Hinsdale D86 Seeks Acting Superintendent

HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86 board announced Wednesday that it is seeking a qualified administrator to serve as acting superintendent to replace the one leaving June 30.

In 16 days, Chris Covino, assistant superintendent for academics, is leaving to become superintendent of La Grange School District 102. A month ago, he was named acting superintendent after the board suspended Superintendent Tammy Prentiss.

"We recognize the sensitivity of such matters, and in fairness to Ms. Prentiss, the Board will not comment on any of its confidential discussions," the board said in Wednesday's statement. "As the Open Meetings Act allows, all Board discussions about her employment have occurred in closed session meetings."

The board seems to have violated the Open Meetings Act when it apparently decided to suspend Prentiss and appoint Covino acting superintendent. Neither vote was in public, as required by the act. Both actions took place the day after the board held a closed meeting.

The board said in the statement that it continues to act upon legal advice from its special counsel.

The counsel is attorney Joseph Perkoski, a managing partner with the Chicago-based Robbins Schwartz law firm, which represents schools. Perkoski's specialties are labor and employment issues.

On May 16, the board announced Prentiss was on a "leave of absence," but gave no details. Through a public records request from Patch, the district revealed last week that board President Catherine Greenspon informed Prentiss of the leave, indicating it was a suspension.

The board also has shown no documentation about how Covino became the acting superintendent in the first place.

The board took votes on Prentiss and Covino nine days after the closed meeting in which the original decisions were apparently made.