Turmoil continues at Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 with the release of Superintendent Marc Schaffer, who started with the district about 15 months ago.
In a message to the community, school board President Mithilesh Kotwal said the board at a special meeting Thursday voted to exercise a contract option to conclude Schaffer’s service “without cause” as the district shifts “strategic leadership direction.”
The board determined a leadership change is necessary, Kotwal wrote, but no explanation or clarification was provided.
“The board recognizes that decisions about leadership are among its most consequential responsibilities,” he said. “We do not take them lightly or without careful consideration of what is best for our students, staff, and community.”
Bhavna Sharma-Lewis, the former superintendent at Diamond Lake Elementary District 76, was designated as the immediate replacement. Sharma-Lewis has been with District 128 since May as interim administrator for human resources.
“She holds the necessary superintendent licensure and has already demonstrated the steady leadership this moment calls for,” Kotwal wrote.
Sharma-Lewis served as District 76 superintendent for 10 years, leaving after the 2024-25 school year.
“We recognize that this announcement may raise questions,” Kotwal wrote, saying additional information will be shared via email on its website as the board works with Sharma-Lewis to finalize the transition plan and determine next steps.
Schaffer, who graduated from Niles West High School in Skokie, was working as superintendent in Loveland, Colorado, when he was selected from 22 candidates in February 2025 to replace Denise Herrmann.
The board reached a separation agreement with Herrmann in August 2024. She voluntarily resigned but remained on paid administrative leave through June 30, 2025, three years before her contract term expired.
Hermann had been under fire for months before her departure, including a public vote of no confidence by teachers. Among the criticisms were an alleged lack of planning in pursuit of pending educational initiatives without a realistic plan and other perceived shortcomings.
During Schaffer’s tenure, board President Jim Batson resigned without comment as the board dealt with continuing criticism of how school officials handled allegations of sexual grooming and other complaints brought by students.
A lawsuit involving a former special education teacher was recently settled. In April, Associate Superintendent Briant Kelly, who worked in various capacities in the district for nearly 26 years, was placed on leave and subsequently fired.
Kotwal said the focus remains on students, staff and schools. The board’s immediate priorities are maintaining continuity and consistency for students, staff and schools; ensuring student safety; and listening, communicating and supporting students, staff, families and school leaders during the transition, he added.