About Us

  • Gary D. Jewel served as the superintendent of the West Aurora Schools from 1979 to 1993.
     
  • He began his career in 1961 as a teacher of Civics and English at Benjamin Franklin Junior High School in Aurora.
     
  • In 1965, he was appointed principal of Washington Junior High School.
  • Shortly after he took office as superintendent, the worldwide oil crisis and the dramatic increase in inflation and interest rates had a devastating effect upon the district.
     
  • Under Jewel’s leadership, there were no layoffs of tenured teachers nor was there any organized discontent among staff during these turbulent years.
     
  • Jewel resolved to keep the problems he and the board of education faced away from the classroom. 
     
  • Also during his tenure, the North Campus was sold to the State of Illinois for the new Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SEE HISTORIC PHOTOS

 
Gary D. Jewel

gary d. jewel

Superintendent (1979-1993)

Jewel Building

Jewel Middle School
Constructed 1998
1501 Waterford Rd, North Aurora, IL 60542