Grayslake Dist. 46 finance chief offered fast rise through the ranks
Grayslake Elementary District 46 officials provided a juicy opportunity to Edward Towle when they recently hired him as the new finance boss.
Towle, 53, would be considered for a promotion from chief school business official to assistant superintendent for business and finance with a successful 2010-11 academic year at District 46, according to his contract obtained by the Daily Herald through the Freedom of Information Act.
But Towle is now being scrutinized at District 46, where officials learned after his hiring April 7 that he's been on paid leave since February 2009 - for unknown reasons - from his job as business manager of a suburban Milwaukee school district.
On Thursday, the Daily Herald revealed neither Towle nor Brown Deer School District Superintendent Deb Kerr informed District 46 officials about his murky employment status during the hiring process.
Towle hasn't returned messages seeking comment this week. His hiring is expected to be on the District 46 school board meeting agenda Wednesday.
Brown Deer officials have refused to publicly say why Towle has been collecting his $107,449 base salary for not working. Kerr supported his Grayslake job quest with a glowing letter of recommendation.
District 46 Superintendent Ellen Correll said Thursday that Towle has not submitted a resignation letter and she doesn't know if he would be owed money if the board tries to yank his $98,000 base salary contract before his July 1 start date.
"We'll just have to wait until Wednesday night," Correll said.
Along with the possible promotion to assistant superintendent for business and finance, Towle would receive rolling two-year contracts if he completes a successful 2010-11 school year at District 46. Towle was granted 25 vacation days.
Towle joined Brown Deer as business manager in July 2007, with a contract stating he can be fired "for just cause." He's collected full pay while on leave for 14 of his 33 months at Brown Deer.
Brown Deer board members accepted Towle's resignation April 12, five days after he was named District 46's chief school business official. His Brown Deer departure is effective July 1.
"I have decided to accept another position that presents attractive opportunities for me and my family," states Towle's resignation letter to Brown Deer school board President Dennis Griffin, who hasn't returned messages for comment.
Towle submitted a resume to District 46 stating he began his working career as "founder/owner" of a financial consultancy in St. Paul, Minn., in 1979. He started in school finance in 1993 in Marinette, Wis., eventually landing in Brown Deer.
"I have extensive experience in both the public as well as the private sectors," Towle wrote in a cover letter to District 46, "and believe these life experiences give me an excellent knowledge base to tap from when dealing with difficult issues and may separate my qualifications from others."
Kerr, who cited employee confidentiality in declining to discuss Towle, was a reference he listed on his resume. She said no one in Grayslake asked if Towle was on paid leave in a telephone reference check, so the topic wasn't discussed.
Another reference provided by Towle to Grayslake was former University of Wisconsin men's basketball coach Dick Bennett. Towle didn't include any contact information for Bennett on the resume.
Towle topped about 40 candidates for the Grayslake job. He was hired to replace Brad Goldstein, who starts July 1 as director of finance and operations at Hawthorn Elementary District 73 in Vernon Hills.
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<li><a href="/story/?id=375118">New Grayslake Dist. 46 finance chief has been on leave from current job <span class="date">[4/22/10]</span></a></li>
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