Dupage Policy Journal

Highland Park resident Enrique Perez is critical of the past Hinsdale High School District 86 school board’s track record of hiring superintendents.

A new board majority took office in May and was reportedly not in favor of Superintendent Tammy Prentiss due to her controversial actions involving an anti-racism consultant in 2022.

Perez said Prentiss was a “reject” from another school district before bottoming out at D86.

“In 2019, just a few months after getting a raise and a contract extension from their board of ed, Bruce Law is kicked out of Hinsdale High School District 86,” Perez said in a recent Facebook post. “Our board (D113) then decides to hire Hinsdale's reject. To replace Bruce Law, D86 hires Tammy Prentiss, also back in 2019. Fast forward to last month, the D86 board then places Prentiss on a ‘Leave of Absence’.

“Fast forward yet another month until today, and D86 still has Ms. Prentiss on leave, and D113 is still stuck with Hinsdale's reject…"

Perez’s comments come as Hinsdale High School District 86 seeks a replacement for Interim Superintendent Chris Covino, who is leaving his position to become the superintendent of a La Grange elementary school district. The Hinsdalean recently reported that Covino's departure is notable because he has been serving as the acting superintendent since Superintendent Tammy Prentiss went on paid leave in May.

The board has not provided a clear plan for the interim superintendent, stating that they will ensure a qualified administrator is designated "to the extent necessary." The board's focus seems to be on seeking legal advice and updating the search for a new superintendent in 2024, but the immediate need for an acting superintendent in just over a week remains unaddressed.

The community hopes that the board will choose an experienced external candidate who can provide fresh perspectives and effectively lead the district during this transitional period.

The D86 school board brought in a new and different majority earlier this year when it elected two candidates—including new school president Catherine Greenspon—amid a multitude of high-profile scandals, a May DuPage Policy Journal report said.

Prentiss received a heaping portion of criticism for her handling of the incident in 2022 involving the potential hiring of Valda Valbrun, an anti-racism consultant, who had publicly made unfavorable comments on social media. Valbrun was heavily criticized for her tweets characterizing Republican governors as "devils" and expressing hope for the "entire GOP to implode."

The new board majority expressed dissatisfaction with Prentiss' actions.

Concerned residents demanded Prentiss' removal following a controversial incident in which she publicly read a letter of withdrawal from Valbrun, who had been set to receive a consulting contract from Hinsdale. Some residents called for an investigation while others defended the district's equity work.

The past board's decision-making and transparency have also come under scrutiny. It extended Prentiss' contract until July 31, 2024, prior to the new board majority assuming office.