The River Trails School District 26 Board of Education approved Natalie Hudson's hiring Tuesday night as Prairie Trails School's assistant principal and director of special programs. In the role, Hudson will assist Principal Amy Veytsman in the school's day-to-day operations and have various district-level responsibilities, including overseeing the multilingual learner program.
Since 2015, Hudson has worked in the district’s student services department, most recently as a kindergarten special education teacher at Prairie Trails. She earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from Indiana University South Bend and her master’s degree in special education leadership from Concordia University Chicago. Hudson also holds endorsements in special education and English as a second language.
"We are thrilled to welcome Natalie to our administrative team," Veytsman said. "Her extensive experience in special education and leadership, combined with her dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment, make her an ideal choice for assistant principal. She has been an invaluable resource at Prairie Trails and I look forward to working with her to continue to provide the best possible educational experience for our students."
Prairie Trails School serves the district’s pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. The school opened in 2021 after extensive renovations, making it the first net-zero energy facility in Mount Prospect. In April, Prairie Trails was named a 2023 Department of Education Green Ribbon School.