Principal, Mrs. Flor Carter

Dear AOEC Families,

I am very excited and honored to be Principal here at AOEC. Just over 15 years ago, I joined the Waukegan Public Schools District as a first year teacher fresh out of college. In that time I have grown both personally and professionally which solidified my beliefs regarding education. I truly believe in the mission and vision of AOEC and value its importance within the community. I find great joy in working with the staff and students in Waukegan. 

In addition to serving as the Principal at AOEC, I am married with two fantastic children. I enjoy spending time outdoors with family and friends, listening to audio books to develop both personally and professionally, and staying physically active. 

Sincerely,
Flor Carter
Principal of Alternative/Optional Education Center
[email protected]

Assistant Principal, Mr. Cicirale

Greetings AOEC & Twilight Parents and Families,

I am excited to now serve in my fifth year as the Assistant Principal at the Alternative/Optional Education Center (AOEC) and Principal of Twilight School! My years serving the Waukegan School Community have truly been a joy. My primary duty as an administrator of an alternative education program is to ensure that the varied and nuanced needs of each student are met so that they may attain their goals in either returning to the traditional setting (credit recovery) or graduating from AOEC as a full Waukegan High School graduate.  

My personal and professional experiences provide me with the most essential component for effective education of students -- relationship building and collaboration for success. In my previous roles as a Career and Technical Education Teacher/Coordinator, Director of Alternative Education, and Assistant Principal, both in the south suburbs and Chicago, my approach to serving students is holistic in nature. Students must know that all school personnel care about them as a person, thereby paving the road for academic success.

Last school year we implemented multiple initiatives to aid students in becoming successful in their educational and personal journeys. This year we will continue to champion these initiatives as we add additional supports and incentives. I am most excited about assisting students both behaviorally and academically so that they can earn exciting prizes from an incentive vending machine after securing a token to redeem their prize when goals are met!

One goal I hope to accomplish this year is to build greater relationships with parents/guardians, thereby forming stronger bonds to aid in student achievement.  

My promise to the Waukegan School Community is that I will continue to serve in the best interests of all of the students and staff. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email with any needs you may have.

Sincerely,
Mr. Mike Cicirale [he/his/him]
[email protected]