URBANA — The Urbana school district didn’t have to look far to fill its two upcoming administrative openings.
At this week’s meeting, the school board signed off on the promotions of Imani Carr as administrator of the district’s new Sixth Grade Center and Melissa Kearns as principal of Urbana Middle School.
Both moves take effect next school year.
Carr (Champaign Central Class of ’93), now an assistant principal at Urbana Middle School, will fill a role new to the district, which will open its Sixth Grade Center in August.
An Urbana High parent and active PTA member, the mother of four started her career in education as a fifth-grade teacher at Dr. Williams Elementary before taking on a number of middle school roles in the district — English/language arts teacher, dean and assistant principal.
“I’m looking forward to showing you all what Urbana looks like and what Urbana represents — high quality for academic excellence and for social-emotional growth,” Carr said after the vote.
Kearns (Urbana Class of ’04), now an assistant principal at Urbana High, will succeed Derrick Cooper, who announced in November that his third year will be his last as principal of Urbana Middle School.
Kearns, who attended Urbana schools from kindergarten through high school, returned to the district in 2023 after serving in the same role at Champaign’s Jefferson Middle School
“I am super beyond elated to serve in this capacity for the district. It’s been my dream to be a principal,” Kearns said.
When district leaders broke the news to Urbana Middle School staff Friday, Assistant Superintendent Angi Franklin said, “both women received quite a warm round of cheering and compliments.”
Franklin said five candidates were interviewed on Jan. 8, with four advancing to the next round on Jan. 10. All four committees that interviewed candidates recommended Carr and Kearns.