Four new administrators hired in Diamond Lake District 76
Classes at Diamond Lake Elementary District 76 in Mundelein don't end until June 5, but already there is a lot on the plate for the start of the next school year.
Four new administrators have been hired, two with ties to incoming superintendent Bhavna Sharma-Lewis. The staffing change is not regarded as a shake-up, but represents a chance for the district and Sharma-Lewis to fill gaps with like-minded administrators.
"It's definitely not a change of course, per se," said Lisa Yaffe, school board president. "When we were going through the superintendent search process, we realized there was an opportunity here."
Two of the new administrators are from Riverside District 96, where Sharma-Lewis has served as superintendent the past two years: Steve Juracka, principal of Hauser Junior High School in Riverside, will become the director of teaching, learning and innovation for District 76; and, Kurt Preble, principal of Hollywood School, will become principal at Diamond Lake School.
The board wanted Sharma-Lewis to hire people with a philosophy consistent to hers, Yaffe said. Sharma-Lewis was hired to continue and enhance student achievement initiatives and guide a pending plan for district facilities, including its three schools.
"It's four plus her, really. It's not a little moment for us," Yaffe said.
The other administrators are Juliane Fredericks, the special education department chair at Fremd High School in Palatine, who has been named principal at Fairhaven School; and, Laura Vladika, the director of evaluation, development and Early Language Learning in Skokie District 69, who will be director of language programs for District 76.
Sharma-Lewis and the four new administrators start their District 76 jobs July 1.
The posts filled by Juracka and Vladika are revised slots replacing the positions of director of pupil services and director of bilingual education and curriculum. For the first spot, Carlie Owens has taken a job in another school district and the second has been vacant since a resignation earlier this school year.
At Fairhaven, Fredericks will replace Tanya Fergus, who left for neighboring Mundelein Elementary District 75 after six years. She began her career as a special-education teacher in Glendale Heights. Preble will replace two co-principals, who were hired for this school year and have retired, Yaffe said. He began his career teaching multiple grade levels in Elgin Area School District U-46. Juracka also served as associate principal of curriculum and instruction at Bartlett High School in U-46. Vladika began her career as a Spanish teacher at Stevenson High School.
Besides academic performance and facilities, District 76 will focus on reaching an agreement with teachers, whose contract is about to expire.