Welcome to our New Harper Staff Members!
 marx  Madelyn Marx - Social Worker
After working as a special education teacher and earning a Learning and Behavior Specialist I (LBS1) degree from Illinois State University, Madelyn chose to build on her passion for supporting students and families by pursuing a career in social work. She recently graduated from Loyola University Chicago in May 2025 with a Master’s degree in Social Work. This is her first year joining the Harper Elementary School team, and she couldn’t be more excited to bring her educational background and dedication to student well-being to the school community. In her free time, Madelyn enjoys walking along the Chicago lakefront, trying new restaurants, listening to live music, and working on creative projects!
pic Lauren Librando - LBS
This will be Lauren Librando’s first year at Harper as a Learning Behavior Specialist. Lauren received her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Iowa and her Master’s Degree in Special Education at National Louis University. Lauren has been an elementary special educator for 19 years and enjoys getting the chance to work with students of varied ages. She looks forward to getting to know the students at Harper! Outside of school, Lauren can be found at the baseball fields watching her two sons play ball. She also enjoys baking, joining her family on bike rides and enjoying the lakefront.
 pic Rebecca Bennett - OT
Mrs. Bennett is excited to return to Harper as the Occupational Therapist this year! This is her 10th year working in the Wilmette school district. Prior to working in Wilmette, she worked in a variety of pediatric settings including outpatient clinics, a therapeutic day school, and in the birth-to-three Early Intervention program in Illinois. She received her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2006. In her free time, she enjoys bike-riding with her husband and 10-year-old son, reading in her hammock, and going to see the Chicago Dogs play baseball.