Filling the principal’s position at Homewood-Flossmoor High School may take some time so the board is looking at several options, including an interim principal, said Richard Lites, president of the H-F school board.
At a special meeting on Tuesday, June 21, the board dismissed Ryan Pitcock as principal after eight years on the job. He had one more year on his contract, but the board decided to give him notice and agreed to pay his salary through June 30, 2017.
Lites said the board will consider all options to fill the position and that community members and parents will have an opportunity to be involved through a search committee.
The first day of school is Aug. 17, but Lites does not expect a full-time replacement to be named by then.
He believes there are “very good potential candidates locally.” The district also could go with an interim principal while conducting a national search.
An interim principal may come out of the ranks of retired principals who, because of limitations placed by pension rules, will take short-term employment of 100 days or less.
“We may get someone who misses being a principal” to take the job for three months, Lites said.
H-F also “has two terrific assistant principals and other staff members who could fill the job,” he added.
Because of H-F’s outstanding national reputation, the board may decide to use a recruiting firm, the president said. The board has worked with such firms in the past.
“I’m very proud of our district. We are among the top 2,000 districts in the country” and that will bring in a wide talent pool, he stressed.
Jodi Bryant, director of public relations and human resources, said administratively the changes won’t have a negative impact on the district. She expects a “smooth transition” as the school board moves forward with the principal search.