Lake Zurich schools bid farewell to retiring superintendent
Lake Zurich Unit District 95 board members bid farewell to Superintendent Michael Egan, who starts his retirement next week after a 40-year education career.
Egan's attire at his final District 95 board meeting Thursday night reflected his pending retirement, as he ditched his suit for a Tommy Bahama shirt, shorts, gym shoes and a Cubs cap.
After wishing everyone at District 95 continued success, Egan said he looks forward to not having to work as of Friday, July 1.
"It's been a great run," he said. "This district has been very good to me. I hope I've been as good to the district as it has been to me. I have a great staff that has really made me look good. And we have a great community, great group of students."
District 95 board President Doug Goldberg began the session by saying he always admired Egan's commitment to the school system. Egan joined the district in 1994 and was elevated to superintendent for the 2009-10 academic season.
"I've admired your tenacity," Goldberg told Egan. "I've admired your sense of right and wrong and your ethical behavior. And you came to the district (as superintendent) at a point in time when your skill set matched very well with the needs of the district."
Board member Kathy Brown said it'll be difficult to find someone who "bleeds Lake Zurich blue" as much as Egan. She said she knows people who are considering a move to Lake Zurich mainly because of the schools.
"You're leaving this place a lot stronger than when you took this role, I think," Brown told Egan. "And I think that speaks volumes."
Board member Chris Ketcham added Egan's work has helped place District 95 in a strong financial and academic position.
Egan, 65, started his career in 1976 as a junior high language arts teacher at Chicago Public Schools. After 10 years in Chicago, Egan taught at Maine South, Proviso West and Mundelein high schools before coming to Lake Zurich in 1994.
He worked his way up at District 95. He started at Lake Zurich High School as dean of students before promotions to assistant principal and principal.
Egan went from Lake Zurich High principal to District 95's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in May 2008. The District 95 school board elevated Egan to superintendent for 2009-10, after releasing Brian Knutson from his contract a year early so he could retire.
Kaine Osburn, 46, will become District 95's superintendent Friday, July 1. He had been Naperville Unit District 203's deputy superintendent since 2013.