Ex-Vernon Hills principal set to lead Libertyville High

Former Vernon Hills High School Principal Jim Whittington is set to return to the district -- but he'd better trade his blue-and-silver wardrobe for black-and-orange duds.

Whittington, who led Vernon Hills from its creation in 1999 until 2003, has been tapped to join sister school Libertyville High as a co-principal this summer. Plans call for him to be joined by Michael P. Stevens, a former principal at Prospect High School in Mount Prospect.

The Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 board could approve the interim hirings at its next meeting, which is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Vernon Hills High.

Board President Anne Landgraf is excited about Whittington's planned return.

"It's nice to have a known commodity," she said. "Jim knows our system. He's very enthusiastic about doing this."

The moves are needed because of the pending departure of Libertyville High Principal Brad Swanson. In February, Swanson announced he'd be taking over as Highland Park High School's principal this summer.

District 128 officials searched for a permanent replacement after Swanson's announcement and reviewed applications, but they couldn't find the right candidate, Landgraf said.

The short timeframe for the search was a factor, she said. They'll start a new search in the fall.

Whittington's career has included posts at Wheeling High School and York High in Elmhurst. After leaving Vernon Hills High, he briefly rejoined the district as a personnel consultant in 2004.

Stevens retired from Prospect High in 2002 after eight years there.