Dr. Emily Tammaru is the Superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 89. She brings a collaborative, student-first approach to leading a district with consistently high academic achievement.

Tammaru discovered her career path in high school when she babysat siblings: a girl with a physical disability and a boy with a learning disability.

“The girl was amazing and there were no limitations to what she could do. Through her, I realized anyone could accomplish anything,” she said. “Even though learning was difficult for her brother, given the right opportunities, he just soared. I knew right then that I wanted to teach.”

After graduating from Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in special education, Tammaru started teaching students with emotional disorders in West Aurora School District 129. After nine years in the classroom, she was promoted to assistant principal in Aurora.

In 2007, Tammaru joined CCSD 89 as principal of Briar Glen Elementary School. Three years later, she was named the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Learning. In that role, she led the district’s curriculum and instruction improvements, planned responsible budgets that supported learning, worked on the district’s strategic plan, and evaluated staff at all levels. She had a key role in the School Time Committee, which introduced full-day kindergarten to CCSD 89 and added 30 minutes to the elementary school day. She helped expand learning opportunities in gifted education, English-language-learner programs, as well as math and science curriculum.

Tammaru has served as superintendent of CCSD 89 since July 2016. Throughout her time in the district, her focus has been on empowering every single student to be engaged in their learning and prepared for new challenges so they can reach their full potential.

“You drop your kids off with us each day and each day we strive to have them leave a little happier and a little better off than they were in the morning,” Tammaru said.

As superintendent, Tammaru has continued to partner with students, parents, staff, and community members to build on a tradition of excellence at all five CCSD 89 schools. Under her leadership, the district has brought the community together to revise the strategic plan that guides the district's work; created a Student Board Member program to increase student voice; and added an afterschool tutoring program for at-risk students. 

In response to significant increases in enrollment, Tammaru led the work to update elementary school boundaries. In 2018, the community approved a tax-rate referendum to maintain programs during the enrollment surge. In 2022, the community approved a school-bond referendum that ensured the district could protect the community's investment in critical infrastructure while also lowering residents' tax rate.

“I want this to be the best school district in Illinois with an engaging learning environment for our students,” Tammaru said. “When our students graduate, I believe they will look back on their time and say they were challenged, they loved learning, they were encouraged to take risks, and they were surrounded by great friends.”

Tammaru has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Aurora University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Aurora University. She and her husband, Virko, have two sons, Alexander and William.

Contact information

Dr. Emily K. Tammaru, Ed. D.
Superintendent
(630) 469-8900, ext. 3503
Fax: (630) 469-8936 
etammaru@ccsd89.org

Theresa Sevier
Administrative Assistant
(630) 469-8900, ext. 3503
tsevier@ccsd89.org