The Homewood-Flossmoor District 233 Board of Education tapped Jerry Lee Anderson as new principal of the high school Tuesday night, months after firing former principal Ryan Pitcock in June, officials said.
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The board approved an one-year contract for $172,000 for Anderson who is currently principal of Monarch High School in Louisville, Colo. She served as dean of students at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in the mid-1990s.
Her expected appointment comes after a review of final candidates by the Board’s personnel committee earlier this month. She will begin July 1 at Homewood-Flossmoor.
“The school community will welcome Anderson,” said Jodi Bryant, director of human resources and public relations. “Everyone is looking forward to meeting her.”
Before serving as principal at Monarch High School, Anderson was principal at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs and at East High School in Denver. She speaks fluent Spanish and holds a doctorate of philosophy in administration and supervision from Loyola University Chicago and earned her master’s in curriculum and instruction from the University of Colorado — Colorado Springs.
“Dr. Anderson brings outstanding leadership experience as a high school principal, who has made measurable improvements at her current school and who possesses dedicated focus on student success and educational innovation,” Superintendent Von Mansfield said in a statement. “She also brings with her a commitment to developing community partnerships and strengthening connections with our grade schools. I am very proud to introduce her to Homewood-Flossmoor students, staff, parents, alumni and the greater H-F community.”
To select a new principal, the district sought direct input from students, parents and teachers, Bryant said. Using responses from a survey sent out to the school community, the district-hired search firm BWP & Associates tracked down 70 candidates for the job.
In January, five finalists visited campus and were interviewed by panels of students, parents and community members and another comprising faculty. The board then interviewed two finalist candidates in a closed meeting Jan. 30.
The more than 700 survey respondents said they wanted a principal skilled in leadership, communication and cultural competency who also exhibits integrity, a commitment to the school’s community and effective decision making.
Anderson replaces former principal Pitcock. Records released by the district in response to a Freedom of Information Act request show he clashed with Mansfield, as well as staff members, who accused Pitcock of “bullying” and sexual harassment. His formal termination letter said he was fired “without cause.”
Three months before the district fired him, the school reprimanded him for the handling of an anonymous letter alleging that a district official’s husband caused a 2014 disturbance on campus, disciplinary records show. Records released by the district also show Pitcock raised concerns about an “inappropriate relationship” between Mansfield and the official whose husband came to the school, though the school board concluded that no such relationship existed.