Mundelein High School principal leaving for Zion

Mundelein High School Deputy Superindent/Principal John Ahlgrim is leaving for a job at another district at the end of the month.

Ahlgrim, who's been at Mundelein for 14 years, is set to take over as superintendent of Zion School District 6 effective July 1. He hasn't formally submitted a letter of resignation to the school board but has told teachers and administrators about the planned career change.

"I'm so grateful for the opportunities that District 10 has given me and (how the district) has allowed me to grow," said Ahlgrim, 43, of Libertyville.

District officials hope to name a replacement by the end of the month. Officials are interviewing candidates Thursday, Mundelein High spokesman Ron Girard said.

Co-interim superintendents Linda Hanson and John Barbini also are departing Mundelein High this summer. Both have been with the district since 2006.

They'll be replaced July 7 by Jody Ware, most recently the superintendent of Morrison Community Unit District 6 in northwest Illinois.

Zion District 6 has six elementary schools and one junior high building. Ahlgrim said he's looking forward to leading a district that's ethnically and economically diverse.

"That's just very meaningful to me," he said. "It's one of the things I've appreciated about Mundelein."

He said he's eager to focus on early intervention for struggling students and trying to ensure they have the skills to be successful beyond eighth grade.

Ahlgrim joined Mundelein High in 1994 as a math teacher and varsity football coach. Through the years he's served as a dean and as an assistant principal.

Before coming to Mundelein he worked at Libertyville High School, a dropout prevention program in Chicago and at the now-closed Holy Cross High School in west suburban River Grove.