Woodland 50 board to replace superintendent with internal hire

Lori Casey will take over for longtime Woodland School District 50 Superintendent Joy Swoboda, the district announced Friday.

Casey, currently the associate superintendent of education, will step into the top job for the 2020-21 school year.

"I am humbled and honored to work in a community which values high expectations, community engagement, and love, equity and respect for every student," Casey said in a district news release. "During my tenure as superintendent, I will not lose sight of the tremendous responsibility and honor I have been given with our children."

Casey is in her 21st year in the district and has held her current position for the last 10 years.

She will not serve in her new role as long as Swoboda, who is retiring next year after 14 years as superintendent.

Casey's most recent contract ends after the 2021-22 school year. According to the district news release, Casey plans to honor that timeline and will retire after her second year as superintendent.

As superintendent, Casey will earn a starting annual salary of $198,000 and will receive an additional $100,000 after her two years in that role are completed.

District spokeswoman Carolyn Waller Gordon said that while the board members discussed conducting a superintendent search, they decided they had what they were looking for in Casey.

"We are fortunate to have someone of Lori's caliber and passion for the community who is willing to step up and provide Woodland with continued stability in leadership," board President Carla Little said in the release.

Swoboda also praised Casey.

"Lori is an exceptional leader and human being. It's been my privilege to work with her in multiple capacities over the last 21 years," Swoboda said. "Lori will provide insightful, stable, visionary leadership for the Woodland community."

Casey started in the district as a special education supervisor at the middle school before being named an assistant principal at Elementary East and then principal at Woodland Primary School. Casey has earned several major awards during her career, including the Special Education District of Lake County's Outstanding Educator of the Year award and the Walmart Teacher of the Year.