Third Top Administrator Resigns from District 308

Another top administrator in has handed in his resignation.

Tim Neubauer, assistant superintendent of business and finance, has accepted a similar position with Barrington Community Unit School District 220, and will begin his new job July 1. Neubauer is the fourth top administrator to leave the district this year. last month, and Assistant Superintendent Marsha Hollis will retire at the end of the year.

Neubauer was the first external candidate hired by O’Donnell in 2009.

“Tim has been a very valuable member of our administrative team. His expert knowledge of school finance and budgeting has helped the district weather the economic storm of the past three years and improve our financial standing considerably from when he joined the district,” O’Donnell said.

This latest resignation perhaps signals continued friction between the district’s administration and the school board. Board President Bill Walsh said Tuesday morning he didn’t expect the level of turn-over at the top when he was elected to the board last April. 

“Did I anticipate all of this? No,” he said. “But there are other opportunities out there and people make decisions based on what they think is best for their careers and families. … This is unfortunate for District 308 because Tim has done a great job in weathering the economic storms in the district the last few years.”

As for whether the turmoil at the top will soon start to affect the level of education in the district, Walsh said though disagreements have existed between the board and administration, board members are committed to supporting education.

“I think if you look at the votes you can see the board approved the hiring of more special education teachers and just approved the hiring of 25 new staff positions for next year,” he said. “We will continue to support educational opportunities for all students in the district.”

Board member Mike Scaramuzzi said he hopes that some of the major disagreements that have come between the board and administrators in the last year or so actually will improve the education level throughout the district.

“I see and read about parents' concerns that this board is being too hands on, and frankly there are times when I share that opinion,” he said. “But I think it’s a matter of finding a balance, and maybe change will help in that effort.”

Replacing Neubauer will come as the board navigates filling the positions left open by O’Donnell, Hollis and Colvin. The firm searching for O’Donnell’s replacement has begun its work and Hollis’ replacement could be named as soon as the board’s April 9 meeting, Walsh said. Carla Johnson, the district’s executive director of teaching and learning, was one of two candidates interviewed by the board during closed session this week for that position.

The Illinois Association of School Boards, which is conducting the search for Hollis and Colvins' positions, will soon forward potential candidates for Colvin’s position, Walsh said. Whether the IASB will be used to help find Neubauer’s replacement has not been decided, according to Walsh.

The district is paying the IASB $5,000 (Hollis) and $4,000 (Colvin) to help find those replacements. up to $31,000 to help find O’Donnell’s replacement.