HUNTLEY, Ill. () — Huntley High School Principal Marcus Belin is set to step away from the school for the next academic year as he takes on a national leadership role as president of the National Principal’s Association.
Belin has spent nearly 10 years at the helm of Huntley High School, a tenure he described as deeply meaningful both personally and professionally.
“My time at Huntley has been absolutely fantastic. It was my first principal job,” Belin said.
When he was hired at age 29 to lead the school’s roughly 3,000 students, Belin became the district’s first Black principal, marking a milestone for the community.
Over the years, Belin became known not just for his role, but for the way he showed up in it — often riding a blue hoverboard through the halls and making a point to be visible and approachable. Recent graduate Cara Saulog said his connection with students was a constant part of the school atmosphere.
“He was really interactive with everyone. I’d always see him in the hallways getting selfies with everyone, talking,” Saulog said.
Belin said that from the beginning, he hoped to broaden the idea of what a principal could look like and how school leadership could feel to students.
“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.
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.
