Minooka HS Principal Settlement Revealed In FOIA

MINOOKA, IL — Minooka High School District 111 has agreed to keep recently departed high school principal Ronald Kiesewetter on its payroll for up to a year, a measure that could end up costing as much as $167,904, according to calculations made by Patch.

School officials also agreed they will not say anything disparaging about Kiesewetter's five-year tenure as Minooka's high school principal. Furthermore, District 111 agreed to remove any and all disciplinary measures contained within his personnel file, the documents show.

It's also important to note that the forthcoming payments to Kiesewetter may end up being significantly lower than $167,904 in the event Kiesewetter can find another full-time job between now and July 2020, Patch confirmed with school district officials.

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Details of the buyout involving Kiesewetter and Minooka High School Superintendent Kenny Lee are spelled out in a written agreement obtained by Patch through the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Lee is finishing his third year as superintendent of District 111. The high school district comprises nearly 2,800 students.

Kiesewetter had a $142,055 salary during the 2018-2019 school year, the agreement states. Beginning on July 1, Minooka 111 will provide Kiesewetter with bimonthly payments continuing through June 30, 2020, in the event that he does not find another full-time job.

Each of the salary payments will be about $5,920, the document indicates.

In addition, Minooka agreed to make bimonthly insurance coverage payments of $1,077.

In sum, the bimonthly payments to Kiesewetter will be approximately $6,996.

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Here are some other highlights of the agreement, as provided to Patch via FOIA:

Kiesewetter signed the separation buyout on May 16, the documents show. Days later, hundreds of students flooded a school board meeting suggesting that Kiesewetter's ouster and removal as principal resulted from his disapproval of alleged racist comments made to him by recently re-elected school board member Lori Lakota.

A number of months ago, Lakota is alleged to have said that she did not want her children taught by an African-American teacher.

On May 28, Lakota abruptly resigned from the Minooka school board, citing the accusations, which she called false, and saying she was facing threats of violence.

Lee told Patch on Tuesday that he is prohibited from commenting on the settlement. However, Lee did say that the school district has closed the application process for hiring a new high school principal. It's possible, but not a guarantee, that the school board will be ready to vote on a replacement for Kiesewetter at its next school board meeting, set for June 19.