U-46 hires two new assistant superintendents

Two principals are being promoted to assistant superintendent posts in Elgin Area School District U-46 this summer.

Suzanne Colombe, principal at Bartlett High School, will become assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, a position that used to be called chief academic officer. Steve Burger, principal at Liberty Elementary School in Bartlett, will become the new assistant superintendent for elementary education instruction and equity.

The chief academic officer position has been vacant since 2009. Tony Sanders, U-46 chief of staff, said elementary and secondary assistant superintendents have overseen all curriculum and instruction areas during the last few years in addition to their duties overseeing 55 schools.

“To provide better support to schools and teachers, and as we continue to work toward implementing the Common Core State Standards, we decided to bring back a position that focuses on curriculum and instruction,” Sanders said.

Colombe has 10 years of experience as a language arts teacher and led that department at Bartlett High School from 2007 to 2009 before becoming assistant principal and then principal in 2011. As an assistant superintendent, she will oversee special education, the English Language Learner Department, assessment and accountability, and she will work with the district's curriculum coordinators, Sanders said.

Burger joins Ushma Shah as the second assistant superintendent of elementary education. He will lead 30 elementary schools while Shah focuses on the federally mandated restructuring of 10 elementary schools deemed failing under No Child Left Behind Act guidelines.

Burger has been principal at Liberty since 2007, before which he led Parkwood Elementary School.

“Dr. Colombe and Mr. Burger are hardworking, experienced administrators who have already done so much to improve the learning of our students,” Superintendent José Torres said in a prepared statement. “I am confident that our district will benefit from their leadership.”

Colombe's salary will be $142,000 for the length of her one-year contract. Burger will receive $140,000. His contract also is for one year, which is standard for district administrators.

No one has been named to replace Colombe and Burger in their schools.