KANKAKEE — One of the biggest influences which led Kaelyn Bess to becoming an educator was her maternal grandfather, Roy Lambert, who had been Ashkum Elementary School principal for decades.
“I was that kid that when we played school, I always played principal,” said Bess, the new president of Bishop McNamara Catholic Schools. “I wanted to be in charge of the whole play school system. Part of it was, I saw what my grandpa did.”
Bess, 40, recalls hearing stories following her grandfather’s death of how he affected people’s lives as their principal. At that point, when she was 16, Bess already knew she wanted to be a teacher.
“That stuck with me,” she said. “I kept thinking, ‘Wow, the amount of impact one person can have on others in such a positive way, and that’s what you’re remembered for, is huge.’ I hope someday, when they write the story about me, it’s about the impact I had on others.”
That story is just beginning for Bess.
Starting July 1, Bess became principal of Bishop McNamara Catholic School in Kankakee as well as the president of the pre-K through 12 school system, which includes three sites, with pre-K through sixth grades in Bourbonnais and Bradley, and the junior high and high school students in Kankakee.
Bess took the place of Terry Granger, who will be retiring after serving as president emeritus for the 2024-25 school year.
Granger had been principal of the Kankakee site since 2012 and president of the school system since the regionalization of the area’s Catholic schools in 2016.
Originally from Ashkum, Bess lives in Bourbonnais with her husband, Joel, an Oak Lawn police officer, and children, Kade, Finegan and Austyn, who are in seventh, fourth and first grades at Bishop McNamara.
Bess earned master’s degrees in differentiated instruction and school administration from Concordia University and her bachelor’s degree in special education from Illinois State University.
She’s also a 2002 Clifton Central High School graduate.
In the 2023-24 school year, she was the assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at Bishop McNamara’s Kankakee site.
“In her short time here, she has quickly embraced the culture of Bishop McNamara and had an immediate impact on our students and faculty,” said Nick Elliot, school board president and search committee chairman, in a news release. “Mrs. Bess brings a wealth of experience in leadership and passion for creating welcoming environments for students while promoting the Catholic faith and Christian values.”
The search committee included Elliot, Fr. John Peeters, Sue Goselin, Bob Malpasuto, Andrew Purcell, Angie Phillips and Kyle Benoit.
According to the release, Bess’ hire was the result of a “comprehensive” and nationally advertised search process which was aided by consulting from Catholic School Management.
Before coming to Bishop McNamara, Bess was a special education teacher for Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School from 2007 to 2023.
“My whole career pretty much has been within the Bradley, Bourbonnais, Kankakee area,” she said. “It’s been so nice to be able to give back to the same community that I grew up in.”
<strong>FAMILY-ORIENTED</strong>
When Bess was hired for her current position, she felt “thrilled” to be able to follow in the footsteps of her grandfather and other educators in her family.
Her father, Terry Shule, is a local farmer and her mother, LaRee Shule, is a nurse practitioner.
She said having several “servant-leaders” in her family to look up to was instrumental not only for her career path, but also in showing her the right way to treat people.
“You put other people before yourself,” Bess said.
Bess said that, while people might not like to think of schools this way, educators are “in the business of people.”
“While the education is essential and it’s what’s getting them to the next step, it’s how we make them feel and it’s those connections that really drive the environment,” she said.
Therefore, creating an environment where children feel safe, supported and loved is key to running a successful school.
“‘Relationships over rigor’ is a quote I saw from another principal,” she said. “It’s really important to remember that.”
Bess said she hopes to set an example, especially for women and girls, that one does not have to choose between being a dedicated parent and being successful in their career.
“We are a Catholic school system that has three female principals. It’s pretty awesome,” she said. “It feels really great, and we are welcomed by our faith community.”
In addition to Bess, school leadership also includes Dana Berg, principal of the Bradley site, and Sue Goselin, principal of the Bourbonnais site.
<strong>ACCEPTING THE POSITION</strong>
Bess did not know that Granger planned to retire or that taking over his role would be an option when she first came to Bishop McNamara.
“It was all listening to a voice in my head and God, because this wasn’t my goal,” she said.
It was difficult for her to leave BBCHS as well, as special education and inclusion are her passions.
Bess said she’s grateful she took the leap, though, so she could take on new challenges and make a difference in a new way.
She has since realized the importance of connecting her career with her religion.
“It creates a lot of peace in your life when you’re able to lead with your faith as well as your passion,” Bess said.
Still, Bess did not want to stand in anyone’s way if there was another faculty member or community member who felt they were ready to step into Granger’s role.
“Building that belief in myself, I decided to go both feet in and went through the process,” she said.
Bess was selected after three rounds of interviews.
<strong>LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE</strong>
Bess said she wants to continue the focus on the unification of the schools since the regionalization almost 10 years ago.
Another focus is relationship building among faculty, students and the community, particularly when it comes to being on the same page about academics.
“If we make change, change needs to be supported, and if you don’t have a community that’s going to support you, the change could be a failure,” Bess said.
Bess said she wants to celebrate strengths while also finding areas for growth.
Through Bishop McNamara’s capital campaign and other fundraising efforts, progress has been made in purchasing new curriculum and technology for the schools, she said.
“We’re really moving forward in some of those areas,” Bess said.
Bess will be part of ushering Bishop McNamara into a new era, as the school celebrated its 100th year in 2022.
The first Mass was recently held in the new chapel that was built at the Kankakee site as part of the 100th-year celebration capital campaign. The new student success center and science lab have also been completed.
The final piece to fall into place will be the athletic complex, for which construction will start after the football season is over.
“We are in a time in this world where change is inevitable, but we still are rooted in the No. 1 thing, which is our Catholic faith and tradition,” Bess said. “We’re using those as a cornerstone and building from there.”
Terry Granger, principal of Bishop McNamara’s Kankakee site since 2012 and president of the school system since the regionalization of the area’s Catholic schools in 2016, is stepping down.
Granger officially will retire after serving as president emeritus for the 2024-25 school year.
This means Granger will continue to take the lead on finishing projects from Bishop McNamara’s 100th-year celebration capital campaign. He will also advise his successor, Kaelyn Bess, throughout the year as she transitions into her new role.
“We’re very blessed to have her,” he said of Bess. “Her knowledge in academics is outstanding.”
Granger has spent 40 years working in education, and all but a few of those years were in Catholic education.
“It was time,” he said. “It was just time for me to step away and enter into the next chapter of what I’m going to do in my life.”
While he had been contemplating retirement for a couple of years, the thought of missing interacting with students was holding him back.
“A friend of mine who retired said, ‘Well, Terry, if you’re going to wait for the point where you’re not going to miss kids, you’re never going to retire, because that’s why you’re in education.’”
Granger said he’s looking forward to focusing on his role as a grandfather; he currently has three grandkids and a fourth on the way.
He will continue working as a consultant for other Catholic schools, something he began a couple of years ago. He’s particularly enjoyed drawing on his experience to help schools go through the process of regionalization.
Granger will also have more time to focus on hobbies, including refinishing furniture and gardening.
“I tell people that I don’t do nothing very well, so I have to keep busy,” he said.
His wife, Jackie, has been a nurse for Riverside Hospital for almost 40 years. The couple plans to do some traveling as well.
“I’m a firm believer that every ending is the start of a new beginning,” Granger said. “And I’m excited for that. It’s fresh eyes, and fresh views. I think that’s good for our school.”