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A. Thomas Paulsen
Principal, 1991-2003
Alumni Recognition Award, 2003
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Tom Paulsen was introduced to the Naperville Central High School faculty as
the new principal in the spring of 1990. Mr. Paulsen was greeted with a rousing
ovation. He was a very popular assistant principal and ready to make the move in
to the school's top position. He did not disappoint. When his final year as
Naperville Central's principal closes, this June, no doubt Mr. Paulsen will
again be greeted with yet another rousing ovation.
Mr. Paulsen grew up a
military brat. He eventually graduated from Wheaton Academy before attending
Wheaton College. There he majored in history and political science, and
graduated in 1970. He earned his master's degree from Northern Illinois
University in 1973. He began his educational career teaching history at Maine
North High School during the 1974-75 school year. One year later, Mr. Paulsen
moved to Maine South. He later became an administrative assistant to the
superintendent of the Maine Township District 207. He became a dean at Maine
North in 1979, before moving to East Aurora as an assistant principal in
February 1981. Tom Paulsen has always professed a love for history and
continues to be passionate about historical literature.
Mr. Paulsen came to Naperville Central in the fall of 1982 as an assistant
principal under Ed Poole. He succeeded Dr. Poole in the fall of 1991.
Naperville Central High School has thrived under the leadership of Tom
Paulsen. He has seen Naperville Central grow into one of the most respected
public high school's in the nation. Students at NCHS perform annually among
the best in Illinois on standardized tests. Graduates compete in the nation's
top colleges and universities at the highest levels. Additionally, Naperville
Central's co-curricular program has no peer. Naperville Central's first four
state IHSA championships came under Paulsen's watch. Activities, such as the
Central Times Newspaper, vocational education, dance and flag teams, speech,
and literary magazine, have thrived in the past decade.
Naperville Central
has not been without controversy during Mr. Paulsen's tenure. Tom Paulsen has
faced the changing of the NCHS mascot, a conflict over school censorship, a
tightening of the school dress code, as well as many other school community
issues. He has always found a way to put the student first. He has always
settled his differences respecting both sides of the issue. And most
importantly, controversy resulted in Naperville Central growing a little
taller and a little wiser.
Tom Paulsen leaves his stamp on Naperville
Central after 20 years of leadership. He will move to an associate
superintendent position in the fall of 2003. He is the first non-Naperville
Central graduate to grace the Alumni Recognition Wall of Honor.