New Superintendent Of Schools Appointed For Oswego District 308

OSWEGO, IL — A new superintendent was unanimously approved Tuesday to helm Oswego Community Unit School District 308.

The Board of Education voted 6-0 to appoint Andalib Khelghati to succeed Superintendent John Sparlin, who retired at the end of the 2022-23 school year, Patch reported.

Sparlin served District 308 for 11 years, working as associate superintendent and assistant superintendent of administrative services before he became superintendent, a title he held for seven years.

RELATED: D308 Superintendent John Sparlin To Retire At End Of 2023 School Year

Khelghati, who will officially begin his new role July 1, most recently served as assistant superintendent for human resources at Evanston/Skokie School District 65. He also served the district as assistant superintendent of schools.

The administrator began his career in education as a teacher before becoming a school leader and later a district administrator. Throughout his career, he "retained a commitment to creating equitable learning environments enabling all children to excel and develop to their full capacities," District 308 officials said.

"Dr. Khelghati is equally an educational systems and culture change agent, with a focus on fiscal responsibility," LaTonya Simelton, board president, said in a statement. "He's a strategic thinker and leads from a lens that 'students don't fail, systems fail.'"

Outside of his career in education, Khelghati is a founding board member of Books and Breakfast, a nonprofit working to give students an enriched tutoring program, mentorship and access to a healthy breakfast before the start of the school day.

"As an African American with Persian heritage, he was born in Togo and lived in various countries including Kenya, Canada and Israel," officials said in a news release. "Dr. Khelghati brings a unique local and global perspective to his work as an educator. He speaks three languages, (English, French, Persian). This diverse cultural journey allows him to connect with students, parents, and staff from different backgrounds, fostering unity and a sense of belonging within the educational institutions he leads."

Khelghati received his bachelor's degree in social thought and political economy at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has a master's degree in curriculum and instruction in elementary education from Columbia University and a doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"I am looking forward to working with all members of the community to celebrate and ensure the success of each and every child," Khelghati said in a statement.