H-F High School Board Sets Special Meeting as Forum on Principal's Firing

FLOSSMOOR, IL — The Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 Board of Education will hold a special meeting to hear from parents and other community members about the Board’s decision to terminate Principal Ryan M. Pitcock with one year remaining on his contract. All members of the community are invited to attend.

The meeting has been set for Thursday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the HFHS Mall Auditorium.

"Inquiries into the District Office and on social media and to individual Board members, have indicated that parents and other community members would like to share their views and opinions regarding the Board’s decision," according to a press release from the district. "The best venue to hear community concerns and answer questions that would not violate the confidential nature of individual personnel decisions, is a community meeting."

The District 233 board last week voted to buy out the remainder of Pitcock's contract. He will be paid salary and benefits through the end of his contract, stated as June 30, 2017.

Administration did not disclose a reason for the move, but stated in the email that the board believes it "acted in the best interest of the students, parents/guardians, staff and the Homewood-Flossmoor community by taking action at this time."

Personnel decisions are "confidential in nature," the board said. Community members have questioned if the board's decision had to do with Pitcock's call to ban senior Taiylar Ball from prom.

The district's Director of Public Relations and Human Resources Jodi Bryant told the Chronicle that relieving Pitcock of his duties was "totally unrelated" to that incident.

Following the board's decision, member David Mayer resigned his seat. He declined to comment on why.

The meeting will be structured as follows:

• Opening remarks from the H-F Board of Education (10 minutes)
• Community member remarks (2 hours)
• Closing remarks from H-F Board of Education

"Out of respect for Dr. Pitcock and pursuant to employee confidentiality laws, the Board is unable to disclose, and will not disclose, specific information regarding its decision to terminate Dr. Pitcock’s contract or the Boards decision making process," according to Monday's press release. "The decision was not based upon a single incident and was completely unrelated to the recent H-F Student Talent Show, in which the Board and Dr. Mansfield were completely supportive of Dr. Pitcock’s actions."

In the coming weeks, the Board will begin the process of selecting an interim principal to ensure a smooth administrative transition. In the Fall, the board will begin a national, regional and local search for a new principal, at which time it will solicit the participation of students, staff, parents and community members to assist in the selection process. The process will culminate in a recommendation to the Board of Education. The anticipated start date for the new principal will be July 1, 2017.