West Aurora district names ex-Oswego principal superintendent
The West Aurora school board has selected a new superintendent to replace the retiring Jim Rydland.
Jeffrey Craig, now a superintendent near Des Moines, had been principal at Oswego East High School from 2008 to 2013.
The contract between Craig and the district has not been finalized. According to a motion made Monday, Craig will be paid $190,000 annually.
He will take over full-time July 1, but this week he and Rydland will work on a transition plan, with Craig being paid for time spent on West Aurora business.
Craig is superintendent of the Interstate 35 school district in Iowa, a job he took last August. Before his tenure in Oswego, he was principal at Rich East High School in Olympia Fields and Central High School in Davenport, Iowa.
Craig, who earned his undergraduate degree at Northern Illinois University, obtained his doctorate in education from the University of Illinois. He is a former wrestling coach and official.
“The board is delighted that Dr. Craig has chosen to join the District 129 team. He has earned an impressive reputation for being visible and accessible to the communities he has served, as well as being an inspiring, positive advocate for students and staff alike,” school board President Neal Ormond said in a prepared statement.
More than 50 people applied for the job. Finalists were interviewed by board members, district workers, students and residents.