December 1, 2022
Illinois Principals Association Names Eric Detweiler as 2022 Herman Graves Award Recipient
Springfield, IL – Eric Detweiler, principal of Frederick School, Grayslake, IL has received the 2022 Herman Graves Award from the Illinois Principals Association (IPA).
The Herman Graves Award, sponsored by Horace Mann Companies of Springfield, IL, was established in 1991 to recognize outstanding service to IPA. Herman Graves was selected as the first honoree and the award was established because of the intrinsic contributions he made to the Association and his enthusiasm for the profession. Regional winners are chosen from the 21 regional areas of the Illinois Principals Association. From these elite administrators, a state winner is chosen by a committee composed of IPA Past Presidents.
Eric Detweiler has been a member of the Illinois Principals Association for 27 years. During this time, he has served on the Illinois Principals Association Board of Directors as State Director for the Lake Region of IPA, Lake Region membership chair, treasurer, and has served on planning committees for the IPA Annual Education Leaders Conference. Detweiler has also represented IPA at national conferences including the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), and the Association for Middle Level Education. Detweiler has also been recognized by his peers as Middle School Principal of the Year for the Lake Region in 2006 and Elementary School Principal of the Year in 2011.
“As a decades long member of the Illinois Principals Association, Eric Detweiler has been a strong and consistent advocate for the profession and the IPA,” stated IPA Executive Director Dr. Jason Leahy. “School leaders across the state have benefited by his service and dedication to the Association to help ensure it stays focused on its mission of developing, supporting, and advocating for innovative educational leaders.”
Detweiler began his career in education in 1989 as a 2nd Grade teacher at Washington School in Des Plaines, IL. He continued teaching at A.J. Katzenmaier School in North Chicago, and coached girls’ varsity and junior varsity basketball, and boys’ sophomore and freshman basketball at North Chicago High School from 1990-1994. Detweiler first served in administration as Assistant Principal at Grayslake Middle School in Grayslake in 1994 and served as Associate Principal of Frederick School in Grayslake from 2000 to 2002. Since 2002, Detweiler has served as principal of Frederick School and has also served on the Community Consolidated School District 46 Finance Committee, Special Education Program Evaluation Committee, Math Adoption Committee, coordinated math programming, facilitated staff in-service programming, and district calendar committee.
Jeff Knapp, Assistant Superintendent of Professional Learning and Human Resources in Winnetka School District 36 shared, “Mr. Detweiler invests his time, efforts and talents to impact those from around the state and spread the positive impact that membership in IPA can bring. Eric has provided his service at both the regional and state levels and has advocated for both children and leaders along the way. I continue to be particularly impressed with the way Mr. Detweiler can build relationships with those he comes in touch with, and I recognize how important and imperative this is to become a successful ambassador for IPA.”
Colleague Jon Hallmark, principal of Highland Middle School in Libertyville shared, “(Eric’s) efforts and hard work have not gone unnoticed in our region. Eric is a long-standing member of the IPA who helps advocate for our organization and is consistently looking to mentor new members. He is a mentor and friend to many principals within our region.”
Detweiler resides in Grayslake, Illinois with his wife Chris. He has three children Katie (29), Kendall (26), and Cameron (23). He received his Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision from Roosevelt University, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois, and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Illinois.
The Illinois Principals Association is a leadership organization which serves over 6,100 educational leaders throughout the state of Illinois and whose mission is to develop, support, and advocate for innovative educational leaders. For more information about the IPA, please visit www.ilprincipals.org.
