Northwest suburban high school principal to lead National Principals Association

HUNTLEY, Ill. (WLS) -- Huntley High School Principal Marcus Belin will take a leave of absence from the school next academic year after being named president of the National Principal's Association.

Belin, who has led Huntley High School for nearly a decade, said his time at the school has been rewarding.

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"My time at Huntley has been absolutely fantastic. It was my first principal job," Belin said.

Belin became the district's first Black principal nearly 10 years ago after being hired to lead the school's 3,000 students at age 29.

Known for riding a blue hoverboard through the school's hallways, Belin developed a leadership style centered on visibility and interaction with students. Recent graduate Cara Saulog said Belin's presence was felt throughout the school.

"He was really interactive with everyone. I'd always see him in the hallways getting selfies with everyone, talking," Saulog said.

Belin said he wanted to challenge traditional perceptions of a principal.

"I came to the table saying, you know what, polos and some khaki pants and some Js are more than comfortable for me because the real work shows up when you show up for kids," he said.

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Throughout his tenure, Belin regularly appeared in classrooms, attended sporting events, greeted students as they left for the day and created social media content.

His office also remained open to students who wanted a place to study.

"I really stated to my staff like my one non-negotiable is that you come into this building 'on fire' for kids every single day," Belin said.

Belin's work has earned recognition beyond Huntley. Last year, he was named Illinois principal of the year. Beginning this school year, he will serve as head of the National Principal's Association while on leave from Huntley High School.

"I want people to be able to say, 'Wow, like that's a profession that I want to go into, where you can have such a profound impact on kids. I want to share that,'" Belin said.

Students said they expect his absence to be felt across campus.

"I think the atmosphere will change a lot around the school. Having him around, it's like it makes everything feel like very close and connected," said Gianna Adamson, a rising senior at Huntley High School.

Belin said he intends to return to Huntley High School for the 2027-28 school year but plans to inform the district of his final decision next January.