Did Ex-Huntley Dist. 158 special ed. chief pump up job application?

Documents obtained recently by the Daily Herald paint a contradictory picture of what transpired when a former special education director in Huntley Unit District 158 applied for her job last year.

Special Services Director Cheryl Kalkirtz resigned on Feb. 1, according to the district, just seven months after she assumed her post. The school board on Feb. 18 directed legal counsel to draft a separation agreement with Kalkirtz.

Kalkirtz says her resignation was her decision but would not comment on whether she was asked to resign.

"I had intended to complete my contract," Kalkirtz said recently. "I selected not to remain at the district due to personal reasons."

She would not elaborate on those reasons.

According to an employment application provided by District 158 under a Freedom of Information Act request, Kalkirtz claimed to have a state-issued special education director endorsement.

The district, in turn, represented Kalkirtz as having the endorsement in a June 16, 2009, e-mail to selected staff members and parents, records show.

But according to an employment application Kalkirtz provided on Wednesday, Kalkirtz only stated that her endorsement was pending.

Kalkirtz, according to Illinois State Board of Education records, does not currently have the certification. She says the endorsement is still pending.

Superintendent John Burkey has consistently declined to comment on the matter but said Wednesday the documents provided by the district reflect the employment application the district has on file.

"We sent you what the district has. I don't know what Cheryl sent you," Burkey said, adding: "I can't talk about her."

Burkey has said the certification is required for someone who serves in Kalkirtz's former role. But the district did not specify this in its job description for special education director, district records show.

Kalkirtz says that was one of the reasons she applied for the post.

"When I applied for the director of special services position originally, my credentials matched the district's job description that was verbally changed by administration on Feb. 1, 2010," Kalkirtz wrote in a statement.

Burkey said regardless of what the job description says, the endorsement is required for the job. He declined to elaborate.

Feb. 1 was also the date on Kalkirtz's brief resignation letter, which reads: "I, Cheryl Kalkirtz, resign from CSD158 effective immediately."

Kalkirtz hasn't commented on whether any other resignation letter exists, saying, "For legal purposes, that is the letter the district is going with." Burkey said the brief statement was the only letter Kalkirtz submitted.

The director certification should not be an issue going forward, as state records show current special services coordinator Karen Aylward now has her director endorsement. Burkey held off on making Aylward interim director because of her pending certification. Her appointment could come as soon as this month.

As for Kalkirtz, she blamed the delay in receiving her endorsement on the Cook County Regional Office of Education, whose superintendent, Charles Flowers, has been indicted on corruption charges.

"Mine as well as hundreds were held up, and that caused great delay," Kalkirtz said.