New assistant principal appointed at Hauser 

When she was a kid, Katie Kayastha thought writing on a chalkboard and “teaching” her sister was a lot of fun. As she got older, she babysat and began working with children, and enjoyed the energy of that work.

Now add a deep love of math and reading, and it’s no surprise Kayastha jumped into the teaching profession with both feet.

But she’s not done. On Feb. 19, the Riverside School District 96 Board of Education appointed her the new assistant principal at L.J. Hauser Junior High School, effective July 1. It is a place she has called her professional home for nearly two decades.

“This is my 18th year here, and I’ve gotten to know and love the community and the families and the teachers,” said Kayastha, an Elmhurst College (now Elmhurst University) graduate.

She will be the assistant to new principal Chris Harvalis, who also will start July 1, succeeding April Mahy. He’s been the Hauser assistant principal since 2020.

Kayastha started as a seventh-grade teacher at Hauser, focusing on primarily math, reading and social studies. Today, she is a student support coordinator, where she wears many hats, including meeting with families, planning testing throughout the school year and reviewing the data to determine the amount of support that’s needed.

“I think she brings a deep knowledge of Hauser and a great enthusiasm to the new assistant principal role,” said superintendent Dr. Martha Ryan-Toye. “I think it’s going to be a seamless transition. This is an opportunity to keep going on the same path with some new faces.”

Harvalis, an integral part of the panel that interviewed Kayastha and selected her at the end of January, said she was the perfect fit.

“It’s a very important role, so I was looking for someone with a lot of experience in education, so it gives teachers that credibility,” he said. “I was emphasizing middle school experience as well, looking for a range of experience.

“I’ve been in this building for a long time, so I know the staff and the families really well,” he added, noting that it was important to him that the selected person “was going to be a good match for the personalities and work closely with myself.”

Kayastha checked all the boxes.

“I’ve known him for 16 or 17 years in the district,” she said. “I think our skills complement each other, and we create a good yin and yang system. He’s taking on his new role and he’s going to be a great mentor to help me as I step into my role.”

It’s not easy for anyone to step into an assistant principalship. Kayastha took a master’s level principal preparation program, which was an endorsement program that included coursework and an internship, along with lots and lots of conversations with Harvalis and Mahy.

“It’s essentially a degree in leadership,” Superintendent Ryan-Toye said, adding that the district’s view of that role is pretty cut and dried.

“One of the things we look for is being student-centered,” she said, “and looking at the well-being of each and every student, but a strong sense of collaboration with the school staff and strong sense of connection with families and being a good problem solver.”

An easy smile and a good sense of humor helps, too. Kayastha is looking forward to March 8, when Hauser will host its annual Polar Plunge, featuring a dunk tank in the school’s parking lot. She’s not going to take the plunge, but she’ll be there supporting the teachers and staff that will participate.

For a teacher that’s contemplating pursuing an administrative role someday, Kayastha has advice.

“First I would say, don’t ever rule it out,” she said. “For the longest time, I didn’t know I wanted to go into administration, but take on leadership roles in your district.

“Being a face and a voice within the district” is crucial, she added. “Having that voice at the table and being heard is really important.”