District 205 School Board Hires Two New Cabinet Members

Elmhurst Unit District 205 Board took action from its closed session Tuesday to unanimously approved the hire of two key cabinet positions and to approve the “honorable dismissal” of one education support personnel.

Christopher Whelton was named assistant superintendent for finance and operations, filling the spot that will be vacated by Pat Masterton. Charles Johns was named assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, taking over for Karen Sullivan. Both have received two-year contracts with an annual salary of $140,000 each.

Whelton is a certified public accountant who worked for eight years as an auditor in the private sector. He also was director of fiscal services for Maine Township High School District 207 from 1998 to 2007, and is currently business manager for Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208.

He was appointed chairman of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials  Budgeting and Financial Planning Committee and has received the Association of School Business Officials International Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from 2003 through 2006. He also received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from 2004 through 2006.

Whelton created financial guiding principles for District 208 and engaged the board in long-term financial planning. He issued bonds for the $64 million construction and renovation of Riverside-Brookfield High School, monitoring all financial aspects of the construction project, which was completed on time and under budget. He also implemented financial software that has improved tracking, accounting and efficiency.

He earned a bachelor of business administration degree with a public accounting major from Loyola University, a master of science in education degree with a school business management major from Northern Illinois University, a CPA designation, and the Illinois Chief School Business Official Endorsement and Administrative Type 75 Certificate.

Johns is principal of Rolling Meadows High School in District 214, a role he has held since 2004. He served as the associate principal for operations there for five years before being appointed principal. He was a dean of students for five years and an English teacher for three years at Elk Grove High School, another of the six high schools that comprise District 214.

Rolling Meadows High School saw a nearly 60 percent increase in advanced placement course participation, experienced at least a 10 percent reduction in failing grades and realized improvements on standardized assessments for several consecutive years. Johns created and led the model high school in the Illinois implementation of Response to Intervention and is a member of the district Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports implementation team.

Johns designed and developed a comprehensive social and emotional learning program that included positive behavioral interventions and supports, signs of suicide and freshman induction. He led sharing sessions for more than 1,000 visitors from schools, school districts, state agencies, research organizations and universities.

He has served as a senior partner for three years with Empowered High Schools, a highly collaborative, team approach to school improvement that combines standards-aligned curriculum, Response to Intervention, data-driven decision making and social emotional learning to ensure student academic growth.

Johns received a bachelor's degree in psychology and English from the University of Iowa, a master's degree in English from the University of Iowa and his doctorate degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Loyola University.

District 205 School Board member Maria Hirsch said she was “thrilled” to have both men join the leadership team.

“This board is very engaged and involved,” she said. “Welcome to our district.”

The reduction in force of an education support person that was voted on Tuesday should have been included in the reductions announced two weeks ago, Superintendent Lynn Krizic said.

“in reviewing support staff dismissals from last month, we identified one more (position) that needed to be reduced,” she said. “This is just completing the whole reduction process.”