Does Hinsdale D-86 Official Owe $10,000?

HINSDALE, IL – A Hinsdale High School District 86 official who is taking a new job for much less pay may have another major cost – a $10,000 payment to the district.

Brad Verthein, assistant superintendent for student services, is leaving for Batavia School District 101, where he starts July 1.

Under his contract, Verthein must give the district 90 days' notice of his resignation. Otherwise, he must pay $10,000 to the district. The district can deduct that money from his remaining paychecks.

He does not have to pay that money if he gives written notice of his proposed resignation in time. The deadline would have been at the end of March.

Patch asked the district's spokesman, Chris Jasculca, whether Verthein gave the notice 90 days ahead of time. But Jasculca said the district does not comment on personnel matters.

Verthein has not returned messages for comment.

Patch has submitted a public records request for Verthein's resignation letter.

Last Tuesday, the Batavia School District 101 board approved Verthein as the new director of student services.

About a week earlier, the district posted Verthein's position online. Asked about that afterward, Jasculca said it was an "anticipated opening" because Verthein was a finalist for a job in another district.

Verthein's salary in Batavia is set at $130,000, much less than the $162,000 he made in District 86.

In an email Friday, resident Yvonne Mayer, who has frequently criticized the administration, asked the school board whether Verthein submitted his resignation on time.

"On behalf of the D86 community, I sincerely hope that you enforce the contract as written – requiring strict compliance with its provisions," Mayer said. "Unless the full board negotiated a termination by mutual agreement before Mr. Verthein accepted a job at Batavia District 101, the community will not accept any concocted reason by you for not enforcing ... his contract."

Verthein, previously District 86's director of student services, was promoted in mid-2019 to the assistant superintendent's job.

He took the place of Tammy Prentiss, who was promoted to superintendent after holding the assistant superintendent's job for five years.

In a statement last week, Prentiss praised Verthein's service to the district.