In her five years as an English teacher and girls athletic director at Elk Grove High School, Jackie Randall has notched several different credentials.

Yes, she’s a certified athletic administrator, a National Board certified teacher and she possesses a master’s in educational leadership. 

But Randall’s biggest challenge — the coronavirus pandemic and how it impacted the sports and activities landscape at EGHS — was also her first as the new assistant principal of student activities and athletics at EGHS. She was named the APSA after Robert Murphy was named principal of Friendship Junior High School in Des Plaines, one of Elk Grove’s feeder junior highs.

Randall said in an email that she is “trying to live in the present and enjoy the current sport season. Because of the ever-changing COVID landscape, I celebrate every sport we get to have this year.”

Over the summer, Randall and the rest of the athletic directors in Township High School District 214 rolled out a summer camp schedule for sports. She said this was one of her first actions in her new position.

As of publishing date, in-session sports at Elk Grove are girls’ swimming and diving, girls’ and boys’ golf, and girls’ and boys’ cross country.

Boys athletic director Terry Beyna is temporarily taking over Randall’s former position as the girls athletic director, something he did five years ago before moving into the boys AD position.

Randall said she wants students to know that she is there for them during this time.

“I want to get to know them and what they want at EG,” Randall said in an email. “I am here to support students’ wants and needs.”