Hinsdale D86 To Name South Principal

DARIEN, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86 board plans to select a new principal for Hinsdale South High School on Friday.

On Tuesday afternoon, the board released Friday's meeting agenda, which includes a single action item – a multi-year contract for a principal.

The person would likely begin July 1, the start of the new budget year.

A week ago, Patrick Hardy was hired as principal of Hampshire High School in Kane County, beginning July 1. It was the latest in a series of resignations in District 86's upper ranks. The district last week acknowledged turnover has been too high in recent months.

Besides Hardy, Eric Martzolf, South's principal for curriculum and instruction, is leaving to become principal of Lisle High School after this school year. The highest-ranking employee remaining is Kari Peronto, assistant principal for operations. It is unclear whether she applied for the top job.

The board meets at 7 a.m. Friday in the Hinsdale South High School library.

Following its longstanding practice, the board is keeping the name of its preferred principal candidate under wraps. The district's public relations department has likely been asked to prepare a news release that will be issued within minutes of the board's decision.

Not all districts treat appointments with such secrecy. The board for Algonquin-based School District 300, which hired Hardy, made his name available to the public a few days before its meeting last week.

Hardy started at Hinsdale South in 2022.