Palos West Administration
Mr. Joel Dukett
Principal
708-448-6888 x3800
jdukett@palos118.org
Mr. Dukett brings over 10 years of experience in education, including leadership roles in school psychology, special education, and school administration. He most recently served as Assistant Principal at Pershing Elementary in Berwyn South District 100, where he led the school's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) implementation, Behavioral Health Team, and chaired the PBIS team to develop school-wide behavior expectations. Prior to that role, he served as District Special Education Coordinator for Berwyn South District 100, overseeing special education services and placement across eight K-8th grade buildings, and as a School Psychologist in Lake Forest School District 67 and Springfield School District 186.
Mr. Dukett holds a Specialist in Educational Leadership from National Louis University, a Specialist in School Psychology from Illinois State University, and a master’s in clinical-Counseling Psychology from Illinois State University. He is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NASP) along with a certification in CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention.
Throughout his career, Mr. Dukett has focused on using data-driven decision-making to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps, while building strong instructional teams and a school culture rooted in equity and excellence. He has presented at national and state conferences, including the National School Psychologists Association National Conference and the Illinois Association of School Boards Joint Annual Conference, on topics ranging from MTSS frameworks to social-emotional data management.
Mrs. Kristie Tieri
Assistant Principal
708-448-6888 x3801
ktieri@palos118.org
Kristie Tieri earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Lewis University. She earned her first Master’s Degree in Administration and her second Master’s Degree in Special Education, both from the University of St. Francis. She also holds the Director of Special Education Endorsement from the state of Illinois.
Kristie has been an educator for 26 years. She has taught various grade levels in the states of Florida and Illinois. Kristie began in District 118 as a teacher at Palos East in 2007 where she taught general education students for 9 years and special education students for 7 years.
Mrs. Tieri is proud and excited to be a part of the Palos District 118 administrative team. She will continue her work in the district to create a successful learning environment for all students while collaborating with colleagues across the grade levels. She strongly believes that all children can succeed and will work hard to promote a strong connection with parents and the community. Kristie lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and daughter and enjoys gardening, cooking, and traveling.