At the April 2 meeting of the Board of Education, Dean Gerdes was unanimously approved as Director of Finance/Transportation and Kathryn Klein was unanimously approved as Director of Curriculum for the 2014-15 school year. Mr. Gerdes served in District 161 for several years prior to taking a position in Evergreen Park in 2012. He will begin his duties in District 161 on May 30. Mrs. Klein has been Principal of Dr. Julian Rogus School for the past two years. Previously she was Principal of Mary Drew School and Indian Trail School. Mrs. Klein will complete the school year at Dr. Julian Rogus School while beginning her duties as Director of Curriculum.

Summit Hill District 161 has earned the highest category of financial strength obtainable on the Illinois State Board of Education’s School District Financial Profile. With a total score of 3.7 out of a possible 4.0, District 161 earned Financial Recognition status. Since the 1980s, the State Board of Education has been monitoring the financial conditions of school districts via the School District Financial Profile to identify which districts are in or are moving toward financial difficulty. Financial Profile indicators include fund balance to revenue ratio, expenditure to revenue ratio, days cash on hand, percent of short-term borrowing ability remaining, and percent of long-term debt margin remaining. Given the economic difficulties school districts are facing, the State Board noted that this is a significant accomplishment.