▁ ▁North western ▁is ▁acc red ited ▁by ▁the ▁Commission ▁on ▁Second ary ▁School s , ▁ ▁a ▁division ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁States ▁Association ▁of ▁Colleg es ▁and ▁School s . ▁ ▁The ▁late ▁Jim ▁H enson , ▁cre ator ▁of ▁The ▁Mu ppets , ▁graduated ▁from ▁North western ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁On ▁October ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁during ▁an ▁official ▁building ▁dedic ation ▁ceremony ▁attended ▁by ▁Jane ▁and ▁He ather ▁H enson , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁represent atives ▁from ▁the ▁Jim ▁H enson ▁Leg acy , ▁North western ▁was ▁given ▁permission ▁to ▁rename ▁the ▁arts ▁building ▁at ▁North western , ▁to ▁the ▁Jim ▁H enson ▁School ▁of ▁Arts , ▁Media ▁and ▁Communic ations . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁E . ▁Carl ene ▁Murray ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁principal ▁at ▁North western , ▁joining ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁in ▁the ▁Fall ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁Murray ▁replaced ▁Ed gar ▁Bat eng a , ▁who ▁was ▁principal ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁Bat eng a ▁replaced ▁Jer ome ▁Thomas , ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁principal ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁Thomas ▁was ▁a ▁long - time ▁vice ▁principal ▁at ▁North western , ▁and ▁had ▁succeeded ▁former ▁principal ▁William ▁T . ▁Ritter , ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁school ' s ▁Dean ▁of ▁Stud ents ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁when ▁then - pr incipal ▁Kevin ▁M . ▁Max well ▁left