Hinsdale D-86 Waives Top Official's $10K Payment

HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86 board last week approved a resignation agreement with an assistant superintendent.

The district has not posted the agreement to its meeting agenda page, as it did with others approved at Thursday's school board meeting.

The agreement is with Brad Verthein, assistant superintendent of student services.

Before last Thursday's meeting, the district's spokesman, Chris Jasculca, said the pact would be made available after the session. On Monday, though, he told Patch it would not be released without a records request. Patch filed one, and the board released it shortly after.

The board voted 5-2 for the agreement. No one discussed its provisions.

Verthein's employment contract required he give the board three months' notice before leaving. He failed to meet that requirement, but the resignation agreement waived the rule.

Board members Peggy James, Terri Walker, Cynthia Hanson, Kathleen Hirsman and Erik Held voted for the agreement. Debbie Levinthal and Jeff Waters dissented.

Both Levinthal and Waters said the district failed to provide enough information to members about the agreement. They said their votes had nothing to do with the merits of Verthein as an employee.

On July 1, Verthein is set to start as director of student services for Batavia School District 101.

Verthein's salary in Batavia is set at $130,000, much less than the $162,000 he makes in District 86. Verthein has not returned messages for comment.

In mid-April, District 86 posted Verthein's position online before it was publicly known he planned to leave. Asked about it at the time, Jasculca, the spokesman, said the position was an "anticipated opening" because Verthein was a finalist for a job in another district.

After Verthein's departure became known, Prentiss issued a statement calling him a "trusted and valued member of our team."