The Evergreen Park School District 124 Board of Education approved and discussed several changes to the administrative team at D124 schools during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, June 19.

Carrie Berry, a current Southwest School kindergarten teacher who has worked for the District for 19 years, was hired as the new assistant principal at Northeast and Northwest Schools. During her time in D124, Berry has taught kindergarten, first grade, sixth grade, and has worked as Curriculum Coach. She holds a Master’s Degree in Administration Leadership from the Olivet Nazarene University, and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Nova Southeastern University.

"I'm thrilled that we were able to promote a candidate of Ms. Berry's caliber to an administrative position, given her dedication to District 124 and her history of teaching excellence,” D124 Superintendent Dr. Robert Machak said.

Berry said she’s excited to take on this new role and is “ready and willing” to take the next step in her career.

“I enjoy the challenges of education, working with teachers, parents, and students, and the opportunities to make education balanced so it addresses the needs of the individual as well as the group,” she said. “I feel that I can be an effective leader for District 124, a school district that has a strong reputation for providing opportunities for high academic achievement and personal growth for all of its student population. I am confident that I can work with other administrators, principals, teachers, students, and parents in a respectful manner to strengthen the success of our school district.”

Also approved at the June 19 meeting was the addition of a second assistant principal position at Central Middle School. The new position will put the ratio of students to administrators at the middle school in line with the District’s four elementary schools.

"I asked the Board to approve this new position to help the teaching staff and current administration better support the initiatives for student academic growth and success that we've already put in place at CMS,” Machak said. "An additional administrator makes the building smaller, and that will help with discipline and supervisory issues as well as providing more school-wide flexibility for administration to join teachers in team and data meetings." 

Machak is hoping that an internal candidate steps up to fill this post.

"In that regard, someone already familiar with our District priorities, vision, and mission would be ideal in this position,” he added. 

The vacancy for the current assistant principal position at Central was filled on May 15, when the Board approved the hiring of Daniel Richmond, who recently completed his tenure as the Multi-Tiered System of Supports Coordinator in West Harvey-Dixmoor School District 147.

The Board of Education was also provided with an update on the search for a new principal at CMS at the June 19 meeting. The position has been posted and the District has begun the process of screening applicants. Machak said he is prepared to ask the Board to appoint an interim principal for the 2019-2020 school year and then conduct a lengthier and more formal search during the school year, unless exactly the right candidate emerges through the interview process. As of June 21, no internal candidates had applied for the CMS principal position.

Machak hopes to make a recommendation on the hiring of a new CMS principal at the next Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, July 17.