No Interim Principal for HF, Team Approach Instead for New Year

FLOSSMOOR — Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233 officials will not bring on board an interim principal for the new school year, and instead will lead the school as a team.

Rather than finding someone to fill that role, a group made up of Superintendent Von Mansfield, the high school's department chairs and the school's two assistant principals will oversee the school until a permanent replacement can be found for the 2017-2018 school year, Daily Southtown reports.

Mansfield noted that time and money were both factored into the decision not to appoint an interim, also stressing that those helping to oversee the school will not be paid extra.

"For the most part, it will be myself and the two assistant principals," Mansfield said. "The other administrators will support as they can with various aspects of the duties. In addition, the department chairs will absorb some of the [teacher] evaluations that will have to be done."

Craig Fantin and Lawrence Cook are the two assistant principals.

The move is the next step following the abrupt firing of former principal Dr. Ryan Pitcock with a year still left in his contract. The district will have to pay out Pitcock's final $189,371 in salary and benefits through June 2017.

The board will keep an eye on how things run at the school with the team structure in place, and will adjust as needed.

The search for a new principal will begin in the fall, with the board utilizing surveys, focus groups and various interview committees.