Meet Noble Schools' Principals (Part One)

Published On: October 12th, 2023Categories: 2023, DRW College Prep, Golder College Prep, Johnson College Prep, Muchin College Prep, Staff

As we celebrate Principal Appreciation Month, we wanted to feature ALL of our principals so our whole Noble community can get to know them.

To kick off, we’re featuring the principals of DRW College Prep, Muchin College Prep, Johnson College Prep, and Golder College Prep!

Stay tuned! We’ll return with more photos and details from our other 13 principals as we continue to celebrate.

PRINCIPAL TINA ELLIS | DRW COLLEGE PREP

Tina Ellis is proud to be the new principal at DRW College Prep. Born and raised on the East Coast, Ellis considers herself a woman of faith and family. As the daughter of immigrants, she is passionate about immigration reform and equipping students with the skills they need to complete college.

Ellis has worked in education for over two decades in various capacities. Before coming to Noble in 2019, she taught in Boston, Gary, Hammond, and Chicago. During this time, Ellis received recognition for the Core Value Award from Noble Schools in 2020. She also received the Outstanding Educator Award in 2019 and A Disciplined Life Award in 2015.

Ellis attended Boston College and Cambridge College and received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications and her Master of Education degree, respectively. She has also received an additional master’s degree in secondary education from Indiana University.

Ellis believes her success in education is because of the solid relationships she builds with students and families. She looks forward to pursuing excellence for DRW students and their families!

Q: What is your favorite song?

A: “‘Optimistic’ by Sounds of Blackness. I must rely on my faith to do this work and be optimistic every day with the barriers I encounter as an educator.”

Q: What is your favorite thing about Chicago/your campus neighborhood?

A: “I love the community’s desire to build a better North Lawndale and their willingness to stand behind DRW.”

Q: What is one thing that is bringing you joy right now outside of work?

A: “I enjoy relaxing at home doing nothing because it helps me rejuvenate and prepare for the work week.”

CHECK OUT ELLIS’ PHOTO ALBUM:

Photo shows Tina Ellis, principal of DRW College Prep, between her two grown up sons. They are all wearing summer clothes and standing in a long non-descript hallway.

PRINCIPAL CHASE JOHNSON-ESPINOZA | MUCHIN COLLEGE PREP

Chase Johnson-Espinoza grew up in Riverside, California. He has always loved school and was inspired by his passionate teachers to become a teacher himself.

He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Legal Studies. Johnson-Espinoza went on to join the Teach for America corps in Chicago, where he was a math learning specialist.

Johnson-Espinoza joined the Muchin team in July of 2011. During his tenure at Muchin, Johnson-Espinoza has been a learning specialist, math teacher, dean of students, and assistant principal. While at Muchin, Johnson-Espinoza earned his Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership.

As principal, he is grateful to work with the Muchin community to provide a transformative education that honors our scholars’ brilliance, affirms their unique identities, and equips them to complete college and lead choice-filled lives.

Q: What is your favorite song?

A: “‘This is Me’ by Keala Settle is my favorite song because it carries a powerful message of self- empowerment and authenticity. Every morning at Muchin College Prep, it serves as a pump-up anthem, setting a positive tone for the day. It’s a song that resonates with not only me but also our office manager, Ms. Hernandez. As we pass each other in the morning, singing along, it reminds us of the importance of embracing our true selves and not wasting precious time trying to be someone we’re not. The song’s uplifting melody and lyrics encourage us to be proud of who we are, and that’s why it holds a special place in my heart.”

Q: What is your favorite thing about Chicago/your campus neighborhood?

A: “Chicago is my favorite place because it offers an abundance of things to do and explore. Having grown up near Los Angeles and spent time in the Bay Area of Northern California, I’ve come to cherish the vibrant energy of Chicago. Whenever I’m away from this city, I find myself missing it dearly. What sets Chicago apart for me is the constant buzz of activity, ensuring there’s never a dull moment. As a vegetarian and occasional vegan for the past two decades, I appreciate the city’s diverse culinary scene, with countless restaurants catering to my dietary preferences. Moreover, I’m a huge fan of the stunning lakefront, which I enjoy with my dogs. Chicagoans truly make the most of good weather, seizing every opportunity to savor the outdoors. This city’s dynamic and ever-evolving nature makes it the perfect place for me.”

Q: What is one thing that is bringing you joy right now outside of work?

A: “One thing that brings me immense joy outside of work right now is my nieces and nephew in California. Even though I don’t get to see them often in person, staying connected and seeing their life updates through pictures and messages is always a heartwarming source of happiness.”

CHECK OUT JOHNSON-ESPINOZA’S PHOTO ALBUM:

Photo shows Chase Johnson-Espinoza, principal of Muchin College Prep, driving in a car and holding two small dogs who are asleep on top of each other.

Photo shows a picture of Chase Johnson-Espinoza at his wedding. He is standing, looking like he's ready to dance, in front of a patch of flowers outside, alongside another person in formal wear. He is wearing a black long-sleeve button up with gray slacks and a black bowtie with white dots.

Photo shows Chase Johnson-Espinoza holding his nephew, a small toddler, outside. Johnson-Espinoza is wearing a Muchin College Prep hoodie.

Photo of Chase Johnson-Espinoza and other party attendees on the stairs at a formal event. They are all pointing at the camera in a humorous way.

Selfie of Chase Johnson-Espinoza is his car with two of his loved ones.

Photo is a humorous selfie of Chase Johnson-Espinoza in an airport. He has an excited and funny facial expression on, with his eyebrows raised high and his mouth and eyes wide open.

PRINCIPAL JONAS CLEAVES | JOHNSON COLLEGE PREP

Jonas Cleaves was born and raised on Chicago’s Southside. He is an Army Veteran who served a tour in Iraq (2004). After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Army, he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership.

Mr. Cleaves became passionate about education after seeing the impact of the school-to-prison pipeline while working at a re-entry program for individuals recently released from prison. He started working at Muchin College Prep in 2009 as a founding dean of culture and was promoted to assistant principal in 2016.

After seven years at Muchin, Mr. Cleaves went on to further his educational leadership skills. He attended The New Teacher Project’s turnaround school leadership program in Philadelphia. After completing that program, Mr. Cleaves was hired as the founding principal of Bluff City High School in Memphis, TN.

Mr. Cleaves returned to Chicago in 2019 to lead Johnson College Prep and support the revitalization of the Englewood community.

Q: What is your favorite song?

A: “‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ from Encanto. My daughter loves this song, so it’s on heavy rotation during car rides.”

Q: What is your favorite thing about Chicago/your campus neighborhood?

A: “I love seeing and meeting the elders of the Englewood community. I appreciate the pride and resilience they have shown by staying in a community that has dealt with divestment and violence over the years. They still believe in the potential of Englewood and and are playing a major role in its rebirth.”

Q: What is one thing that is bringing you joy right now outside of work?

A: “Fall is here! I love experiencing the seasons change! We are very blessed to get four true seasons in Chicago, and I appreciate them all.”

CHECK OUT CLEAVES’ PHOTO ALBUM:

Photo shows Principal Jonas Cleaves standing and holding his big bulldog on his chest. The dog is hugging him. He is inside a house with a piece of art on the wall behind him.

Photo shows Principal Jonas Cleaves standing on a mountain summit. You can see other mountains and clouds behind him. He is crossing his arms and standing with his legs apart -- a nice power pose.

Photo shows a young child on Principal Jonas Cleaves' shoulders. They are in the middle of a protest outside and the child holds a sign that says "Black Lives Matter". Cleaves wears a black bandana over his mouth and the child has a pink mask on.

Photo shows an artistic shot of Principal Jonas Cleaves' silhouette as he faces away from the camera so we only see his back and he stretches out his arms diagonally. An empty wall with a long fluorescent light is behind him. The light tilts at the same angle as his arms, mirroring him and backlighting his silhouette.

JESSIE WEINGARTNER | GOLDER COLLEGE PREP

Originally from Hyde Park, Chicago, Jessie is the proud principal of Golder College Prep. Jessie began her career at Noble in the summer of 2014 as the founding Assistant Dean of Students at The Noble Academy. At The Noble Academy, Jessie also held a number of other positions — she taught 9th grade English and served as the assistant principal of the upperschool and assistant principal of academics.

Prior to joining Noble, she taught 2nd and 3rd grade special education in New Orleans and served as her school’s Response-to-Intervention coordinator, implementing academic and behavioral interventions for students in grades K-4th.

Jessie earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Comparative Studies from Duke University. She then earned her Master of Education from the University of Houston in 2016. In 2017, she completed Noble Schools’ Principal Fellowship.

She loves the students, staff, and families of Golder College Prep and is proud to be a panther!

Q: What is your favorite song?

A: “I listen to old songs almost exclusively. When I’m driving my 14-year-old around, though, she loves Taylor Swift, so we listen to that in the car. When it’s just me, I really love jazz and enjoy Billie Holiday or Miles Davis. I’m old school!”

Q: What is your favorite thing about Chicago/your campus neighborhood?

A: “I grew up in Chicago, and I’ve always loved the vibrancy and uniqueness of each neighborhood. Golder is located in West Town, and I appreciate the diversity not only of my campus but of the surrounding neighborhood. There are all different types of food and people, and I love that my students get to experience that.”

Q: What is one thing that is bringing you joy right now outside of work?

A: “I’m a mom of (soon to be) three girls. I love spending time with them in different ways and watching my toddler grow in her ability to communicate. I take the lessons I learn in motherhood and apply them with my children at Golder.”