D124 Begins Search For New Principal At Central Middle School

EVERGREEN PARK, IL -- Dist. 124 has started the search for a new principal at Central Middle School. The school board has also approved the hiring of a second assistant principal at the middle school, which it hopes to fill with an internal candidate.

The addition of a second assistant principal position at Central Middle School puts 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,” Superintendent Dr. Robert Machak said in a news release. "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.

In May, the D124 school board approved the hiring of Daniel Richmond to fill a current assistant principal vacancy at Central Middle School. Richmond recently completed his tenure as the multi-tiered system of supports coordinator in West Harvey-Dixmoor School District 147.

The superintendent also told school board members that he hoped to announce a new principal at Central Middle School in July. CMS principal Michelle Reed left after just one year in the post.

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, according to information provided by the school district.