A search firm has been chosen to help fill four top positions in Township High School District 113, including a new superintendent to replace George Fornero, who will retire next June.
At a recent meeting, school board members approved the hire of Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to facilitate the search for Fornero’s replacement, as well as two new principals and a director of student services.
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The firm’s fee will be $57,200 plus reimbursable expenses, said district spokeswoman Jennifer Waldorf. Board members will meet with the search firm in an open meeting by the end of the month to determine the timeline and process for the search.
Fornero announced in July that he would retire at the end of the school year — two years before the end of his contract. Leading up to his announcement, Fornero had been under heavy criticism because of the controversial departure of former Highland Park High School Principal Brad Swanson and proposed staffing cuts.
But Fornero said in a July interview that his decision to retire early, while influenced by the community backlash, was decided because of other factors including his mother’s poor health.
Tom Koulentes, interim principal for Highland Park High, was picked to replace Swanson for the 2014-15 school year, but the search firm will look for a more long-term replacement. District officials have said Koulentes could be considered as part of that process.
Deerfield High School Principal Audris Griffith is also retiring at the end of the school year. And the search firm will recruit a replacement for Andrea Gratz, director of student services, who is also retiring next summer.