Cary-Grove Principal Lesinski named new District 155 superintendent

Shaw Local News Network

Cary-Grove High School Principal Neil Lesinski will be the next superintendent of Crystal Lake High School District 155, officials announced after a special board of education meeting Wednesday.

Lesinski was tapped to replace retiring Superintendent Steve Olson starting July 1, the district said in a statement posted to its website. District officials approved a three-year contract that will pay Lesinski an annual salary of $198,621 through June 30, 2026.

The move makes Lesinski the district's 14th superintendent.

"Dr. Lesinski proved throughout this process and throughout his leadership as principal at Cary-Grove High School, the importance of relationships and collaboration with students, staff, parents, and our communities," board President Adam Guss said in the statement. "It's evident that Dr. Lesinski will remain focused on students to foster their growth and personal aspirations."

Lesinski has been Cary-Grove's principal since 2017.

Olson is retiring after 38 years with the district, the last five as superintendent. He started with the district in 1985 as a social science teacher at Crystal Lake South High School and had been principal at Crystal Lake Central for 16 years before being named superintendent.

The district hired the Illinois Association of School Boards to help in its search, which attracted more than a dozen applicants. Lesinski was picked from among six candidates who the board interviewed, and was among three finalists for the job, according to the statement.

Lesinski has a bachelor's degree in English Education from Western Illinois University and a master's in Educational Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. He also holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Aurora University, according to the district.

"I look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts with students, staff, parents, and community partners in order to find new ways to help all of our students learn and grow," Lesinski said in a statement.