Lake Bluff School Chief Honored By Lake County Colleagues

LAKE BLUFF, IL — The Illinois Association of School Administrators named the superintendent of Lake Bluff School District 65 as the 2019 Superintendent of Distinction for the Lake County region. Superintendent Jean Sophie was honored at an awards luncheon Thursday in Springfield, where outstanding superintendents from each IASA region throughout the state were recognized.

Sophie has been an educator for 37 years and has spent the last seven as superintendent of the Lake Bluff elementary and middle school district. During her tenure at its helm, the district has managed to renovate its middle school without a referendum, refinance its bonds and operate with financial stability in its fund balance while earning "exemplary" designations by the Illinois State Board of Education, according to her nomination from fellow Lake County superintendents.

"Every superintendent in Lake County is a Superintendent of Distinction,” said Sophie, in a release. “Our region works together closely to put kids first in all of our decisions, have our voices heard legislatively and provide support to each other in our superintendent roles. I am very honored to represent our outstanding region of superintendents.”

Brent Clarke, the executive director of the state superintendents' association, said each of the 21 superintendents recognized at the fifth annual event were picked by their peers based on their leadership and dedication.

“These extraordinary individuals truly provide exceptional leadership that elevates the success of students in their districts and are difference makers in their communities,” Clark said.

Sophie, of Barrington, joined the Lake Bluff school district in 2012 after spending more than three years as superintendent of Westchester District 92½. She had previously taught business and computer classes in Palatine High School 211 before becoming assistant superintendent of Palatine Community Consolidated District 15, where she had also been an elementary school principal and a middle school assistant principal.