Hinsdale D-181 Leader Gets Raise

HINSDALE, IL — School District 181's superintendent is set to get an $18,000 raise this school year under a new five-year contract approved Monday.

At a meeting, the school board unanimously voted for the new agreement with Hector Garcia, who heads the elementary and middle schools in Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills. He has been superintendent since 2018.

Under the new contract, his salary is $265,790, up from $247,674. His pay is set to rise 3 percent annually under the contract. He also will get 20 days of vacation annually under the contract.

The agreement indicates that the job may be Garcia's last in Illinois schools. He is set to get a post-retirement payout of $25,000 after his contract ends in 2026. It will be in lieu of any payout of unused sick days, according to the agreement.

"I think I speak for the entire board when I say we are thrilled to have Dr. Hector Garcia close out his illustrious career at District 181," board President Margaret Kleber said at the meeting. "You have built this whole administrative team, and that is an incredible feat."

Kleber credited Garcia for keeping students in person throughout the pandemic. The students, she said, lost just one week of class when it opened a week later than planned in the fall 2020 semester.

She also praised him for adding three new blue ribbon schools, which she called an "amazing feat."

"You have continued a culture of stability, positivity and financial stability," Kleber said. "I remember in one of our first meetings, you said, 'What's the most important thing for a school district?' I said, 'Finances,' and you said, 'Exactly.' Because without finances and resources, we can have the best curriculum in the world. We can have outstanding teachers. But if we can't pay for it, we can't provide it."

Garcia thanked the board for its support. He said he looked forward to the work to becoming a nationally recognized blue-ribbon, award-winning district.

Before becoming District 181's superintendent, Garcia held the same position in Plano School District 88 for six years.

District 181 has some inherent advantages over other school districts. Just 2 percent of its 3,600 students come from low-income families. That compares to 54 percent in Plano.