For Principal Jim Roscoe, leadership isn’t about the spotlight; it’s about building a culture where students and staff thrive together. As Grayslake North celebrates Principal Appreciation Week, we’re shining that spotlight back on a leader who has quietly, and powerfully, helped shape the school’s identity since its founding.
Roscoe has been part of District 127 for 31 years and has led at Grayslake North since it first opened its doors. “I’ve seen it grow from a tiny little farm high school to a two-high-school district that is incredibly successful,” he shared. Along the way, he’s served as a math teacher, coach, dean, department chair, associate principal, and now principal, not by chasing titles, but by doing “whatever it takes” to support students and staff.
That phrase, “whatever it takes,” or WIT, has become more than a motto; it’s a North tradition. A staff member once found a WIT statue at a garage sale and brought it in as a gift. Today, it sits proudly in Roscoe’s office, a reminder of a culture built on collective care, teamwork, and joy. “We start every meeting with WIT moments,” he said. “It’s taken on a life of its own. Our leadership table is called the WIT table. It’s just who we are.”
And that spirit shows up in how the school year begins. Roscoe helped flip the script on typical back-to-school meetings, replacing sit-and-listen sessions with a full-on “Amazing Race” through the community. Teams of teachers complete challenges, film hilarious videos, and build lasting bonds, setting the tone for a year grounded in collaboration and joy. “When staff feel excited to be here, that energy translates directly to students,” he said.
Roscoe’s leadership philosophy is grounded in humility. “This has never been about me,” he said. “It’s about empowering people, building strong teams, and then getting out of the way so they can do great work.” He’s even had the joy of teaching students whose parents were once in his classroom, a testament to the generational impact of his leadership. “That speaks volumes,” he said. “Families stay because of the people who are still walking these halls.”
When asked which of District 127’s Portrait of a Learner traits speaks to him most, Roscoe didn’t hesitate: unfinished. “We have to reinvent ourselves constantly,” he said. “The way kids learn is changing daily. It’s not about delivering information, it’s about designing experiences where kids want to be, not just where they have to be.”
And perhaps most personally, Roscoe and his wife chose to move to the north side of Washington Street specifically so their daughters could attend Grayslake North. “I wanted my own kids to be in a place where staff care this much,” he said. “And I was right. My girls have flourished here.”
With two and a half years left before retirement, Roscoe is still doing whatever it takes to make Grayslake North not just a great school, but a place where students, staff, and families feel they truly belong.