Elmhurst D205 Official Hired In Wake Of Scandal Leaving

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst School District 205's facilities director, who was hired a few months after his predecessor was arrested, is leaving, the district says.

Director Brent Braski's last day is May 28, according to the district's latest personnel report.

Braski's reason is publicly unknown. Patch left a message with him Monday morning.

On Jan. 22, 2025, Braski was hired as the interim facilities director. He was later hired permanently. Before Elmhurst, he was the director of building maintenance for Kane County for two years.

Last month, school board members praised Braski and Joe Blomquist, assistant superintendent of finance, for finding savings for taxpayers in several areas.

Braski took the spot of Todd Schmidt, who held the job for six years.

Schmidt resigned in early December 2024, shortly after he was jailed on felony charges. Rockford police accused Schmidt of swindling tens of thousands of dollars from his mother after his father died.

A month after Schmidt left, Patch obtained public records showing that he used his district credit card for about $50,000 in personal expenditures, including booze, cigars, restaurant meals, country club outings, airfares, groceries and sorority payments.

He reimbursed the district every month, so he was essentially getting short-term loans.

Until a couple of months ago, the district declined to release its internal report on the misspending. After the local police department divulged the document to Patch, the school district did so, with even fewer redactions.