Southwest School Principal To Retire At End Of School Year

EVERGREEN PARK — The Evergreen Park ESD 124 Board of Education approved the Southwest Elementary School principal’s request to retire at the end of the current school year during Tuesday’s board meeting. Patti Bogdan, a D124 veteran, served as principal of Southwest for nine years.

“I have put a lot of thought into this bitter-sweet decision and have come to the conclusion that it is time for me to turn the page and move on to the next chapter,” Bogan said in an email to parents. “I've been in the field of education for over 30 years and have loved every minute of it. I started out as a paraprofessional, teacher, assistant principal and finally principal at Southwest School. I've had a great career and I will truly miss playing a role in the students' academic journey. I've been in a couple different districts throughout my career, but I hit the jackpot when I landed at Southwest School.”

Bogdan thanked her colleagues at Southwest for their support, calling her role as principal of the school the “icing on the cake” in her 30-plus year as educator.

“It is difficult for me to find the words that express my gratitude for all the support I've received from the staff, parents, families, community and especially the students throughout the years,” Bogdan said. “Parents, thank you for sharing your children with me, I hope they have developed a positive attitude toward themselves as learners and toward school as a special place to grow”