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River Grove parents want principal promoted
Updated: June 4, 2012 10:27AM
Parents are trying to persuade the school board to pick their man for the top job at River Grove Elementary School District 85.5.
Their man is the River Grove School principal, Glenn Grieshaber.
“I don’t think I could sleep tonight if I didn’t say anything,” said Linda Hodges to the school board on April 24.
Grieshaber is one of two candidates being considered for the job.
“Glenn has supported me and supports the families who have their children here,” she said. “He doesn’t get any extra pay for Saturday School, but when the kids are there they are working. I think he’s a good moral man and I appreciate working under him.”
Applause arose from audience after Hodges, who teaches junior high science at the school, finished what she had to say. Recently, the public had become aware that Grieshaber was in the running for the position.
Hodges was one of three people who spoke out in support of Grieshaber at the meeting, which took place in one of the school’s classrooms and was filled with people, many showing up in support of Grieshaber.
River Grove School Board President Marlene Flahaven acknowledged Grieshaber was one of two candidates being considered by the board to be the district’s new superintendent. She would not comment on any other person who is vying for the position.
She did say that 54 candidates had applied, and the search was narrowed down to seven.
The board plans to make a decision at their May 8 school board meeting.
Sources say Grieshaber’s competition for the position is a Carolyn Koos, superintendent of Deer Park School District 82 in Ottawa, Ill.
Current superintendent, John Bartelt, will be leaving to work for another school district in July.
Bartelt, 45, has been superintendent of the school district close to eight years and will be working in Bloomingdale, Ill for the Bloomingdale School District.
His contract with the new school district, which has two elementary schools and a middle school, is for three years and he will be making $161,100 annually. He currently makes about $138,000 and was just starting the first year of a three-year contract with the school district prior to his decision to leave.
