Dr. Scott Wakeley Named D233 Superintendent-Elect

Flossmoor, IL —The Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233 Board of Education on Tuesday announced that Dr. Scott Wakeley will be the district's next superintendent. Wakeley will serve as superintendent-elect during 2021-22 school year and take over for the retiring Dr. Von Mansfield during the 2022-23 school year.

Wakely is currently in his eighth year as superintendent at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School District 307 and has served as superintendent at Yorkville Community Unit School District 115 and Genoa-Kingston Community Unit School District 424.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve the Homewood-Flossmoor community," Wakeley said in a release. "As a member of the Southwest Suburban Conference with H-F for the past eight years, I have observed firsthand the excellence from the students, staff and community. I am excited to build on the terrific foundation at Homewood-Flossmoor High School."

The District 233 Board of Education conducted a national search to find the new superintendent, including working with BWP & Associates, a search firm. The board also gathered input from community surveys and focus groups.

"We are happy to welcome Dr. Wakeley," said Gerald Pauling, a District 233 Board of Education member and chair of the board’s Personnel Committee. "While he no doubt has some big shoes to fill, Dr. Wakeley is a very highly regarded educational leader, who comes to us with a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of issues that are key to our district."

According to a release, Wakeley is passionate about furthering racial literacy, equity, diversity and he has research interests in leading change and incorporating positive psychology. He has been a speaker at several state and national conferences on leadership and educational change and he currently is an adjunct professor in the doctoral program at University of St. Francis, teaching a course called Organizational and Change Theories and The Superintendency: Policy and Ethics.

Wakeley also serves on the executive board of the Illinois High School District Organization and the Kankakee Area Career Center. Plus, he is a member of the Suburban Superintendent Association, the Illinois School Administrators Association and the National School Administrators Association.

A graduate of Olivet Nazarene, where he studied psychology, Wakeley has a Doctorate in educational leadership from Northern Illinois and a Master's of Arts in education and administration and Master's of Science in school psychology from Governors State.

Prior to becoming a superintendent, Wakeley was an assistant superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction at Evergreen Park School District 124, and he spent seven years as an administrator at Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202.

Mansfield announced his last day at District 233 will be June 20, 2022. The soon-to-be outgoing superintendent took over during the 2008-09 school year after serving as the principal at Homewood-Flossmoor.

Mansfield said he looks forward to working with Wakeley over the next year, and he believes the district is in good hands once he departs.

"I have had the great privilege of serving our communities for almost 20 years and am proud of the work our school community has accomplished together and am looking forward to working with Dr. Wakeley during the transition," Mansfield said. "Dr. Wakeley’s experience and passion for creating opportunity and access for all students will ensure our district continues to provide our children with an outstanding education.”

According to a release, plans are underway to introduce Wakeley to the Homewood-Flossmoor community in both virtual and in-person settings in the coming months.