Bartlett High School principal put on leave amid probe into ‘administrative practices’

Bartlett High School Principal Mike Demovsky has been placed on administrative leave amid an investigation into some of his “administrative practices,” Elgin Area School District U-46 said Monday.

U-46 Superintendent Suzanne Johnson said in a statement that the ongoing investigation started after the district “became aware of concerns regarding certain administrative practices of Demovsky.”

According to Johnson, the issues do not involve the safety of any past or current students or staff. The district is fully cooperating with the investigating parties, she said.

Demovsky was placed on administrative leave effective immediately.

A student and a parent spoke in support of Demovsky at Monday’s school board meeting. Bartlett High School parent Brock Friedman said the board should at least allow Demovsky to hand out diplomas at this year’s graduation ceremony.

“This is what the kids want,” he told board members.

Bartlett High School junior Emily Guadarrama, who is a member of the principal student advisory group, described Demovsky as one of the “best principals Bartlett High School has ever had.”

“Principal Demovsky takes the time to get to know the students individually,” she said, adding that the board should consider his career as a whole.

Later in the meeting, the board approved a resolution reclassifying a school principal to a classroom teacher. The resolution does not name the individual principal, and district officials declined to comment or say which school was affected.

Melanie Meidel, who served as a high school principal and assistant superintendent in U-46 before retiring, will step in as the interim principal at Bartlett High School for the rest of the school year.

“We are fully committed to ensuring that Bartlett High School operations and educational programs continue seamlessly during this period,” Johnson said.

“Ms. Meidel brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of our school community, which will be invaluable during this transition,” Johnson added. “We are confident in Ms. Meidel’s leadership and the strength of our Bartlett High School staff to continue providing the best learning environment for our students.”