Warren District 121 picks next superintendent
Gurnee-based Warren Township High School has selected a building principal to take over as superintendent when Phil Sobocinski retires after the 2011-12 academic year.
Jeff Brierton, who heads the O'Plaine Road campus for freshmen and sophomores, was given the superintendent's job after a 7-0 vote by Warren District 121's school board Tuesday night.
Board President John Anderson said Brierton will continue as O'Plaine's principal as he makes the transition into the top job.
Brierton will begin as superintendent on July 1, 2012, with a three-year contract that starts with a $192,000 annual base salary, Anderson said.
The Warren board began working to hire a new superintendent in 2009, when Sobocinski announced his intent to retire.
District 121 officials collaborated with consultants in the search process before settling on Brierton.
“We really felt very strongly that, if we could, we wanted to hire someone from inside our organization,” Anderson said. “We believe they understand our organization. They understand our process. They know who we are and, in fact, this person (Brierton) has become a big part of who we are.”
Hearty applause from Warren employees and others greeted Brierton after he was named District 121's new boss Tuesday.
Brierton thanked the school board for selecting him as superintendent and said he looks forward to leading what he said is a system with amazing students and staff.
He said he wants to harness Warren's talent, energy, intellect and creativity to give students the best chance at success.
“I believe Warren's star is rising,” said Brierton, 58.
Brierton, a 34-year educator, departed as principal at Round Lake High School to lead Warren's O'Plaine Road campus in July 2007. He also has been an adjunct professor at Concordia University and Northeastern Illinois University for the past three years.
Sobocinski has been working toward his retirement under a three-year deal approved in 2009. His base annual salary of $203,177 at the beginning of the contract in the 2009-10 academic year will rise to $228,290 in the final leg before he retires in June 2012.
District 121's board majority also approved 200 extra sick-leave days over three years for Sobocinski, a $500 monthly travel allowance, 20 days of paid yearly vacation and a $10,000 bonus if he stays at Warren until his retirement date and then obtains medical insurance elsewhere.