Ex-York Principal Returning To Helm

ELMHURST, IL – A former York High School principal is returning to the helm after more than two decades away.

Linda Yonke, who served in the role from 1998 to 2004, will take the helm as one of two interim principals next school year.

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The other interim principal will be Stephan Bild, who retired as interim principal of Downers Grove South High School.

They are replacing Jessica Hurt, who was appointed last month to become an administrator in Indian Prairie School District 204. She is set to work at York through June.

The interim principals will serve while the school board searches for a permanent principal.

On Wednesday, the school board's vote for Yonke and Bild was unanimous, with member Kelly Henry absent.

Before the vote, member Brian Bresnahan expressed reservations about having interim principals for a year.

At the same time, he praised both Yonke and Bild and acknowledged the "challenging" timeline to get someone in place by July.

"My primary concern is student stability as we have freshmen and sophomores who are going to experience three leadership teams in four years," Bresnahan said.

Those changes, he said, create uncertainty and shifts in momentum and priorities, which he contended put a lot on the backs of students.

He said it was an opportunity to strengthen Elmhurst School District 205's internal candidate process.

"We have some really talented assistant principals that maybe we can develop, so these transitions can go seamlessly from one to the other in the future," Bresnahan said.

Member Courtenae Trautmann cited her experience as a board member since 2019. She said she has learned that starting a principal search in April is not good.

She noted the stability that Yonke brought to the district when she was interim superintendent from April to June 2021.

"I love the idea that we have the ability to lean on Linda and Stephan to bridge this gap," Trautmann said.

Both Yonke and Bild have served in interim administrative roles in multiple districts since their retirements.

Districts sometimes hire interim co-principals or co-superintendents because retired administrators can only work so many days at a public school while still receiving a pension.

Speaking to the board, Yonke called York one of her "very favorite places in the world." She was the principal when voters passed a referendum to rebuild York. She was able to see the improvements in her final months.

She said her connection to York was deep, noting her son graduated there in 2003.

In 2004, she left York for New Trier School District 203, where she retired as superintendent nearly a decade ago.

She told the Elmhurst board that having three principals in a few years was a challenge.

"I feel committed to enhancing the student experience as much as possible and really connecting to that joy of high school life," Yonke said.

Bild said he understands his role as a temp and how to "reassure people that I simply serve as a bridge to what is coming."

"I don't come into a building to make it mine," he said. "I come in to find what is sacred and what people would like to change and help support that in any way I can."