Santa’s Trolley Express Tickets Available and New Local Education Updates

Tickets for Santa’s Trolley Express

In preparation for the upcoming holiday season, tickets for Santa’s Trolley Express at the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin are now available. Rides leave from Blackhawk Station in the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve, located at 35W003 Route 31. These special trolley rides occur on select weekends from Friday, November 28, to Sunday, December 20.

Passengers will enjoy a nostalgic 1959 subway train ride featuring holiday stories, complimentary hot chocolate, singalongs, and a visit from Santa. Ticket prices are set at $38 per person until July 31. The price increases to $45 from August 1 through October 31, and $50 starting November 1. For buying tickets and more details, visit foxtrolley.org.

New Principal at Dream Academy and Other U-46 Appointments

The School District U-46 Board has appointed three administrators for the new academic year. Rafael Martinez-Ortiz is the new principal of the Dream Academy in Elgin. Since 2023, he has served as the associate principal. His previous roles include assistant principal for freshman success and dean of students at Elgin High School. He also taught various subjects as a bilingual teacher from 2007 to 2016.

The board has appointed Luis De León as the principal of Streamwood High School. He comes with more than two decades of experience in education, having previously served as assistant superintendent for Oak Park Elementary School District 97, and held several roles within U-46, including principal at Tefft Middle School and Laurel Hill Elementary School.

Angela DeMay has been named assistant director of specialized student services compliance. Her recent role was director of student services for Skokie School District 73.5, a position she held since 2021.

Elgin Community College Introduces New Programs

Elgin Community College is launching two new vocational certificate programs in the fall. These include a pipe welding certificate and a quality control technician certificate. The pipe welding program covers gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding, and shielded metal arc welding.

The quality control technician program teaches students to interpret engineering drawings, measure precisely, and use essential tools, requiring no prerequisites and is designed to be completed in two semesters. More information is available at elgin.edu/manufacturing.