Hinsdale D86's Plan For Key Vacancy

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 has developed a plan on how to handle a major vacancy over the next year.

In January, Jason Markey, assistant superintendent for academics, announced he was leaving for another job, his last day being June 30.

At the June 26 school board meeting, the administration put forward a recommended candidate for the job. But the board delayed a decision, with members saying they wanted more of an opportunity to interview finalists.

Even at that point, the district had taken considerably longer with its selection than its searches for the same position in 2020 and 2023.

Because school administrators in Illinois usually start July 1, the board expects to wait another year to fill the post. An earlier start would likely draw a far smaller pool of candidates.

On Tuesday, the district's human resources committee plans to review the administration's plan to handle academic issues without the assistant superintendent.

The official's duties will be distributed among members of the academic cabinet, which consists of the two schools' principals, their four assistant principals and the assistant superintendent of student services.

The group will meet weekly to review upcoming tasks, events and initiatives, according to the plan.

"This plan is designed to maintain academic excellence and operational efficiency during the transitional period," the district said. "It ensures that the responsibilities of the Assistant Superintendent of Academics are distributed among capable leaders, with structured oversight and collaborative planning at the center of implementation."

The district also released its hiring timeline, with a final board vote expected in January. The winning candidate will likely start July 1.

At a July 8 board meeting, Superintendent Michael Lach said he preferred to promote a current administrator to interim assistant superintendent for academics for the next year. A district spokesman said Monday that officials may shed light on that option at Tuesday's meeting.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, committee members plan to review the hiring timeline for the district's top information technology official, officially known as the chief information officer. The current occupant, Keith Bockwoldt, is retiring next June.