District Directory

As the Principal here at Morton Junior High School, it is my privilege to serve the Morton-Groveland community. I have been here at Morton Junior High School since 2006 after spending nine years at Tri-Valley Middle School as a 6th Grade Language Arts, Reading and Social Studies teacher and basketball and track coach.

As a life-long Central Illinois resident, I graduated from Eureka College in 1997 with a Bachelor's of Science degree in elementary education and a middle school endorsement. While I was at EC, I played basketball and was fortunate to be a member of the National Championship team in 1994. I also graduated from Illinois State University in 2006 with a Master’s degree in Educational Administration.

My wife, Stacy, teaches kindergarten at Starke Primary School in Pekin. We have three children: Abby, Ben, and Katy.

We love being part of this wonderful community and enjoy meeting our Junior Potter families. Please stop by the school any time! My door is always open!

Thank you for taking time to visit the Lincoln Elementary School website. I consider it a privilege to serve the students, families and teachers of Lincoln School and the Morton-Groveland community. I grew up in Morton and am a proud graduate of Morton High School. A little background about my professional path that brought me back to Morton…I attended Illinois State University, obtaining undergraduate degrees in Mass Communication and Elementary Education. I taught sixth grade for seven years at Northwest School in Lincoln. While there, I pursued a Master’s Degree in Administration, also from Illinois State. I began my administrative career at Thomas Metcalf School in Normal, working as assistant principal and athletic director for four years. For the next nine years, I worked as principal at Midland Elementary School, a Pre-K to 4th grade school in the rural community of Lacon. I truly consider it such an honor to now serve as your principal, in the community where I was raised and where my family continues to reside. I will strive to maintain open, direct communication with parents and families, create a positive school environment for our teachers and students and provide a welcoming setting for all families and stakeholders who visit our school. I encourage parents and families to become involved in all of the wonderful activities at our school. As parents, you are the key to your child’s success, and I thank you in advance for all that you will do to contribute to your child’s academic and emotional success this year. I know that you will work collaboratively with our teachers and staff members, while I have high expectations for me, our teachers and faculty to provide the best educational experience possible for your child. Please know that I am always available to meet with you, communicate via email or talk with you about any concerns or suggestions you wish to share or discuss. (Well…except on Sundays during football season, when I am watching and cheering on my beloved Green Bay Packers!!

Please stop in to introduce yourself and say hello…my door is always open!

Sincerely,

Julie Horchem

I have been honored to serve as the principal and to work with the students, staff, and parents of the Lettie Brown community since July 2012.  After graduating from Illinois State University, I began my career in education as a social sciences teacher at Prairie Central High School in Fairbury, Illinois.  After teaching high school for three years, I returned to school to achieve my masters degree in the field of social work at the University of Illinois.  I was employed as a school social worker with Morton CUSD 709 for thirteen years before being appointed the principal of Lettie Brown.  I completed my administrative certificate from Bradley University in May 2006.  I truly consider it an honor and blessing to serve as the leader of Lettie Brown, and my family and I are thankful to be members of a community that places a high value on education. 

Mission for the School:   Mrs. Waterfield's mission for Lettie Brown is to make safety a top priority, to continually promote a positive school culture, to encourage collaboration and commitment among all stakeholders, and to help each student reach his/her maximum potential.  Truly, each student is a blessing, and he/she makes a special and unique imprint on the halls of Lettie Brown!