D231 Interim Superintendent Ready To Guide EPCHS Through School Year

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — As students head back to class on Aug. 21, , Dist. 231 Interim Supt. Dr. Michael Riordan is ready to lead Evergreen Park Community High School through the 2024-2025 school year.

A familiar face to many in the area, Riordan retired from Oak Lawn Community High School in 2023 after serving as superintendent for 15 years. Riordan comes to EPCHS with 33 years of experience as an educator, including 15 years serving as the school superintendent at nearby Oak Lawn Community High School District 229. At EPCHS, he will be the immediate replacement for Tom O’Malley, who retired after serving as EPCHS superintendent for seven years with distinction.

“I am honored to serve as interim superintendent at Evergreen Park Community High School,” Riordan said in a news release. “This school district and the Evergreen Park community as a whole are wonderful places for young people, and I am fully committed to ensuring that the great traditions and commitments to our students and families continue into the future.”

Riordan is familiar with EPCHS having spent more than 30 years at OLCHS, another founding member of the AERO Special Education Cooperative. It was with AERO in which Dr. Riordan worked closely with Mary Zofkie, president of the EPCHS D231 Board of Education.

“I’m very confident that Dr. Riordan will lead us through this year without skipping a beat,” Zofkie said. “He comes to EPCHS with a wealth of knowledge and experience, and will help bridge the gap as we continue our search for a permanent leader for our district.”

Riordan began his career in education as a science teacher at Marian Catholic High School before transitioning to Oak Lawn. At OLCHS, he was a teacher, coach, dean, department chair, assistant principal and principal before becoming superintendent in 2008.

He retired from Oak Lawn Community High School in 2023, and enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife, Erin, and their five adult children.