School Official's $28K Perk Broke Law By Bypassing Board: Inquiry

SUMMIT, IL – A west suburban school official received a nearly $30,000 annual perk without the school board's approval, thus violating state law, according to an investigation.

The then-superintendent of Argo Community High School signed off on the annuity for the top finance official, Joe Rojek.

Rojek, who makes $150,000 a year, is the same official blamed in an investigation for weakening money controls. That allowed the former superintendent, William Toulios, to spend thousands on porn, among other things, according to the inquiry.

Last week, Patch obtained the 21-page "confidential" investigative report on Rojek's annuity through a public records request. The inquiry was done by the district's main law firm, Chicago-based Franczek.

Under the board's policy, administrators not on the school's health insurance get the same annuity as teachers. That amounts to $5,250 a year – a tax-sheltered retirement benefit.

In a January 2024 email, Rojek, the assistant superintendent of finance, asked Toulios for a $28,345 annuity for himself in place of health insurance. That number was the total cost of health benefits, he said.

Rojek suggested the perk only be for assistant superintendents and no one else.

A couple of weeks later, Toulios told the school board behind closed doors that Rojek was going on his wife's insurance. He said Rojek's benefits would be divvied up and go into his paycheck, referring to the assistant superintendent's contract. The move would save $60,000, Toulios told the board.

But Rojek's contract said nothing about such a perk.

The board took no final action on the benefit, as state law requires.

In an interview with the Franczek law firm, Toulios said he thought he had authorization because no board members objected, according to the report. He alleged a previous superintendent did something similar behind closed doors.

State law does not allow the superintendent to enter into employment contracts on the board's behalf.

"Dr. Toulios informed the Board that the payments were required by Dr. Rojek's administrator contract. They were not," the law firm said in its Oct. 28 report. "Dr. Toulios led the Board to believe that it would be saving $60,000 and never informed the Board that the annuity benefit was a special request from Dr. Rojek."

In an interview Monday, Frank Avila, Toulios' attorney, said the board approved the annuity and that the issue was a misunderstanding.

"My client has been the fall guy for a bad system," Avila said. "They should do an audit of the entire school district. I think it is sad what they have done to a man who has given his life to the school and increased the school's rating and reputation."

Rojek, who started in 2022, has declined to comment on school issues.

In December, Rojek reached an agreement with the board to resign in June.

After being on leave for seven months, Toulios resigned Nov. 13. That was the same day that an investigation concluded he spent public money for personal purposes and conspired with an employee to hide the spending.

State police said they are investigating.