist for three years, and an elementary principal for nine years, according to a Tuesday release. As an administrator, she prepared, trained and introduced the first special education instruction and support to her building and staff. She also recruited diversity into her building and provided EL instructional training with support to the staff and students in her building.
Alongi has a strong passion for education and implementing best practices to ensure students are getting the help they need for growth and success, the school district release says.
John Hawley worked as a classroom Spanish teacher for 20 years and then as a junior high and high school administrator for another 14 years (the last 9 of the 14 years as a junior high school principal).
As an administrator, Hawley established himself as an ethical school leader with great integrity, the release says. He is a voice for diversity within his current district. He has established himself as a learner and trainer to other teachers and administrators in Fierce Conversations and Cognitive Coaching.
Hawley is bilingual and has a passion to use the resources available to his school to provide what each student needs to be successful, the release says.
At last week’s school board meeting, they also named Lorelei Andedo as the high school Student Intervention Administrator, at a salary of $106,552. This position is responsible for assisting students with special academic, social, attendance, and behavioral needs to ensure that the students in grades 9-12 can succeed at RIHS.
