Maine Township superintendent will retire June 30

Maine Township High School District 207 Superintendent Joel Morris plans to spend part of his retirement helping Habitat for Humanity build houses in South Carolina.

Morris, 57, who has been associated with the district for 25 years in one form or another, submitted a retirement letter to the school board Monday night. He will leave when his three-year contract expires on June 30.

Morris, a Park Ridge native who graduated from Maine South, was a history teacher, administrative assistant, director of instruction and assistant superintendent in District 207 before leaving in 1991 to become a superintendent in West Chicago. In 1996 he took command of a K-12 district in Dubuque, Iowa and in 1999, he became chief of the 7,600-student Elmhurst Unit District 205.

When he returned to District 207 in 2006, he bought his dad's old house.

His daughter is a sophomore at Maine South, so after retiring, he still plans to spend most of the year here. But a year ago, he bought a home near Charleston, S.C., and near the ocean.

Later, he learned of the nearby Habitat for Humanity office and it intrigued him. He noted that most of his career has dealt with serving the intellect.

"I see this as an opportunity to work on something a little more physical."

While he acknowledges it's bittersweet to leave the Maine Township school system, "I'm looking forward to some new journeys to participate in," he said.

Joann Braam, president of the school board, issued a statement praising Morris' accomplishments during his tenure.

The board plans to hire a search firm by the end of December and begin interviews by March so that a successor can be ready to take over the 6,900-student system when Morris leaves.