Superintendent Mike Simeck To Resign As Lake Forest Schools Chief

LAKE FOREST, IL — Superintendent Mike Simeck is resigning after nine years as chief administrators of Lake Forest public schools to take a job at a neighboring district.

Deerfield School District 109 board members Monday night approved Simeck's hiring as its next superintendent, starting in July. District officials have not responded to a request for a copy of the approved contract.

“I would like to thank the Deerfield Board of Education for the privilege of becoming the next superintendent of District 109," Simeck said in a statement announcing his hiring. "District 109 has a proud heritage of educational excellence, and I am very excited to join an exemplary team of educators, passionate parents, and committed community members to lead the district into the future."

Simeck succeeds Anthony McConnell, who announced his resignation in February after two years in charge of District 109. According to a statement from the board, there were 49 qualified applicants to replace him.

“We are confident that after a thorough search process and significant engagement with multiple stakeholder groups, [District] 109 has found the right leader to move Deerfield forward in our goal to be educational leaders,” Board President Nick Begley said in a statement.

Members of both Lake Forest school boards issued a joint statement Monday night in response to the announcement.

"A search for a new superintendent will begin immediately. Our respective Boards will collaborate closely in this process to ensure stability and a smooth transition. Superintendent Simeck will continue to lead the District through the balance of the 2020-2021 school year." it said.

"We are grateful to Superintendent Simeck for his tireless work ethic, unwavering integrity, and deep commitment to our students, staff, and community. We wish him the best in his new role."

In moving from Lake Forest to Deerfield schools, Simeck will be responsible for the same amount of school buildings and slightly more students, according to data reported to the Illinois State Board of Education.

District 67, the Lake Forest elementary school district, includes five school buildings and about 1,700 students. Another approximately 1,500 students attend the high school. Deerfield's District 109 has six schools and a total enrollment of nearly 2,900.

According to the most recent compensation reports available from Lake Forest School District 67 and Lake Forest Community High School District 115, Simeck received more than $291,000 in total compensation for the 2019 school year as superintendent of both districts.

His compensation for the current school year could not be immediately determined. By law, the reports much be filed with the state board of education every October, but the district has not publicly posted its report for 2019-20 and did not immediately respond to a request for a copy.

Related:
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Simeck Has Dealt With District Employee Convicted of Crime Before
Simeck Named Superintendent of Lake Forest School Districts 115, 67

Simeck succeeded longtime superintendent Harry Griffith, who retired in 2012 to become a consultant following a scandal involving sexually explicit messages sent to a college student by former Principal John Steinert. In his final year in charge, Griffith collected more than $360,000 in compensation, in addition to other controversial post-retirement perks — such as a free car when he left and 13 years of health insurance subsidies.

Prior to his hiring by Lake Forest school districts nearly nine years ago, Simeck spent four years in charges of Dansville Schools in Michigan followed by five years as superintendent of Berkley School District in Oak Park Michigan.

Simeck taught high school German before becoming an administrator, according to a statement from District 109. Simeck and his wife have spent extensive time in Germany and France, and both were awarded Fulbright scholarships, it said.

The departing superintendent issued messages Monday night to the District 115 and District 67 communities. Simeck said both districts are on positive paths toward goals supported by their respective boards.

"My time in Lake Forest has been at once satisfying and challenging. Each of my children went to school and graduated from Lake Forest schools, and I would like to thank the dedicated teachers and staff both in District 67 and 115 for their tireless devotion to their craft. Words fail to express our profound appreciation," Simeck said.

"For the staff as a whole, I have not just grown to know you and appreciate you as exemplary educators but also as people. Please know that it is you, individually and collectively, that I will so deeply miss," he added. "So it is also for the extraordinary parent groups, foundations, and other groups who provide encouragement and make dreams possible for our students and staff. The volunteer community in Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Knollwood is among the most committed in the nation, and the schools are beneficiaries of that truly amazing human capital and effort. It has been a privilege to witness that commitment."