What’s your name and role at Niles North? Marlon Felton, Assistant Principal

When did you start working at Niles North? I started working in 2003-2004. This is my twentieth year.

Have you always been Assistant Principal? I was a teacher in the special education department. I also was a dean. I also had a summer where I was summer school principal. So I’ve worn a bunch of different hats. I was also a coach. I was the head wrestling coach. So I’ve worn a few different hats.

What’s your favorite thing about your job? I get to work with wonderful people like Mr. Lopez and especially the special education department, Mr. Singer and Ms. Geist. I work closely with the deans and our counseling staff. And I just like kids, so I work with you all.

What’s something you would like to see more of at Niles North? Features like this but with some of our staff that maybe we don’t know. Our safety team saff, some of our bus drivers, some of our parents, some of our kids who don’t have as much of a voice so to highlight their achievements and accolades and just bring us all together will be really cool.

What are your hobbies outside of school? I like to ride my bike. I love pets, I got my dog. Long dog walks. And honestly, just taking it easy. I’m just an easygoing person. I don’t do much.

What book/movie/music is your favorite right now? I could say my favorite music right now. I would probably like to say music. It’s my favorite thing to do. I do love to listen to music and my favorite artists. Right now is Boldy James. My favorite movie, this is not a movie, but in the morning all of the episodes of the Martin Show run at like 5:36 or 6:37. You know they’re like half an hour long. So I like to watch Martin a lot. It’s pretty funny. I enjoy that show. I just read a book that Mr. Bending gave me but I don’t have it here. I don’t have the name off the top of my head, but I do read occasionally. I will grab a book from the Niles North Library from time to time. 

What is something (unrelated to school) that you are looking forward to? I’m looking forward to buying a new puppy. I’m [also] actually getting a new electric bike [too]. I am in search of a new dog. I don’t know if it’s going to be a doodle or a pitbull or whatever. But hopefully before the end of this summer, or at least by the fall, I will have a puppy picked out. Right now, I got a Wheaten Terrier. Her name is KitKat, like the candy bar. We call her Kit, she’s cool. She’s like this big hyper-allergenic [dog], and she just chills man. I’m going to get a bigger dog than her. She’s a nice size. I’m going up for that next size. I know it’s expensive and you know another mouth to feed, but I’m ready. I just want a puppy bad.

Who’s someone who inspires you? Everybody, all my teammates. You know most of the folks here that come to North and [I] get a chance to work with. I’m always– I’m not necessarily learning something new about them– but I’m always taking something they do. That’s really great and incorporating it into what I do. And that’s inspiring, and I think they do the same with me sometimes. I hope they do. So all my teammates. I got Ms. Pickett, Mr. Milano, Dean Kougias, Dean Bougdanos, Dean Robinson, Dean Pena, all of the safety team members. The cafe staff because I supervise them and work closely with them, they’re great. Our building and grounds team, Mr. Meyer. I’m always rallying and rooting for my teammates. Joking with them, hanging out with them. Mr. Cejovic, me and him just went and had lunch, he’s our sub coordinator. And he’s our boys’ head soccer coach and our girls’ head soccer coach and he’s just a great dude.

What advice would you give a thirteen-year-old self? Slow and steady wins the race. Keep listening. I am a good listener. I feel like I wouldn’t be sitting here in front of you. So somebody told me to listen when I was 13. And it’s funny. Just, you know, listen to people. Following directions because, not necessarily your elders, but people before you have the experiences you don’t have yet. So when they share, listen. When I was 13 and I was hearing that, I thought there were some experiences that I thought I knew I could handle or deal with that I hadn’t ever experienced before. And they were trying to give me some insight on that. To be a better listener, make sure you’re listening to what the folks before you have to say because you may have to rely on that information down the road.