2 Executive Directors Hired At West Aurora School District 129

AURORA, IL — Two new executive directors were brought on board at West Aurora School District 129, officials announced.

The Board of Education approved the appointments of Ron Murphy and Lisa Rausch during the regular Jan. 8 meeting.

Murphy, the current assistant principal of operations at West Aurora High School, will serve as executive director of human resources. Rausch, the current assistant director of special education for District 129, will be executive director of student support programs.

Both will assume their new roles in the 2024-25 school year and continue their current responsibilities until then, according to a news release.

Murphy has worked as assistant principal for almost nine years. In the role, he's responsible for the building and grounds, building a budget, creating a master schedule, developing a staffing plan and conducting teacher evaluations. Officials said he also played an integral role during the collective bargaining process with several employee unions.

The administrator started his career at Oswego East High School, serving as a basketball and football coach, social studies teacher and later assistant athletic director. He has a bachelor's degree in history from Northern Illinois University and a master's in educational administration from National Louis University.

"I am grateful to both the district leadership team and the Board of Education for the opportunity to serve in this new role," Murphy said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing to serve the students, families, and staff of School District 129 in a new capacity."

As executive director of student support programs, Rausch will work to ensure all students — including multi-language learners, special education students and those enrolled in alternative programs — have access to high-quality education and support services, officials said.

During her time with District 129, Rausch spent 14 years as a school psychologist at various elementary and secondary schools. In that role, one of her primary responsibilities was to design, implement and monitor student academic and behavioral interventions.

Some of her leadership responsibilities also included serving as the district's school psychologist department chair and an adjunct faculty member at Aurora University.

Rausch has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Purdue University and a master's in school psychology from Miami University.

"School District 129 has been my home for nearly 24 years, and I am honored to take on this exciting new role," Rausch said in a statement. "I look forward to partnering with staff and administration across the district to improve outcomes for all students."