School Board President Who Ousted Hanson, Hired Guseman Quits

JOLIET, IL — The president of the Joliet Township District 204 School Board has resigned in the middle of her term, school officials announced Wednesday. Tracy Spesia, who served on the school board since May 2011, has relinquished her seat. Spesia's departure creates a vacancy that will need to be filled in the coming weeks.

Joliet High School District 204 Superintendent Karla Guseman indicated that Frank Edmon, Jr. has been elevated to school board president.

"I am so grateful for Dr. Spesia’s unwavering dedication and service to our students, parents, staff, and community," Guseman said in a statement issued Wednesday. "She is the proud mother of five Joliet West alumni and professionally, in her role as experience coordinator and school partnership liaison for the College of Education at the University of St. Francis, Dr. Spesia’s educational background has always been an asset to the District. Dr. Spesia has gone above and beyond in her role on the school board, serving on the Strategic Planning Team, Alumni Association Board, and District Improvement Team."

As board president, Spesia was involved in the Joliet Township school board's superintendent hiring fiasco of Cheryl McCarthy's replacement, Mike Hanson. That decision cost Joliet taxpayers several thousand dollars.

Hanson, a longtime South Dakota superintendent in the Black Hills area, was chosen by Spesia and her board to replace McCarthy, who retired in July 2019. Hanson arrived in Joliet late that summer, but by the end of January, Hanson was no longer being asked to show up for work at the District 204 administrative offices on Caterpillar Drive.

In February, Spesia approved a settlement to replace Hanson halfway into the school year.

Joliet Patch reported Feb. 11 that Joliet's taxpayers will continue to pay ousted Joliet Township High School Superintendent Mike Hanson his regular salary until July and Hanson won't have to show up for a single day's work as part of the separation agreement. The school board's decision would net Hanson at least $87,500 in pay for doing nothing to benefit District 204.

"Dr Hanson will receive the value of the first year of his contract until June 30 but not the remaining two years," a statement from the school board president noted in February.

Spesia was responsible for approving a four-year contract to replace Hanson with Karla Guseman, McCarthy's long-time assistant superintendent. The contract gave Guseman a $54,000 raise. As assistant superintendent, Guseman had been the fourth highest paid employee in District 204, making a salary of $171,634 plus $41,239 in fringe benefits.

According to the terms of her contract, Guseman got an immediate salary increase to $215,000, plus an extra $375 per month ($4,500 annually) as a travel allowance. Then, Guseman got another $11,000 bump in pay that took effect July 1, increasing her salary to $226,000.

“I am grateful to the community for entrusting me with this responsibility, to the district employees who support students and families every day, and to the past and present board members with whom I have had the privilege to work with for the last nine years," Spesia said in a statement issued by Guseman on Wednesday. "JTHS District 204 is truly a special school district. Just a brief review of the Points of Pride 2019-20 provides a snap shot of the collective impact of the dedication, expertise, and deep care that personifies the JTHS family.”