This booklet commemorates the history of Community Consolidated School District 15. It represents a tapestry of time, woven from the fabric of our children, parents, educators, and communities. Rich in the diverse threads of the past, District 15 continues to build on the solid foundations of a community which places a high value on the quality education of its children. This proud history celebrates not only past generations of excellence, but also those to come. 

While the facts and statistics were carefully researched, there is still much to be added and learned. We encourage others to continue the work of documenting this important part of our community’s history. 

Special thanks goes to Joseph M. Kiszka, who accumulated much of the volume of historical data. His commitment provides inspiration for the District 15 community to maintain our history for future generations. Thanks also to Sandy Cramer, the district’s Web and print specialist, for the layout and design of this document.

We also thank the Palatine Historical Society and Marilyn Pedersen, as well as the Rolling Meadows and Palatine public libraries, and the district’s schools for help in ferreting out their histories. We also are grateful to the following people for their support: George Auer, Gayle Bozec, Patricia Campbell, Sandy Cramer, Fran Green, Nancy Cooper Glonke, Alice Helgesen, Bernice Helms, Isabel Klopp, Susan Davie Laugal, J.L. Myers, Carol Nelson, Kathy Nelson, Alexis Oppermann, Priscilla Oswald, Charles Oswald, Barbara Sanborn, and Frank C. Whiteley. 

For the 6th edition of the Generations of Excellence, thanks go to Scott Thompson, Sandy Cramer, Julie O’Hara, and June Becker for their work updating names, dates, and historical information from 2016 to 2018.

Photographs courtesy of the Palatine Historical Society, Joseph M. Kiszka, Alexis Oppermann, Gayle Bozec, and Community Consolidated School District 15.

Introduction by Scott B. Thompson, Superintendent of Schools 

My years in District 15 have served to confirm what I have heard numerous times from parents and students—District 15 has earned its excellent reputation by providing an outstanding education for the children of the community and creating for them a foundation for future success. 

What I didn’t know before I came to District 15 was just how widely our work of providing a world-class school system had influenced others. For instance, during a conference I attended earlier this year, I was singled out from the crowd because I was from District 15, and, noted the speaker, District 15’s work to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2003 had transformed his entire state’s approach to teaching and learning. 

Ironically, that’s an accomplishment for which I can take no credit. All praise for that monumental achievement goes to so many outstanding educators who preceded me, and whose efforts to provide our students with high quality educations are recounted in this book. The 72 years of dedication and hard work by prior generations of school boards, administrators, teachers, and community members have provided us an excellent foundation upon which we’re set to achieve further success. For that we are forever grateful.

Similarly, we are grateful that their efforts have been recorded here, in Generations of Excellence. This extensive history of District 15 allows us to celebrate the many triumphs of our past while envisioning an even brighter future for the current generation of students and families served by District 15—and for generations yet to come!

Fondly,

Scott B. Thompson, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

History is a great teacher, the old adage tells us … and that’s certainly true of the history of Community Consolidated School District 15. In this history, compiled here in a single document, the lesson is clear: Throughout all the years that this district has worked to educate the children of the community, nothing less than the best possible education has ever been good enough.

Education was extremely important to the early settlers of this area. The visionary leaders of the past worked hard to respond to the needs of the community, laying a solid foundation for today’s excellent schools. Although the community’s needs have changed and evolved over the decades, today’s Board of Education, administration, and staff continue to provide the same dedicated, responsive leadership that the pioneers of this district modeled for them.

Our history includes fascinating stories of how dedicated staff members and boards of education worked tirelessly - sometimes under less than ideal conditions - to share their best with the students who attended our schools. You’ll find many references to the continuing support district residents have provided to ensure the best possible school facilities and a learning environment that enhances teaching and learning. You’ll read amusing memories from former students that remind us how important our work is by giving a hint of how formative school experiences can be to an individual’s future. 

Reflection on the district’s past accomplishments and achievements can help guide us as we endeavor to shape the future direction of our schools. We will continue to build on the solid foundation our predecessors established for us as we work to fulfill our mission of service to the community. We hope you enjoy the story of our past. We are extremely grateful to Joe Kiszka, a retired member of the district’s administrative staff, for his efforts and persistence in compiling this comprehensive history.

Generations of Excellence was originally authored in 1996 for the District’s 50th anniversary celebration. Twenty-two years and seven revisions later, much has changed within these pages—and within our community!—but the resounding message to be heard from this compilation of 72 years of District 15 history remains essentially the same: Our community values education, and it will work together to overcome the challenges it faces and provide an excellent education for its children. 

As you’ll read here, that tradition began even before the District’s founders achieved consolidation in 1946, and it carried on from one generation to the next as District 15 grew and grew and grew into what it is today—a 20-school system that serves more than 12,000 students from seven different communities. 

Just as we did back then, today, we still face challenges to the fulfillment of our mission to produce world-class learners. If our history is any indication, we will meet them by realizing the second half of our mission statement—our children’s futures depend upon it! We will rise above those challenges and continue the District’s long-standing tradition of excellence by building a connected learning community.
We will be the next Generation of Excellence.

As we recognize the many achievements and accomplishments that make up our school district’s past, we also turn our attention to how we can prepare today’s children for a bright future. 

I think you will find in reading this history of School District 15 that our community has always been looking ahead and anticipating the needs of providing the best education to our children. Yet no one could really imagine when the first schools were organized in our community that we would go through such rapid changes in such a brief period of time. 

For most of the early history of our schools, the ways in which children were taught were similar. Teachers, some of them not well-educated by today’s standards, gathered students in a classroom and talked to them, supporting the lessons with whatever books were available and utilizing rudimentary tools like slates or blackboards. But that’s all changed, and changed rapidly. Today, even our kindergartners use computers with highly complex educational software. Our third-graders create and give PowerPoint® presentations. Our science students study space in a simulated Mission Control facility. Our older elementary children and junior high students broadcast daily television programming within their schools.

Advancements in technology have given our children unparalleled information access and educational resources. The future will provide even greater—but different—opportunities, so it is vital that our children be equipped with the necessary skills to respond. The objective of preparing children to meet the challenges of a changing world is one we share with those who have gone before us.

The early years of what is now Community Consolidated School District 15 created a legacy of excellence. Today, we are committed to a continuation of that legacy. 

Education has been a constant thread shaping the very fiber of the community, weaving itself in and out of the area’s growth and development. One constant characteristic that defines this corner of Chicago’s northwest suburbs is the value its residents have always placed on education. As early as 1846, there were three school districts in the area. As the township grew during its early years, so did the number of schools. Each time a new school was built, a new school district was established, and by 1850, more than 400 children were served by eight rural school districts. That number
remained constant for 90 years.

The original District 15 served residents in the village of Palatine. The exact location of Palatine’s first school is uncertain. One account stated, “The first building used in Palatine for a school was the Haase House on Chicago Avenue.”

(Photo: Adolph Haase Home. Thought to be the site of the first school in the village of Palatine.) (Today Chicago Avenue is called Palatine Road.)

The first school building in Palatine was erected around 1860 on Benton and Wood streets on land donated by Joel Wood. Known as Wood Street School, the sturdy one-story frame building soon became too small to adequately serve the educational needs of this growing area. During the Civil War years (1861-1865), older children attended classes on the lower floor of the village’s Masonic Building, then located at Bothwell and Wilson. (Today the Lamplighter Inn occupies that site.)

Post-Civil War years brought more growth to the area, more school-age children, and the need for a larger school. In 1869, a two-story frame building containing four rooms and a basement was constructed on the Wood Street site (Photo 2). B. L. Dodge was the first principal of the new school. Now Palatine residents not only had access to a larger, updated school, but also a new educational philosophy—graded classrooms. In 1869, District 15 officially abandoned the one-room school format for this new graded system.

Photo—Wood Street School. Two-story frame building from 1869.

George C. Whipple, the first school trustee, was elected in 1869. Charles S. Cutting (Photo 3) was principal from 1875 to 1880. During his tenure, Palatine High School was organized and housed in one room on the second floor of Wood Street School.

In 1888, the four-room Wood Street School was again enlarged with a two-room addition on the north side of the building. When the community outgrew this school, the modest frame structure was razed, and an all-brick Wood Street School was erected on the site in 1912 (Photo 4).

In 1928, Palatine High School was built, administration of the two schools was separated, and John J. Reusser became principal of District 15.

During the intervening years, enrollment in each of the eight rural schools in Palatine Township continued to grow, overcrowding existing facilities and limiting educational opportunities for children.

In 1940, the eight original districts continued to serve students living in Palatine and nearby areas of Inverness, Plum Grove, Deer Grove, and what would become known as Rolling Meadows. All but three were one-room schools. District15 was the largest with 8.5 teachers. Districts 13 and 16 each had two teachers.

Individual School Districts—Pre-consolidation

District 12—Deer Grove School (Photo 5) was located on Ela Road, north of Baldwin. The district was absorbed into the Barrington school system. District 12 was perhaps the first school within Palatine Township. The log cabin home of the Ezekiel Cady family was used as a schoolhouse in 1841. The log cabin turned schoolhouse was the birthplace in 1838 of Clarinda Cady, the first settler child to be born in what later became Palatine Township. Nancy Boynton was the first teacher, and pupils came from as far away as Lake Zurich to attend the school.

District 13—Wittenberg School (Photo 6), (now a home at 920 N. Quentin, photo taken in 1996), was located on the west side of Quentin Road, north of Baldwin. Members of the Board of Directors for District 13 were: Ray Holtzee, BenHodson, and Clarence Horky. At the time of consolidation, a mother/daughter team, Elizabeth J. and Elizabeth M. Wolfrum, taught at the school. 

District 14—Staples Corner, better known as “Kitty Korners,” (Photo 7) was located on the southeast corner of Rand and Dundee Roads. The Board of Directors included William Fremd, Emil Schroeder, and Mrs. John Blanko. The teacher for the school was Mary Csanadi. (A Denny’s restaurant is now on the old school site.) Mrs. Csanadi fondly remembered that Mr. Fremd paid her salary “out of his own pocket” for several months when the county payroll was delayed. Mrs. Csanadi was one of the first teachers in Rolling Meadows and principal of the Kimball Hill School, succeeding Joseph M. Kiszka.

District 15—Wood Street School, located at Benton and Wood streets, was the largest of the rural schools. It served children living in the Village of Palatine. Unlike the other rural school districts, it was governed by a seven-member board of directors: Gray M. Sanborn, Art Bergo, John Morris, Paul Wilson, Dr. R. R. Fosket, Ralph Trenchard, and V. Meatheringham.

District 16—This district included both the Hillside and Wente Schools. Wente School (Photo 8), located south of the William Fremd High School track, was the predecessor of Hillside School. It was sold as a residence and moved further south on the west side of Quentin Road in 1931 when Hillside School (Photo 9), a two-room building at 505 South Quentin Road (the location would later become the E.S. Castor Educational Service Center), became operational. Although other rural schools were used after consolidation, Hillside School was the last one to close after consolidation. It was razed in July 1965, and the site was the location for administrative offices of the consolidated district from 1965 to 1992. Members of the Board of Directors of District 16 were: Elmer Wente, Henry Homeier, and Fred Herbertz. Gloria Guenther and Cassandra Fay taught at Hillside at the time of consolidation.

District 17—The Bradwell School (Photo 10) was located at 254 N. Ela Road (Ela and Bradwell Roads). The Board of Directors included Bill Engelhardt, George Bessemer, and Rudolph Pauh. Esther Lindholm taught there at the time of consolidation.

District 18—The Highland Grove School stayed a rural school until 1958, when the public pressured its board to join with District 15.

District 19—Plum Grove School was located on what is now the west side of Highway 53, south of Kirchoff Road, where Bethel Lutheran Church now stands. Members of the Board of Directors were: George Rhode, Ray Glade, and William Nolting, Jr. The teacher at the time was Blanche Raven. The school building was later sold and moved to Bensenville.

The Birth of a Consolidated School District

As the members of all the school boards looked out over farmlands and fields, each realized that the population growth within their own district
was going to increase and tax their resources. They all were committed to providing quality education for all children, but no longer felt they could do it alone.

This was particularly true in District 15, where 57 percent of the township’s children were enrolled. At that time, an average enrollment of 31.9 children per grade was considered “more desirable educationally.” District 15 was the largest district at that time and the only one with a kindergarten class.

1946 statistics showed the teacher/student ratio among the following districts:

District School Enrollment Teachers
 13 | Wittenberg  | 62 | 2
 14 | Kitty Korners | 38 | 1
 15 | Wood Street | 320 | 8.5
 16 | Hillside | 41 | 2
 17 | Bradwell | 30 | 1
 18 | Highland Grove | 21 | 1
 19 | Plum Grove | 34 | 1

Board members of District 15 had been struggling with increasing enrollment and the inadequacy of Palatine’s grade school for several years. In February 1944, the Board, led by its president Gray M. Sanborn, instructed the district’s superintendent Joseph E. Clettenberg, to work with Dr. William C. Reavis, professor of public school administration at the University of Chicago, to survey all elementary schools in Palatine Township to assess the needs of the schools and the value of consolidation and reorganization.

On January 10, 1945, Mr. Clettenberg submitted the completed survey to the board, along with a workable plan for administrative reorganization. “Palatine Township was a ‘natural’ relative to the possibility of having all its public schools successfully consolidate,” Dr. Reavis concluded.

Heeding this advice, District 15’s board invited all rural school board members to “four democratically conducted meetings” to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of reorganization. Superintendent Clettenberg was quoted in the Palatine Enterprise: “Fanciful thinking without the facts was never evident.”

These discussions led to the creation of the Associated Elementary School Members of Palatine Township, who in turn directed Mr. Clettenberg to secure the professional services of Dr. E. S. Lawler, professor of public school administration at Northwestern University, to do an exhaustive survey on “the effects of reorganization on the present educational program.” That second fact-finding 30-page survey was completed on July 3, 1945.

Responding to that survey, Mr. Clettenberg observed that the findings were “…notably rooted in justifiable ambitions concerning what is best to do for our boys and girls in this more exacting era of American history which has dawned for us since Pearl Harbor.”

Because a proposal for consolidation had been defeated a few years earlier, the board worked diligently to get the pro-consolidation findings to the community. Using the results of Dr. Lawler’s survey as a springboard, the district held many meetings and discussions throughout the area. Mr. Sanborn also enlisted the assistance of Stuart R. Paddock, publisher of the local newspaper, to help inform the general public. A brochure was published pointing out the advantages of consolidation, such as a tax rate of .50 per $100 assessed valuation. Those benefits, however, were of secondary importance, the brochure stated; the primary benefit was that the quality of the children’s education would be greatly enhanced by the new system.

So it was on March 2, 1946, that the referendum to consolidate was again brought before the public. Six of the districts within Palatine Township put the vote to the people. And this time, voters gave approval to consolidation by a resounding vote of 744 to 172. The results of the election were as follows:

District For Against
 13 | 159 | 17
 14 | 50 | 30
 15 | 287 | 39
 16 | 73 | 24
 17 | 111 | 4
 19 | 64 | 58
 Total: For 744 | Against 172

The following month, on April 13, 1946, voters went to the polls again to elect the first Community Consolidated School District 15 Board of Education. G. M. Sanborn was elected president. Also elected were: Dr. R. R. Fosket, William Fremd, Ray Glade, Art Bergo, V. Meatheringham, and Ray Holtzee. A reporter for the Palatine Enterprise noted, “The office includes no pay and stands apart from politics.”

The new board selected J. E. Clettenberg to head the new district as superintendent at an annual salary of $4,000. Dorothy Behling was named school secretary. 

The Challenges of Consolidation By Joseph M. Kiszka

As early as 1944, the board members of School District 15, centrally located in the Village of Palatine, had become concerned about the inadequacy of the grade school building and educational program required to serve an increasing enrollment.

The village school board members also realized that a solution to their individual problems was inescapably tied to the educational services provided for every elementary school child enrolled in each of the seven other country schools in Palatine Township.

Excited about the prospect of reorganization, the District 15 Board ordered the completion of a feasibility survey to help determine a workable plan of
administrative reorganization of the eight township elementary schools. As a result of the study, a series of meetings was held with all elementary school board members in Palatine Township.

The purpose of the meetings was to critically discuss the implications of the report and the possibility of achieving an administrative reorganization to provide a more effective education of each child attending the schools in Palatine Township. The discussions led to the creation of the Associated Elementary School Board Members of Palatine Township. This newly organized board approved a second exhaustive survey to study the effects of reorganization on the current educational program. The results of that report served as a springboard to myriad meetings and discussions that
ultimately led to the consolidation of six of the eight rural schools.

Not everyone favored consolidation. There were those who “liked things as they were” and felt that consolidation would destroy the status quo of the “country school.” An attempt earlier in the 1940s had been defeated. District 12, Deer Grove, annexed to Barrington, while District 18, Highland Grove, chose to remain rural until 1958 when it annexed to District 15 as a result of “parental pressure.”

The Associated School Board and Reorganization Committee met the challenge by holding frequent meetings with individuals and groups to respond to questions and concerns. The Palatine Enterprise’s weekly Friday publication literally bombarded the community with detailed information and statistics about all aspects of the proposed reorganization and consolidation plan.

Two prominent individuals exercising leadership in the reorganization and consolidation were District 15 Board President Gray M. Sanborn and Superintendent Joseph E. Clettenberg. Both were quoted in the first issue of the paper in 1946. Sanborn said: The year 1946 will be one of the greatest years Palatine will have experienced if during that time the reorganization of the elementary schools of the township becomes a reality. Better educational facilities for the children of the village and their rural areas is a crying need. District 15 has been coasting along on school facilities provided 30 years ago when the present building was erected. It is common sense that we can’t ride all the time. We must get out and push a little.

Mr. Clettenberg stated: My New Year’s wish for the community of Palatine is, in the words of John Dewey, that what the wisest and best parent might want for his child, we shall provide for every child.

The consolidation election was held March 2, 1946. The reorganization of the six rural schools into one system received a favorable vote in every district. Nine hundred-sixteen people voted: 744 in favor and 172 against.

THE REST, as they say, IS HISTORY …

There have been nine superintendents—and two acting superintendents—of Community Consolidated School District l5 since its consolidation. Screened, selected, and appointed by the Board of Education, the superintendent serves as the chief executive officer of the district, responsible for the planning, administration, and operation of the district’s 20 schools and all district employees.

The excellent reputation the school district has gained and enjoys today is in a large part directly related to the quality of leadership exercised by these individuals. Through their efforts, the school district has provided the finest facilities, teachers, and service personnel available in its commitment to help every child achieve his/her highest potential.

The superintendents, associates, and administrative staff have been the pacesetters in dealing with the myriad challenges in continually improving the educational opportunities for children. Although the management style has varied with each of the superintendents, a common goal has been to do what is best for every child in the school district.

Chronology of Superintendents
1. Joseph E. Clettenberg    June 1, 1946–May 31, 1947
    Mark T. Riedel (acting Superintendent)    February 1, 1947–June 30, 1947
2. Marion Jordan    July 1, 1947–June 30, 1961
3. E. S. (Pat) Castor    July 1, 1961–June 30, 1970
4. Frank C. Whiteley    July 1, 1970–June 30, 1985
    Joseph M. Kiszka (acting Superintendent)    June 1, 1981–October 1, 1981
5. John G. Conyers    July 1, 1985–June 30, 2003
6. Robert A. McKanna    July 1, 2003–June 30, 2008
7. Daniel W. Lukich    July 1, 2008–June 30, 2010
    Scott B. Thompson (interim)    July 14, 2010–November 30, 2010
8. Scott B. Thompson    November 30, 2010–June 30, 2019
9. Laurie Heinz    July 1, 2019–

Joseph E. Clettenberg—Leading the district into consolidation
April 1946 to September 1947

Joseph E. Clettenberg became Community Consolidated School District 15’s first superintendent on June 1, 1946, after the first officially elected Community Consolidated School District 15 Board of Education voted to hire him on April 17, 1946. He served in that position until September 10, 1947, including one semester on leave of absence.

Mr. Clettenberg was superintendent of Rural School District 15 before consolidation. Since 1944, board members of School District 15 had expressed concern about the inadequacy of Palatine’s grade school buildings and educational program. They instructed the superintendent to ask Dr. William C. Reavis, professor of public school administration at the University of Chicago, to complete a survey of all elementary schools in Palatine Township based on the need and value of reorganization and consolidation. On January 10, 1946, Mr. Clettenberg said that, based on the survey, a community consolidated school district should have its center in Palatine, preferably District 15, under a single board of education. 

Exercising administrative leadership from 1944 to 1946, Mr. Clettenberg directed the reorganization and consolidation of the original six rural school districts. Under his guidance, the Board of Education was to “achieve an administrative reorganization of the township’s elementary schools to make them more effective and to enrich the educational program of all boys and girls.” 

In the winter of 1946, Mr. Clettenberg was granted a one-semester leave of absence. Mark T. Riedel was appointed acting superintendent and principal from February 1947 to June 1947. On September 10, 1947, Mr. Clettenberg submitted his resignation to the Board of Education citing that his “return had not been generally treated in the straightforward face-to-face manner it merits.” 

Marion Jordan—Bringing communities together 
September 1947 to June 1961

The district’s second superintendent, Marion Jordan, enjoyed a much longer tenure. Serving from 1947 to 1961, Mr. Jordan was faced with the major challenge of bringing together six rural school districts in the consolidation of the district. While the majority of residents favored consolidation, a significant number identified strongly with the rural school concept and more local control. A scholarly educator, Mr. Jordan had to persuade residents of the virtues of consolidation. 

There were 614 students enrolled in the district at the time of consolidation. That number grew more than ten times to 6,405 during Mr. Jordan’s administration. In that 14-year period, Mr. Jordan supervised the construction of eight school buildings. Recognized for his firm convictions on the worth and dignity of every individual, Mr. Jordan was one of the pioneers in the concept of using the resource center as the core learning center of each school building. He was a great advocate of the “learning by doing” philosophy and gave teachers and students every opportunity to have hands-on experiences. Mr. Jordan introduced instruction in foreign language and instrumental music, believing that the entire area of fine arts was an essential part of every school curriculum. 

We Remember—District “Boom” Days
The late 1950s and 1960s were a time of incredible growth for District 15. The land south of the Village of Palatine was developed as the City of Rolling Meadows, and new home construction in the northern section of Palatine brought in post-World War II couples looking for homes where they could raise their families.

District enrollment figures alone tell the story. In 1946 the district had 77 enrolled in kindergarten, a decade later the number was 587. Ten years after that, in 1966, there were 1,298 kindergarten students. Between 1960 and 1965, the number of children entering the school system exceeded the number leaving for high school by nearly a 2-to-1 ratio. In 1962, the four most crowded schools were Oak Street, Paddock, Pleasant Hill, and Winston Park; enrollment was 7,186.

The district’s greatest challenge lay in building schools fast enough, in finding space somewhere—anywhere—to put students. In 1962 to accommodate the robust and challenging growth, classes were held in 216 regular school classrooms, 11 rented rooms in churches and civic buildings throughout the district, as well as in two libraries and one music room in schools. In a letter to residents, the district estimated that in two years enrollment would be 8,400. In fact, in 1964, enrollment reached 8,680. Students were bused and split shifts were common; there were half-day school sessions without gym and recess. 

Many meetings held by the Board of Education gave parents an opportunity to voice their views. And voice they did. In November 1964, parents jammed into a board meeting with a petition signed by 130 parents of second-grade children at Jane Addams objecting to the scheduling of double sessions. The board responded at the same meeting, directing the administration to convert storage space and a library into classrooms.
Recalling those frantic years of growth, Fran Green, a Palatine resident who also taught at Wood Street School for one year, said, “Of course, we didn’t like double sessions or our kids bused all over the place. We weren’t happy with the situation, but we knew we caused it.” 

E.S. (Pat) Castor—Keeping pace with growth
July 1961 to June 1970

E. S. (Pat) Castor was the third superintendent of the district, succeeding Mr. Jordan on July 1, 1961. A successful teacher, principal, and superintendent before coming to District 15, Mr. Castor had been principal of Stuart R. Paddock School since March 15, 1955, replacing E. Erie Jones, who had resigned. On July 1, 1959, the board appointed Mr. Castor assistant superintendent. 

As superintendent, Mr. Castor used his considerable skills and leadership abilities to move smoothly into his new role. He also had the advantage of working in familiar surroundings and was well attuned to the major problems of rapid growth confronting the district. Keeping pace with an enrollment that increased at an average of 624 students each year—more than the number of students needed to fill a sizable new school—he was personally involved in the district’s challenging building program. In the scramble for space to accommodate the burgeoning enrollment, it was not unusual for a class to be located on a stage in a school’s gym. At various times, the district purchased 10 portable classrooms, housed children in the high school building, rented church facilities, and resorted to half-day sessions. 

It was not unusual for Mr. Castor to face large assemblies of parents in an effort to explain the dilemma the district was facing. During this very challenging period, he guided and directed the district with wit, patience, and unstinting vision. While superintendent, he was responsible for building eight schools—six elementary and two junior high schools. In fact, Hunting Ridge and Lake Louise schools were completed and occupied one month apart in 1969. 

Early in his tenure as superintendent, Mr. Castor spearheaded the need for a facility to house district-level staff. It was common for administrators to relinquish their offices for classroom use in crowded schools. From 1947 to 1954, two rooms at Gray M. Sanborn had been used as offices. Then the administrative staff was moved to Stuart R. Paddock School and was housed in an extension of the principal’s office in 1954 while the administration facility was being constructed. 

In 1964, the two-room frame Hillside School, the last rural school in the district, was razed to make room for an administrative office to be built on the site. The new office, occupied in 1965, was named E. S. Castor Administration Center by official action of the Board of Education in April 1970. Mr. Castor retired on June 30, 1970, having led the district successfully from an enrollment of 6,261 in 1961 when he first took office to an enrollment of 12,018 students. 

Joseph M. Kiszka—An assistant comes on board 

Recognizing the need for additional personnel to share the responsibilities of the superintendency when enrollment reached 9,000, Mr. Castor and the Board of Education agreed to hire an assistant superintendent. Joseph M. Kiszka was appointed to that position on July 1, 1964. Mr. Kiszka assumed direct responsibility for personnel and transportation functions. Due to a tremendous shortage of teachers at this time, it was not unusual during the second half of the decade for the district to experience a shortage of 20 teachers a week before the beginning of a new school year. It was also not unusual for Mr. Kiszka to take over as bus driver, wending his way between fields and barely paved roads in search of the ever-evolving subdivisions.

Frank C. Whiteley—Adjusting to change 
July 1970 to June 1985

Before Mr. Castor retired, the board prepared a detailed plan in its search for a new superintendent. After six months of interviewing many candidates, the unanimous choice was Frank C. Whiteley, an educator with a lengthy career as classroom teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He had also been an acting superintendent for a year when his district’s superintendent became ill. 

Dr. Whiteley was quickly indoctrinated into the ongoing building program and the necessity of maintaining a reasonable class size throughout the district. Enrollment continued to grow, peaking in May 1972 at 12,364. 

In 1971, Lincoln and Willow Bend schools were completed and occupied simultaneously. But in 1975, Dr. Whiteley and the board found themselves faced with an unexpected challenge: an enrollment decline to 11,808. 

That unprecedented decline in enrollment continued during Dr. Whiteley’s administration, forcing the closing of schools and the reduction of staff size. Cardinal Drive School in Rolling Meadows was sold to a church in 1978. Joel Wood School in Palatine was closed in June 1979 due to a structural problem, and the building was razed. Jonas E. Salk School, also in Rolling Meadows, was closed and sold to the Rolling Meadows Park District under a lease/purchase agreement. 

In the summer of 1981, Dr. Whiteley experienced a mild stroke that required hospitalization and an extended period of convalescence. Joseph M. Kiszka, named earlier as assistant superintendent, assumed responsibility until Dr. Whiteley returned later in the school year. Mr. Kiszka continued to serve as associate superintendent during the remainder of Dr. Whiteley’s superintendency and retired in 1985 after 34 years with the district. In 1988, Mr. Kiszka returned to the district for another 20 years as the Demographic Liaison to the Superintendent until June 2008, completing a remarkable 54-year career in the district. Joe Kiszka passed away March 6, 2017.

Dr. Whiteley retired on June 30, 1985, with the distinction of having the longest tenure of any superintendent before him. He is credited with the development of a centralized administration plan and implementation of a comprehensive program for the formulation of the board, district staff, and school staff goals. During his tenure, the district collected more than $1,250,000 in contributions from housing developers who recognized the need to contribute to the school district because of the tax lag. The school district also acquired four school sites from builders in lieu of monetary contributions. Frank C. Whiteley School, dedicated on November 15, 1989, was built on one of those sites. 

The Challenges of  Change by By Frank C. Whiteley, former superintendent 

When I entered District 15 in July 1970, the district was in a growth period that required all district administrative personnel and the Board of Education to devote much time to the housing of new students. At that time, students were being housed in churches and many other temporary mobile facilities in the district. To accommodate junior high enrollment, Palatine Hills Junior High (renamed Walter R. Sundling Junior High) was planned. Our enrollment was almost 10,000 students, and our forecast was for nearly 13,000 enrollees. 

Willow Bend School was under construction and due to open in the fall of 1970. Unfortunately, a fire delayed the opening and double-student shifts were necessary. Lincoln School was also on the “drawing board” and was planned for the next academic year. Also included in the planning were transportation facilities and a district warehouse. This was much needed, since all supplies were handled at 505 South Quentin Road, which was woefully inadequate. Transportation was located at Paddock School which lacked adequate space. 

Later, Thomas Jefferson School was built to house students on the west side of the district. During this time, the administration, at the direction of the Board of Education, set about buying school sites for future growth. It was Joe Kiszka who worked diligently with zoning boards, developers, village boards, and county officials to see that enough sites were owned by District 15 to accommodate the future growth we anticipated. 

At this time, a unique phenomenon occurred in many of the suburban districts. The birthrate fell, and the number of expected students also fell! The district was actually overbuilt. This necessitated a job that the administration found much more difficult than building schools … closing some of them. Jonas E. Salk School in Rolling Meadows was closed and eventually sold to the Rolling Meadows Park District. Cardinal Drive, also in Rolling Meadows, was sold to a church. The Wood Street School in Palatine was razed, and the site sold to a developer. 

It seems trite to summarize 15 years of planning to a page or two, because as I write, the many nights of meetings with the Board of Education, community boards, and commissions become clear again, and there were many. How thankful I was for a group of professionals devoted to the needs of District 15 students, and their willingness to spend the time to accomplish needed tasks. I was also thankful for so many devoted school board members who always put District 15 above personal goals. 

As I look back on the 15 years I spent as superintendent of schools, several things of which I am proud come to mind. First and foremost was the students’ achievement in their school work. Test scores were at national level or higher during that time. A second item was the fact that our tax rate held steady for that time period, even though it was evident that an increase was needed to update the schools and provide the students with technical skills, such as computers, etc. 

As the district grew, it was also necessary to update the administrative structure, which meant decentralizing and placing more authority into the hands of each building through the building principal and staff. During this time, a plan was developed that evaluated each teacher in the district. The plan also evaluated each principal according to goals that the district and each principal had set for his or her building with each member of the staff. 
The final activity which I am pleased to relate is that I was able to visit each classroom and teacher twice during each year. It was a pleasure to tell new teachers that they would not be anonymous to central office personnel. 

It was also a pleasure to serve District 15 for 15 years. It afforded me both professional and personal enjoyment that has resulted in many fond memories. 

We Remember—Unrest and Resolutions 

The opening of the 1982 school year was a challenge for school officials, teachers, students, and the community. For the first time ever, the district experienced a strike by the teaching staff. 

Calling for higher wages and additional benefits such as longevity pay, the hiring of aides, and health insurance for retired teachers, the Classroom Teachers’ Council (CTC), the union representing teachers, called for a strike on August 30, 1982. Talks stalled with the demand for at least four additional school days to the school calendar. The district refused to negotiate the demand, saying make-up days would reward the teachers for striking. No agreement was reached before the start of the school year. 

While some in the community called for substitute teachers to be brought in, others demanded binding arbitration. A professional union negotiator was hired by the district to help forge a contract. With 10,400 students out of school for nine days, the community watched and waited. The contract was ratified on September 22, 1982, and teachers and students finally began the school year. 

It was a difficult time for everyone in the community; each group wanting what they thought would ultimately be best for students. When settlement was reached, Joseph M. Kiszka, associate superintendent, told reporters, “This is not a matter of either side winning. The kids won.” 

A few months later, in an effort to improve communications, teachers, administrators, and school board members created a council to prevent a strike from occurring again. 

John G. Conyers, Ed.D.—A New Era for the District
July 1985 to June 2003 

In February 1984, the year before Dr. Whiteley retired, the board began planning for the search for a new superintendent. Realizing the overwhelming nature of conducting a national search, the board selected Harold Webb Associates, a consulting firm. 

The board’s choice was Dr. John G. Conyers, then assistant superintendent for the Denver Public Schools with direct responsibility for 82 schools within a school district of 62,000 students. Dr. Conyers officially assumed responsibilities as the fifth superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 15 on July 1, 1985. 

He set to work immediately. Variations in district enrollment required astute planning to achieve acceptable teacher-pupil ratios. In addition, area housing starts reached a new high with nearly 100 developers constructing large single- and multiple-housing units. For the first time in more than a decade, enrollment in District 15 began to increase. When the district gained 400 students in 1987, Dr. Conyers moved swiftly in developing an administrative structure to deal with immediate financial needs, as well as anticipation of continued enrollment growth, updating school facilities, and targeting future goals. 

Believing that “schools are the embodiment of a community’s commitment to education, and they reflect the needs of the community and contribute to it,” Dr. Conyers examined the economic and demographic infrastructure and social trends to devise a strategic plan to prepare students for the future. After establishing the District Advisory Committee for Educational Excellence (DACEE), Dr. Conyers, district staff, and the new committee completed a detailed internal needs assessment and an audit of the district’s facilities. Using the findings of that strategic planning, the board developed a long-range plan with specific goals. 

In 1988, the district went to the voters requesting a $64 million referendum. Effective use of community volunteers and administrative staff resulted in overwhelming support from voters—the largest suburban school district referendum ever passed in Illinois history. The district almost immediately embarked upon a $64 million building program to construct the Frank C. Whiteley School and a new Kimball Hill School along with the renovation of 17 existing facilities. In the course of the renovation program, it was determined that Central Road School also would have to be rebuilt, bringing new school construction projects to three. The ambitious building program, completed in the summer of 1996, provided every school with a computer lab, an expanded resource center, an art/science project/community room, separate multipurpose rooms and gymnasiums, upgraded classrooms, music rooms, additional storage space, and adequate space for support programs. 

Exercising dynamic leadership within the district, Dr. Conyers demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the quality of education throughout the state and the quality of the education profession in general. He initiated the quality management techniques that led to the district’s recognition by the Illinois-based Lincoln Foundation with the Lincoln Award for Excellence in Education in 1997 and the Level III Lincoln Award for Excellence in 1999. These successes were followed by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s top award for quality and performance excellence, in 2003. District 15 was only the third school district ever to win the Baldrige Award. 

Dr. Conyers had the longest tenure as superintendent of any superintendent since consolidation. 

Robert A. McKanna, Ed.D.—Building a connected learning community
July 2003 to June 2008

Dr. Robert A. McKanna was named the superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 15 effective July 1, 2003. He succeeded Dr. John Conyers, who retired after 18 years with the district. He served as superintendent of District 15 for five years when he retired on June 30, 2008. His last year in District 15 completed 29 years of service as a public school superintendent.

Dr. McKanna had been superintendent of schools at Warren Township High School District 121 in Gurnee before coming to District 15. He previously served as superintendent at Rush-Henrietta Central School District in Henrietta, N.Y.; at Longmeadow Public Schools in Longmeadow, Mass.; and at Stevenson High School District 125 in Lincolnshire, Ill. While in Massachusetts, he owned and managed a real estate company. Earlier in his career, he was an assistant superintendent, school principal, assistant state chairman-accredited schools at the University of Missouri, and math and science teacher.

Dr. McKanna had the honor of accepting the 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, when it was presented to Community Consolidated School District 15 on March 9, 2004. He headed a District 15 delegation of 50, including members of the Board of Education, principals, teachers, staff members, representatives of the communities served by District 15, and one student from each of the district’s four junior high schools who traveled to Washington, D.C., for the ceremony. In the years immediately following the Baldrige Award, Dr. McKanna was a frequent presenter for school districts and other organizations across the nation on the topic of applying the Baldrige principles of quality and performance management. A certified examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Dr. McKanna was a certified trainer for the American Society for Quality (ASQ) Koalaty Kid program, a program that District 15 uses extensively in its schools, and he served on the board of directors of ASQ’s International Koalaty Kid Alliance.

Daniel W. Lukich, Ph.D.—Transitions
July 2008 to July 2010 

Daniel W. Lukich, Ph.D., was named Community Consolidated School District 15 superintendent on July 1, 2008.

Dr. Lukich first became familiar with District 15 in March 2004, when he heard representatives speak at the National Quality Conference in Washington, D.C. The district had just received the 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Dr. Lukich later toured District 15 to learn more about that achievement, and had met several district staff and principals then.

Prior to joining District 15, Dr. Lukich had served as superintendent in four other school districts since 1985: Union Schools, St. Clairsville, Ohio; Lawton Community Schools, Kalamazoo, Mich.; Gull Lake Community Schools, Richland, Mich.; and Orange Schools in Pepper Pike, Ohio. He was also a principal in Lewisburg, Ohio; a director/principal in Holland, West Ottawa, and Saugatuck Public Schools in Michigan; and an instructor of history and government at Bedford Schools in Ohio.

Scott B. Thompson, Ed.D.—Continuing a world-class tradition
July 2010 to June 2019

Scott B. Thompson, Ed.D., was named the District’s interim superintendent on July 14, 2010. Four months later, during a special meeting on November 30, 2010, the District 15 Board of Education voted to remove interim from Dr. Thompson’s title, and extend to him a three-year contract to be the district’s superintendent.

In announcing their decision, Board members said Dr. Thompson had worked hard to increase communication between all stakeholders, and they noted that his openness and availability had been well received in the community. 

“In his short time in District 15, Dr. Thompson has demonstrated positive leadership and a commitment to continuous improvement of our school district,” said Gerald Chapman, District 15 Board President. “He is a proven leader who will serve all children of the District 15 community.”
Upon his selection, Dr. Thompson said, “I am honored to serve in a district with such a rich history and tradition of excellence. Creating positive, caring learning environments for children has always been my passion, and I look forward to working together with staff, parents, and community members to continue to enhance the quality of education for all children in District 15.”

Overall, Dr. Thompson has served 29 years in education in the Chicago area. He served as a fifth-grade teacher, an assistant principal, and principal before taking the superintendent post at Antioch School District 34 in 2005.

Dr. Thompson holds a bachelor’s degree in Christian education from Seattle Pacific University, a master’s degree in theology from North Park Theological Seminary, and a Type 75 Administrative Certificate from North Park University. He completed his dissertation at National Louis University.
Dr. Thompson has been married to Marty Thompson for 29 years and has five adult children and seven delightful grandchildren.

Laurie Heinz, Ed.D.
July 2019 to 

Laurie Heinz, Ed.D., was named superintendent on July 1, 2019.

Community Consolidated School District 15 has been very fortunate since consolidation to have outstanding, dedicated individuals willing to serve as members of the Board of Education. The school district is governed by a board of seven members who contribute their time, talents, and efforts without any compensation to promote the best interest and welfare of all children in the district. Responsible for making policy decisions, the board employs a superintendent to implement those decisions. 

The board’s continued commitment to educational excellence has succeeded in creating and maintaining one of the finest school systems in the state of Illinois. In the district’s 72-year history, only 80 persons have been elected to serve as board members. Four of those were elected for a second time after having previously served. 

Occasionally criticized but seldom publicly praised, the men and women who have served on District 15’s Board of Education have shown exceptional dedication in providing the best education for all children. Walter R. Sundling holds the distinction of serving the longest, an exceptional 25 years and 7 months, from 1950 to 1976. 
    
Board of Education Membership (April 1946—September 2018 inclusive)

Community Consolidated School District 15 is governed by a seven member elected Board of Education. The Board of Education makes policy decisions and employs a superintendent to implement those decisions. The district has been very fortunate, during the decades since consolidation, to have outstanding, dedicated individuals to serve as members of the Board of Education.

Surprisingly, the Board of Education has experienced a very minimal turnover since the first consolidated Board of Education election on April 13, 1946. This is particularly significant when one considers that board members serve in multiples of seven. Several board members have served duplicate (or interrupted) terms.

As of September 2018, 80 persons have been elected to serve as board members. Their leadership during these last 72 years has translated into a strong commitment in providing one of the finest educational programs in the state of Illinois.

Those board members who have been elected annually by their peers as president of the board are listed below in chronological order: 

    BOE President     Dates Served    Length of Term
1.    Gray M. Sanborn    04/1946–12/1956    10 years, 8 months
2.    Walter R. Sundling    01/1956–04/1976    20 years, 3 months
3.    Joel D. Meyer    04/1976–04/1978    2 years
4.    Everett Charlier    04/1978–04/1980    2 years
5.    Irene Sjostedt    04/1980–04/1987    7 years
6.    Terry Francl    04/1987–11/1992    5 years, 7 months
7.    Laura R. Crane    11/1992–11/1995  3 years
                                11/1997–11/1998    1 year
8.    Nancy B. Murtaugh    11/1995–11/1997    2 years
9.    Louis A. Sands    11/1998–11/2001 3 years
                             04/2003–04/2005    2 years
10.    Paula Mikula    11/2001–04/2003    2 years, 5 months
11.    Scott Boucher    04/2005–04/2006    1 year
12.    Nancy L. Carlson    04/2006–04/2007    1 year
13.    Timothy Millar    04/2007–04/2008  1 year
                                    04/2011–05/2013    2 years, 1 month
14.    Gerald D. Chapman    04/2008–04/2011    3 years
15.    Margaret (Peggy) Babcock    05/2013–04/2017    4 years
16.    Lisa Szczupaj    05/2017–18, 19, 20, 21    

Boards of Education

April 1946
Joseph Bergo
R.R. Fosket
William Fremd
Raymond Glade
Raymond Holtzee
V.H. Meatheringham
Gray M. Sanborn1    

August 1946
Floyd L. Barloga (replaced Meatheringham)
Arthur Bergo
R.R. Fosket
William Fremd
Raymond Glade
Raymond Holtzee
Gray M. Sanborn1

April 1949
Floyd L. Barloga
Arthur Bergo
William Fremd
Raymond Glade
Raymond Holtzee
Marjorie Mason (replaced Fosket)
Gray M. Sanborn1    

September 1950
Floyd L. Barloga
Arthur Bergo
William Fremd
Raymond Holtzee
Marjorie Mason
Gray M. Sanborn1
Walter R. Sundling (replaced Glade)
    
February 1951
Floyd L. Barloga
William Fremd
Raymond Holtzee
Marjorie Mason
Wilfred Muller (replaced Bergo)
Gray M. Sanborn1
Walter R. Sundling    

February 1952
Joseph Burnham (replaced Barloga)
William Fremd
Raymond Holtzee
Marjorie Mason
Wilfred Muller
Gray M. Sanborn1
Walter R. Sundling
    
November 1954
Joseph Burnham
William Fremd
Raymond Holtzee
Wilfred Muller
John Northcote (replaced Mason)
Gray M. Sanborn1
Walter R. Sundling    

April 1955
Joseph Burnham
William Fremd
Raymond Holtzee
Wilfred Muller
Gray M. Sanborn1
Walter R. Sundling
Lester C. Traub (replaced Northcote)    

September 1955
William Fremd
Raymond Holtzee
Robert Lampert (replaced Burnham)
Wilfred Muller
Gray M. Sanborn1
Walter R. Sundling
Lester C. Traub    

April 1956
William Fremd
Raymond Holtzee
Robert Lampert
Howard C. Meadors (replaced Sanborn)
Wilfred Muller
Walter R. Sundling1
Lester C. Traub

April 1957
Raymond Holtzee
Robert Lampert
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer* (replaced Fremd)
James Service* (replaced Muller)
Walter R. Sundling1
Lester C. Traub    

July 1957
Robert Lampert
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Wilfred Muller (replaced Holtzee)
James Service 
Walter R. Sundling1
Lester C. Traub
    
April 1958
Robert Lampert
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Wilfred Muller
James Service
Robert Southard (replaced Traub)
Walter R. Sundling1    

April 1961
Robert C. Donahue (replaced Southard)
Robert Lampert
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Wilfred Muller
James Service
Walter R. Sundling1
    
June 1961
Robert C. Donahue
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Wilfred Muller
James Service
Robert Southard (replaced Lampert)
Walter R. Sundling1    

April 1962
Robert C. Donahue
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Wilfred Muller
James Service
Walter R. Sundling1
Janice Taggart (replaced Southard)    

September 1962
Robert C. Donahue
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Wilfred Muller
Orville Rumrey (replaced Taggart)
James Service
Walter R. Sundling1    

March 1964
Robert C. Donahue
J. Leslie Ehringer (replaced Rumrey)
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Wilfred Muller
James Service
Walter R. Sundling1
    
April 1965
Robert C. Donahue
J. Leslie Ehringer
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Patricia Oakley (replaced Muller)
James Service
Walter R. Sundling1    

April 1966
Robert C. Donahue
J. Leslie Ehringer
Otto R. Eilering (replaced Service)
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Patricia Oakley
Walter R. Sundling1

April 1967
J. Leslie Ehringer
Otto R. Eilering
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr. (replaced Donahue)
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Patricia Oakley
Walter R. Sundling1    

April 1970
J. Leslie Ehringer
Otto R. Eilering
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Patricia Oakley
Walter R. Sundling1
Russell Thome (replaced Gibbs)

July 1970
J. Leslie Ehringer
Otto R. Eilering
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr. (replaced Thome)
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Patricia Oakley
Walter R. Sundling1    

April 1971
Everett Charlier (replaced Oakley)
J. Leslie Ehringer
Otto R. Eilering
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr.
Howard C. Meadors
Joel D. Meyer
Walter R. Sundling1

April 1974
Everett Charlier
Otto R. Eilering
J. Leslie Ehringer
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr.
Robert L. Bliss (replaced Meadors)
Joel D. Meyer
Walter R. Sundling1    

April 1975
Everett Charlier
J. Leslie Ehringer
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr.
Robert L. Bliss
Joel D. Meyer
Walter R. Sundling1
Walter J. Kendall III (replaced Eilering)    

September 1975
Everett Charlier
J. Leslie Ehringer
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr.
Joel D. Meyer
Walter R. Sundling1
Walter J. Kendall III
Irene Sjostedt (replaced Bliss)    

April 1976
Everett Charlier
J. Leslie Ehringer
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr.
Patsy Kelly (replaced Sundling)
Walter J. Kendall III
Irene Sjostedt
Joel D. Meyer1    

April 1977
Joel D. Meyer1
Everett Charlier
Leland N. Gibbs, Jr.
Patsy Kelly
Walter J. Kendall III
Lyn Rowe (replaced Ehringer)
Irene Sjostedt    

February 1978
Everett Charlier
Lyn Rowe
Wayne Lewin* (replaced Gibbs)
Donna Smolenski* (replaced Kelly)
Walter J. Kendall III
Irene Sjostedt
Joel D. Meyer1
    
April 1978
Everett Charlier1
Lyn E. Rowe
Wayne B. Lewin 
Donna Smolenski
Robert Duer* (replaced Kendall)
Irene Sjostedt
Arthur Goes* (replaced Meyer)    

November 1979
Everett Charlier1
Robert E. Duer
Arthur A. Goes
Wayne B. Lewin
Lyn E. Rowe
Irene A. Sjostedt
Berton G. Braun (replaced Smolenski)    

February 1980
Everett Charlier1
Robert E. Duer
Arthur A. Goes
Norman J. Wohlken (replaced Lewin)
Lyn E. Rowe
Irene A. Sjostedt
Berton G. Braun    

April 1980    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Robert E. Duer
Terry Francl* (replaced Charlier)
Ann Fuller* (replaced Wohlken)
Arthur A. Goes
Lyn E. Rowe
Irene A. Sjostedt1

November 1981    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Robert E. Duer
Terry Francl
Ann Fuller
Lyn Rowe
Irene Sjostedt1
Jean Zaremba (replaced Goes)

No election in 1982. Consolidated election law changes elections to odd-numbered years only with election day on first Tuesday after first Monday in November. Term of office becomes four years.    

November 1983    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Robert E. Duer
Terry Francl (2 year term)
Ann Fuller
Lyn Rowe
Irene Sjostedt1 (2 year term)
Jean Zaremba
    
June 1985    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Robert E. Duer
Terry Francl 
Ann Fuller
Deborah Koons (replaced Rowe)
Irene Sjostedt1
Jean Zaremba

September 1985    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Robert E. Duer
Terry Francl
Thomas Cunningham (replaced Fuller)
Deborah Koons 
Irene Sjostedt1
Jean Zaremba
    
November 1985    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Robert E. Duer
Laura R. Crane (replaced Francl)
Thomas Cunningham
Deborah Koons
Irene Sjostedt1
Jean Zaremba

May 1986    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Laura R. Crane
Terry Francl (replaced Cunningham)
Robert E. Duer
Deborah Koons
Irene Sjostedt1
Jean Zaremba
    
September 1987    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Berton G. Braun
Laura R. Crane
Terry Francl
Robert E. Duer
Deborah Koons
Irene Sjostedt1
Lawrence J. Komora (replaced Zaremba)

November 1987    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Suzanne H. Bassi (replaced Braun)
Laura R. Crane
Robert E. Duer
Terry Francl1
Lawrence J. Komora
Deborah Koons
Irene A. Sjostedt
    
November 1989    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Suzanne H. Bassi
Laura R. Crane
Terry Francl1
Deborah Koons
Nancy B. Murtaugh (replaced Duer)
Irene A. Sjostedt
Patsy M. Street (replaced Komora)
    
March 1991    Secretary: Roy Sedrel
Suzanne H. Bassi    (thru 6/30/91)
Laura R. Crane
Terry Francl1
Deborah Koons
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Patsy M. Street
Kurt Unverricht (replaced Sjostedt)
    
November 1991    Secretary:
Suzanne H. Bassi    Patricia Campbell
Laura R. Crane    (effective 7/1/91)
Terry Francl1
Deborah Koons
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Patsy M. Street
Kurt Unverricht

November 1992    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Suzanne H. Bassi    
Laura R. Crane1
Terry Francl
Deborah Koons
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Patsy M. Street
Kurt Unverricht
    
November 1993    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Suzanne H. Bassi    
Laura R. Crane1 
Terry Francl 
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Louis A. Sands (replaced Koons)
Patsy M. Street 
Kurt Unverricht
    
November 1994    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Suzanne H. Bassi    
Laura R. Crane1 
Terry Francl 
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Louis A. Sands 
Patsy M. Street
Kurt Unverricht
    
November 1995    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Scott D. Boucher* (replaced Bassi)
Laura R. Crane
David G. Harding* (replaced Francl)
Paula Mikula* (replaced Unverricht)
Nancy B. Murtaugh1    
Louis A. Sands
Patsy M. Street
    
November 1997    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Scott D. Boucher
Laura R. Crane1
David G. Harding
Paula Mikula
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Louis A. Sands
Edward M. Yung (replaced Street)
    
November 1998    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Scott D. Boucher
Laura R. Crane
David G. Harding
Paula Mikula
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Louis A. Sands1
Edward M. Yung

April 1999    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Scott Boucher
Laura Crane
Paula Mikula
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Louis A. Sands1
Linda P. Silverman (replaced Harding)
Edward M. Yung
    
November 1999    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Laura Crane
Paula Mikula
Nancy B. Murtaugh
Louis A. Sands1
Linda P. Silverman 
Kurt B. Unverricht (replaced Boucher)
Edward M. Yung

February 2000    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Laura Crane
Rica C. Cuff (replaced Murtaugh)
Paula Mikula
Louis A. Sands1
Linda P. Silverman 
Kurt B. Unverricht 
Edward M. Yung

November 2000    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Laura Crane
Rica C. Cuff
Paula Mikula
Louis A. Sands1
Linda P. Silverman 
Kurt B. Unverricht 
Edward M. Yung

November 2001    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Laura Crane
Nancy Lee Carlson (replaced Cuff)
Paula Mikula1 
Louis A. Sands
Linda P. Silverman 
Kurt B. Unverricht 
Edward M. Yung

April 2003    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Laura Crane
Scott Boucher (replaced Unverricht)
Nancy Lee Carlson 
Paula Mikula
Louis A. Sands1 
Linda P. Silverman 
Edward M. Yung

April 2005    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Scott D. Boucher1 
Nancy Lee Carlson
Kelly Keenan* (replaced Sands)
Paula Mikula 
Timothy Millar* (replaced Crane)
Wendy L. Rowden* (replaced Yung)
Linda P. Silverman 

April 2006    Secretary: Patricia Campbell
Scott D. Boucher
Nancy Lee Carlson1 
Kelly Keenan
Paula Mikula 
Timothy Millar
Wendy L. Rowden
Linda P. Silverman 

May 2007    Secretary: Patricia Campbell/
Nancy L. Carlson    June Becker
Gerald D. Chapman* (replaced Boucher)
James G. Ekeberg* (replaced Silverman)
Kelly Keenan
Timothy Millar1     
Sue Quinn* (replaced Mikula)
Wendy L. Rowden

April 2008    Secretary: June Becker
Nancy L. Carlson    
Gerald D. Chapman1 
James G. Ekeberg
Kelly Keenan
Timothy Millar
Sue Quinn
Wendy L. Rowden

April 2009    Secretary: June Becker
Peggy Babcock* (replaced Keenan)
Mark. J. Bloom* (replaced Carlson)
Richard L. Bokor* (replaced Rowden)
Gerald D. Chapman1     
James G. Ekeberg
Timothy Millar 
Sue Quinn

February 2011    Secretary: Peggy Babcock
Peggy Babcock
Richard L. Bokor
Gerald D. Chapman1
James G. Ekeberg
Timothy Millar 
David W. Seiffert (replaced Bloom)
Sue Quinn

April 2011    Secretary: Peggy Babcock
Peggy Babcock
Richard L. Bokor
Scott Herr* (replaced Chapman)
Gerard Iannuzzelli* (replaced Ekeberg)
Timothy Millar1 
David W. Seiffert
Manjula Sriram* (replaced Quinn)

May 2013    Secretary: James Ekeberg
Margaret (Peggy) Babcock1 
Richard L. Bokor
James G. Ekeberg (replaced Millar)
Scott Herr
Gerard Iannuzzelli
David W. Seiffert
Manjula Sriram

March 2015    Secretary: James Ekeberg
Margaret (Peggy) Babcock1 
Gerald D. Chapman (replaced Bokor)
James G. Ekeberg
Scott Herr
Gerard Iannuzzelli
David W. Seiffert
Manjula Sriram

April 2015    Secretary: David Seiffert
Margaret (Peggy) Babcock1 
Gerald D. Chapman
James G. Ekeberg
Zubair Khan* (replaced Iannuzzelli)
Jessica C. Morrison* (replaced Herr)
David W. Seiffert
Manjula Sriram

January 2016    Secretary: David Seiffert
Margaret (Peggy) Babcock1 
Gerald D. Chapman
James G. Ekeberg
David Gurion (replaced Sriram)
Zubair Khan
Jessica C. Morrison
David W. Seiffert

April 2017    Secretary: Anthony Wang
Lisa Szczupaj1 
Frank J. Annerino
David Border
Barbara A. Kain
Zubair Khan
Michael Smolka
Anthony Wang 

May 2018    Secretary: Anthony Wang
Lisa Szczupaj1 
Frank J. Annerino
David Border
Barbara A. Kain
Zubair Khan
Michael Smolka
Anthony Wang

May 2019    Secretary: Anthony Wang
Lisa Szczupaj1 
Samantha Bray Ader * (replaced Kain)
Frank J. Annerino
Wenda Hunt * (replaced Border)
Zubair Khan
Michael Smolka
Anthony Wang

May 2020    Secretary: Samantha Bray Ader
Lisa Szczupaj1 
Samantha Bray Ader
Frank J. Annerino
Wenda Hunt 
Zubair Khan
Michael Smolka
Anthony Wang

May 2021    Secretary: Samantha Bray Ader
Lisa Szczupaj1 
Samantha Bray Ader 
Frank J. Annerino
Wenda Hunt
Zubair Khan
James Taylor (replaced Smolka)
Anthony Wang

April 1946 - Current

# | Board Member | Year Started | Year Ended | Replaced By | How Seated | How Replaced | Years/Months Served

1.    Arthur Bergo | 04/46 | 02/51 | 11 | Elected | Resigned | 4 yrs, 10 mos
2.    R. R. Fosket    04/46    04/49    9    Elected    Resigned    3 yrs, 0 mos
3.    William Fremd    04/46    04/57    17 or 18    Elected    Defeated    11 yrs, 0 mos
4.    Raymond Glade    04/46    09/50    10    Elected    Resigned    4 yrs, 5 mos
5.    Raymond Holtzee    04/46    07/57    11    Elected    Died    11 yrs, 3 mos
6.    V. H. Meatheringham    04/46    08/46    8    Elected    Resigned    0 yrs, 4 mos
7.    Gray M. Sanborn    04/46    04/56    16    Elected    Resigned    10 yrs, 0 mos
8.    Floyd L. Barloga    08/46    02/52    12    Appointed    Resigned    5 yrs, 6 mos
9.    Marjorie Mason    04/49    11/54    13    Elected    Resigned    5 yrs, 7 mos
10.    Walter R. Sundling    09/50    04/76    32    Appointed    Resigned    25 yrs, 7 mos
11.    Wilfred Muller    02/51
07/57    04/57
04/65    17 or 18
24    Appointed
Appointed    Defeated
Resigned    6 yrs, 2 mos
7 yrs, 9 mos
12.    Joseph Burnham    02/52    09/55    15    Appointed    Resigned    3 yrs, 7 mos
13.    John Northcote    11/54    04/55    14    Appointed    Resigned    0 yrs, 5 mos
14.    Lester C. Traub    04/55    04/58    19    Elected    Resigned    3 yrs, 0 mos
15.    Robert Lampert    09/55    06/61    19    Appointed    Resigned    5 yrs, 9 mos
16.    Howard C. Meadors    04/56    04/74    29    Elected    Defeated    18 yrs, 0 mos
17.    Joel D. Meyer    04/57    04/78    36 or 37    Write in/Elected    Resigned    21 yrs, 0 mos
18.    James Service    04/57    04/66    25    Write in/Elected    Resigned    9 yrs, 0 mos
19.    Robert Southard    04/58
06/61    04/61
04/62    20
21    Elected
Appointed    Defeated
Resigned    3 yrs, 0 mos
0 yrs, 10 mos
20.    Robert C. Donahue    04/61    04/67    26    Elected    Resigned    6 yrs, 0 mos
21.    Janice Taggart    04/62    09/62    22    Elected    Resigned    0 yrs, 5 mos
22.    Orville Rumrey    09/62    03/64    23    Appointed    Resigned    1 yr, 6 mos
23.    J. Leslie Ehringer    03/64    04/77    33    Appointed    Resigned    13 yrs, 1 mos
24.    Patricia Oakley    04/65    04/71    28    Elected    Resigned    6 yrs, 0 mos
25.    Otto R. Eilering    04/66    04/75    30    Elected    Defeated    9 yrs, 0 mos
26.    Leland N. Gibbs, Jr.    04/67
07/70    04/70
02/78    27
34 or 35    Elected
Appointed    Defeated
Resigned    3 yrs, 0 mos
7 yrs, 7 mos
27.    Russell Thome    04/70    07/70    26    Elected    Resigned    0 yrs, 3 mos
28.    Everett L. Charlier    04/71    04/80    40 or 41    Elected    Defeated    9 yrs, 0 mos
29.    Robert L. Bliss    04/74    09/75    31    Elected    Resigned    1 yr, 5 mos
30.    Walter J. Kendall III    04/75    04/78    36 or 37    Elected    Resigned    3 yrs, 0 mos
31.    Irene A. Sjostedt    09/75    03/91    50    Appointed    Resigned    15 yrs, 6 mos
32.    Patsy Kelly    04/76    02/78    34 or 35    Elected    Resigned    1 yr, 10 mos
33.    Lyn E. Rowe    04/77    05/85    43    Elected    Resigned    8 yrs, 1 mos
34.    Wayne B. Lewin    02/78    02/80    39    Appointed    Resigned    2 yrs, 0 mos
35.    Donna Smolenski    02/78    11/79    38    Appointed    Retired    1 yr, 9 mos
36.    Robert E. Duer    04/78    11/89    49    Elected    Retired    11 yrs, 7 mos
37.    Arthur A. Goes    04/78    11/81    42    Elected    Retired    3 yrs, 7 mos
38.    Berton G. Braun    11/79    11/87    47    Appointed    Retired    8 yrs, 0 mos
39.    Norman J. Wohlken    02/80    04/80    40 or 41    Appointed    Defeated    0 yrs, 2 mos
40.    Terry Francl    04/80
05/86
11/87
11/91    11/85

11/95    45

52, 53, or 54    Elected
Appointed
Re-elected
Re-elected    Resigned

Retired    5 yrs, 7 mos

9 yrs, 6 mos
41.    Ann Fuller    04/80    09/85    44    Elected    Resigned    5 yrs, 5 mos
42.    Jean Zaremba    11/81    09/87    46    Elected    Resigned    5 yrs, 10 mos
43.    Deborah Koons    06/85    11/93    51    Appointed    Retired    8 yrs, 5 mos
44.    Tom Cunningham    09/85    05/86    40    Appointed    Resigned    0 yrs, 9 mos
45.    Laura R. Crane    11/85    04/05    59, 60, or 61    Elected    Defeated    19 yrs, 4 mos
46.    Lawrence Komora    09/87    11/89    48    Appointed    Retired    2 yrs, 2 mos
47.    Suzanne H. Bassi    11/87    11/95    52, 53, or 54    Elected    Retired    8 yrs, 0 mos
48.    Patsy M. Street    11/89    11/97    55    Elected    Retired    8 yrs, 0 mos
49.    Nancy B. Murtaugh    11/89    01/00    57    Elected    Retired    10 yrs, 2 mos
50.    Kurt Unverricht    03/91
11/91
11/99    
11/95
04/03    
52, 53, or 54
52    Appointed
Elected
Elected    
Retired
Retired    
4 yrs, 8 mos
7 yrs, 11 mos
51.    Louis A. Sands    11/93    04/05    59, 60, or 61    Elected    Defeated    11 yrs, 4 mos
52.    Scott D. Boucher    11/95
04/03    11/99
05/07    50
62, 63, or 64    Elected
Elected    Retired
Retired    4 yrs, 0 mos
4 yrs, 1 mos
53.    David G. Harding    11/95    03/99    56    Elected    Resigned    3 yrs, 4 mos
54.    Paula Mikula    11/95    05/07    62, 63, or 64    Elected    Retired    11 yrs, 6 mos
55.    Edward M. Yung    11/97    04/05    59, 60, or 61    Elected    Defeated    7 yrs, 5 mos
56.    Linda P. Silverman*    04/99
11/99    
05/07    
62, 63, or 64    Appointed*
Elected    
Retired    
8 yrs, 1 mos
57.    Rica C. Cuff    02/00    11/01    58    Appointed    Defeated    1 yr, 9 mos
58.    Nancy Lee Carlson    11/01    04/09    65, 66, or 67    Elected    Defeated    7 yrs, 5 mos
59.    Tim Millar    04/05    04/13    63    Elected    Retired    8 yrs, 0 mos
60.    Wendy L. Rowden    04/05    04/09    65, 66, or 67    Elected    Retired    4 yrs, 0 mos
61.    Kelly Keenan    04/05    04/09    65, 66, or 67    Elected    Retired    4 yrs, 0 mos
62.    Gerald D. Chapman    04/07
03/15    04/11
04/17    69, 70, or 71
77, 78, 79, or 80    Elected
Appointed    Defeated
Defeated    4 yrs, 0 mos
2 yrs, 1 mos
63.    James G. Ekeberg    04/07
04/13    04/11
04/17    69, 70, or 71
77, 78, 79, or 80    Elected
Elected    Defeated
Defeated    4 yrs, 0 mos
4 yrs, 0 mos
64.    Sue Quinn    04/07    04/11    69, 70, or 71    Elected    Retired    4 yrs, 0 mos
65.    Mark J. Bloom    04/09    01/11    68    Elected    Resigned    1 yr, 9 mos
66.    Margaret (Peggy) Babcock    04/09    04/17    77, 78, 79, or 80    Elected    Defeated    8 yrs, 0 mos
67.    Richard L. Bokor    04/09    01/15    62    Elected    Died    5 yrs, 9 mos
68.    David W. Seiffert    02/11
04/13    
04/17    
77, 78, 79, or 80    Appointed
Elected    
Retired    
6 yrs, 2 mos
69.    Scott Herr    04/11    04/15    72 or 73    Elected    Retired    4 yrs, 0 mos
70.    Gerard Iannuzzelli    04/11    04/15    72 or 73    Elected    Defeated    4 yrs, 0 mos
71.    Manjula Sriram    04/11    11/15    74    Elected    Resigned    4 yrs, 7 mos
72.    Zubair Khan    04/15
04/19    
(1)        Elected
Elected        
73.    Jessica C. Morrison    04/15    04/17    75    Elected    Resigned    2 yrs, 0 mos
74.    David Gurion    12/15    04/17    76    Appointed    Retired    1 yr, 5 mos
75.    David Border    04/17    (1)    81 or 82    Appointed    Retired    2 yrs, 0 mos
76.    Barbara A. Kain    04/17    (1)    81 or 82    Elected    Retired    2 yrs, 0 mos
77.    Frank J. Annerino    04/17
04/21    
(2)        Elected
Elected        
78.    Michael Smolka    04/17        83    Elected    Retired    4 yrs, 0 mos
79.    Lisa Szczupaj    04/17
04/21    
(2)        Elected
Elected        
80.    Anthony Wang    04/17
04/21    
(2)        Elected
Elected        
81.    Samantha Bray Ader    04/19    (1)        Elected        
82.    Wenda Hunt    04/19    (1)        Elected        
83.    James Taylor    04/21    (2)        Elected        

Cardinal Drive School
2300 Cardinal Drive, Rolling Meadows

Date opened—9/1/1960
District enrollment—6,318
First principal—Harriet Foster

Principals:

    Harriet Foster    September 1960–June 1961
    Wilma Watkins    September 1961–June 1963
    Paul Jung    September 1963–June 1965
    Thomas Warden    September 1965–June 1967
    Carol Todd    September 1967–June 1969
    Michael Zawacke    September 1969–June 1971
    James Hess    September 1971–June 1975
    David Noonan    September 1975–June 1976

Closed June 1976. This building was sold to the Church of Christ in 1978 due to costly maintenance and enrollment decreases.

A small, 12-classroom school located on four acres in a residential Rolling Meadows neighborhood, Cardinal Drive School was built quickly during a period of extraordinary growth in the district. The need to purchase a site and construct a building in a short period of time did, indeed, contribute to its demise 15 years later. In a news analysis in a local paper, one columnist noted that Cardinal Drive, besides being located near Salt Creek, had the added problem of an underground geological stream and silt base for the school. 

Rolling Meadows’ third school in six years opened in September 1960 with an enrollment of 388. 

If the Cardinal Drive School site was a minus, its small size was a plus, fostering closeness among students, staff, and parents. Nevertheless, the cost to bring the school in line with minimum construction standards for health and safety would almost have equaled the school’s original cost of $385,630. District enrollment was declining; monies for education were tight. Such a project would have been fiscally imprudent. As a result, the board decided to close Cardinal Drive School. 

One individual, Debbie Regnier, was especially sad about the closing because she had been both a student and a teacher there. Yet, as Principal David Noonan observed in an article appearing in the June 11, 1976, edition of the Herald, “The physical building does not make a school. It’s what we do inside that counts.” For 15 years, this school served the community well.

School was out forever at Cardinal Drive in June 1976, although it housed Thomas Jefferson students for a few months until that new school was ready for occupancy in January 1977. On May 4, 1978, Cardinal Drive School was sold to the Des Plaines Church of Christ. It is now called the Cardinal Drive Church of Christ. 

Carl Sandburg Junior High School
2600 Martin Lane, Rolling Meadows

Date opened—9/1/1961
District enrollment—6,405
First principal—Joseph M. Kiszka
This school was named in honor of the poet, Carl Sandburg. Groundbreaking for renovation of the building was in May 1994, and it was rededicated in 1995.

Principals:

Joseph M. Kiszka    September 1961–June 1964
Melvin Spence    September 1964–June 1968
E. Daniel Vucovich    September 1968–June 1993
Barbara Karll    July 1993–June 2004
Ed Nelson    July 2004–June 2011
Greta Rakow    July 2011–June 2014
Erika Johansen    July 2014–June 2016 (to GMS)
Douglas Harter    July 2016–June 2021
Erika Johansen    July 2021– (from GMS)

Located on more than 10 acres of land in Rolling Meadows, Carl Sandburg School is named for one of Illinois’ poet laureates. The 12-classroom school, originally a kindergarten through eighth-grade facility, was constructed and occupied in the same year, 1961. 

Sandburg was the third school in Rolling Meadows to open in a 12-month period. District 15’s enrollment continued to grow, as did the assessed valuation of the district. This enabled the school board to approve construction of a 16-classroom junior high wing, plus library and gymnasium facilities for the school in 1962.

The rooms and hallways may have been unfamiliar to the students who entered Carl Sandburg School in September 1961, but the principal’s face was not. For the third time in seven years, Joseph M. Kiszka opened a Rolling Meadows school. He also promoted and served as a director of a special program for teenagers, sponsored by the park board of Rolling Meadows and the school district, that began in summer 1962 at Carl Sandburg and Jonas Salk schools. During Kiszka’s tenure, the students celebrated their namesake’s birthday, according to the January 3, 1963 edition of the Herald by participating in a “penny parade” to help finance maintenance of Sandburg’s birthplace in Galesburg, Illinois. It was reported that students proudly collected 1,331 pennies and sent off a check for $13.31 to the Carl Sandburg Birthplace Association.

After Mr. Kiszka left Sandburg, Melvin Spence became principal, a position he held from September 1964 to June 1968. Perhaps one of the most interesting events of his tenure occurred in June 1967. A tornado struck Rolling Meadows, and eighth grade graduation exercises had to be relocated to Forest View High School because the winds and rain had damaged Sandburg’s roof so severely that the building was deemed unsafe for occupancy. 
The next principal, E. Daniel Vucovich, had the distinction of serving the greatest number of years as principal in a single District 15 school: 25. During his quarter century at Sandburg, from 1968 to 1993, Vucovich saw District 15’s enrollment at its zenith and its nadir. He was principal when the school was a K-8 facility, as well as when it became a junior high in the early 1970s. 

Barbara Karll became Sandburg’s fourth principal, succeeding Mr. Vucovich. Her first year as principal, during 1993-94, was especially memorable. That is when ground-breaking for renovation of the 33-year-old building began. For the next 14 months, students, staff, construction workers, and contractors co-existed until February 14, 1996, when the Board of Education dedicated the renovated and refurbished school. The $6.9 million project included a multi-purpose room that is also used as a cafeteria, gym and stage, enlarged classrooms, computer labs, and an expanded resource center. 
Carl Sandburg was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education during the 1999-2000 school year.

We Remember—“Mr. Everywhere” by Susan Davie Laugal 
Ms. Laugal remembers two teachers with a consistent presence in the community.

Al Hopkins seemed to be everywhere. He was a physical education teacher at the time I attended Carl Sandburg Junior High in 1967, and in the summers he was the manager of the Rolling Meadows pool. 

I went on to attend college as an education major. When it came time to student teach, I was assigned to Hunting Ridge School. You guessed it—Al was there too! He was principal of Hunting Ridge. What amazed me most was that he remembered me from junior high.

Upon graduation, I went searching for a teaching job. Al didn’t have a position for me, so I headed over to Kimball Hill School. Once again, a teacher from my past popped up. Corbite Henry, who had been my eighth-grade core teacher at Carl Sandburg, was principal there. 

Central Road School
3800 Central Road, Rolling Meadows

Date opened—11/28/1960
District enrollment—6,350
First principal—Marion Omiatek
In September 1964, the Board of Education adopted a resolution for an addition to the building. Construction began in June 1965 and was completed in August 1965. This building was razed in June 1995, and a new building was constructed on the same site, completed in August 1996.

Principals:

Marion Omiatek    September 1960–June 1961
Robert Craig    September 1961–June 1963
Donald Stipe    September 1963–June 1964
George Edwards    September 1964–June 1968
Robert Anderson    September 1968–June 1975
James Hess    September 1975–June 1989
Jackie Carrillo    July 1989–June 1993
Douglas Gordon Hesbol    July 1993–June 1994 (Interim Principal)
Douglas Gordon Hesbol    July 1994–June 1997
Jill Weininger    July 1997–June 2000
Kevin Jauch    July 2000–June 2006
Kenneth Rose    July 2006–June 2008
Joshua J. Carpenter    July 2008–June 2014
Jennifer Garcia-Macko    July 2014–December 2017
Patricia Van Winkle    January 2018–

Between 1955 and 1961, enrollment in District 15 more than doubled, from 2,543 to 6,261. During that time period, five new schools opened, three in Rolling Meadows. The last of those, Central Road, was the first state-financed school in this district. The 12-classroom facility, located on more than 9 acres, opened its doors November 28, 1960, the Monday after Thanksgiving, and just two-and-one-half months after its neighboring school, Cardinal Drive, had opened. Six years later, because of continued growth in the area, the district built a 14-classroom addition to Central Road. 

Getting to the new school wasn’t easy when the school opened in 1960, because neither the road to the school nor the permanent footbridge over Salt Creek were completed, and the school parking lot wasn’t paved. Consequently, buses dropped students off at the corner of Owl and Central. 

During its 58-year history, the school has had 14 principals. Marion Omiatek opened Central Road, serving during the 1960-61 school year. During George Edwards’ tenure, Central Road grew from crowded to comfortable, with the opening of a new wing in 1966. 

The late 1970s through the mid-80s were trying years, because District 15 had to do more with fewer dollars. Between 1979 and 1982, three schools closed. Central Road was one of eight schools under consideration for closing in 1981. However, because it was almost fully occupied, Central Road was the least expensive to operate at $110 per student. Consequently it remained open, and another Rolling Meadows school, Jonas E. Salk School, closed. 
The enrollment pendulum began to swing back the other way a few years later with new growth, especially in the north and west areas of the district. For the first time in a decade, the area needed to build a school instead of close one. Passage of the $64 million referendum March 15, 1988, allowed the district to build a school, raze and rebuild two others, and renovate the other 16. The project took eight years. 

For two school years, 1994-96, Central Road, then called the “Roadrunners,” were housed in nine portable classrooms, referred to as “the village,” and rented classroom space at Clearbrook Center, three blocks east of Central Road. The project was challenging, because the school is located on a flood plain. After careful analysis, it became apparent that razing the old school and building another made more fiscal sense than renovating it. 
The walls came tumbling down June 22, 1995, and work on the $4.7 million project began. The new two-story building opened in time for the 1996-97 school year. In the exact middle of the building is the resource center, a configuration designed to promote team teaching. Clusters of three classrooms with removable walls surround the center. 

When construction was completed, the Central Road School community did not see a phoenix rising from the ashes, but rather a roadrunner rising above a flood plain. (Later the school changed its mascot from the Roadrunners to Wolves.) Then, in school year 2000-2001, construction began again with the addition of six new classrooms.

Frank C. Whiteley School
4335 Haman Avenue, Hoffman Estates

Date opened—8/30/1989
District enrollment—10,380
First principal—David Corbett
This school was named in honor of Dr. Frank C. Whiteley, the third superintendent of schools in District 15. Dr. Whiteley who retired in 1985 passed away on September 29, 2002. Groundbreaking for the new school took place in July 1988, and the building was dedicated on November 1989.

Principals:

    David Corbett    August 1989–June 1993
    Kathleen May    July 1993–June 2000
    Karen Hindman    July 2000–June 2004
    Mary Szuch    July 2004–November 2013
    David Corbett (interim)    November 2013–January 2014
    Robert Harris    January 2014–June 2018 (moved to WB)
    Michael Scaletta    July 2018–June 2019 (moved to District office)
    Faith Rivera    July 2019–

Team spirit defined this school even before its doors opened to students and staff. Built in 1988, immediately following the successful $64 million referendum, it was the first new school in the district in 11 years and generated much excitement. Named for former superintendent, Frank C. Whiteley, who led the district for 15 years before retiring in 1985, the $6.2 million school was built to serve students in the burgeoning western portion of the district. 

Because the school brought in students from Stuart R. Paddock, Thomas Jefferson, Marion Jordan, and Hunting Ridge, teachers worked diligently to create a unified, cohesive atmosphere at Whiteley, even before the physical building was completed. Aware of the students’ need to feel part of this exciting, unfinished project, teachers and other staff members visited every student’s home—more than 500 families—before opening day, providing a unique, personal orientation to the new school. 

Administrative work also began well before the doors opened. Most was accomplished at the district administration office, but much of the work was done within the very heart of the neighborhoods the school serves. Linda Clear, then secretary of Whiteley School, remembered doing student room assignments from her dining room table while the building was under construction. The PTA put the call out for volunteers. With the building still a “work in progress,” teachers, administrators, and 100 parents, led by Principal David Corbett, moved equipment and furniture into the school on a Sunday in late August 1989. 

Recalling that first day, former Whiteley building assistant Roland Johnson said, “They rolled the carpet out for us as we moved furniture into the building. I mean literally—the building wasn’t completed and workers were still laying carpet as we moved in.” 

Ann Marshall, a fourth-grade teacher held the distinction of working in both Wood Street, the district’s oldest school, and Whiteley, its newest school, recalled a feeling of unparalleled excitement and anticipation. “Like teachers everywhere on the first day of school, we couldn’t wait to begin. We had the chalk in our hand while they were putting up the chalkboards.” The experience created a unique sense of unity. July Ryan, ten a second–grade teacher at Whiteley, explained simply, “We all started out together carrying boxes.” 

Students were just as excited as they entered the new school. They recognized they were creating a “new tradition.” And there have, indeed, been many traditions created at Whiteley school, all initiated by or involving students. At the dedication on November 15, 1989, students buried a time capsule containing items handpicked by each classroom that they felt best represented their lives and interests. When the school opened, student enrollment was 700, nearly 97 percent of its capacity. Today enrollment is approximately 600 students. 

Frank C. Whiteley School was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School in 2003.

Gray M. Sanborn School (originally named Oak Street School)
101 North Oak Street, Palatine

Date opened—9/1/1948
District enrollment—773
First principal—Charles Mitchell
Oak Street School was renamed Gray M. Sanborn School in 1963 in honor of the first Board of Education president who served from the consolidation in 1946 until 1956. A groundbreaking ceremony for renovation of the building was held in April 1993, and it was rededicated in October 1994.

Principals:
    Charles Mitchell    September 1948–June 1950
    E. Erie Jones    September 1950–June 1951
    Mildred Gallagher    September 1951–June 1953
    E. Erie Jones    September 1953–June 1954
    Nathan Stoller    September 1954–June 1955
    Robert Brown    September 1955–June 1957
    Harry Olson    September 1957–June 1966
    Martin Moon    September 1966–March 1987
    William Gavin    March 1987–June 1987 (Interim)
    Patricia Cassidy    September 1987–June 1990
    Michael Carmody    July 1990–June 1991 (Interim)
    Michael Zawacke    July 1991–June 1995
    Michael Carmody    August 1995–June 2010
    Sue Matkovic    July 2010–June 2013
    Jeff Brown    July 2013–June 2016
    Erika Johansen    July 2016–June 2021 (moved to CSJH)
    Kate Arenberg    July 2021

The instruction from the superintendent to the first Board of Education was to “achieve and administrative reorganization of the township’s elementary schools to make (them) more effective and to enrich the educational program [for] all the boys and girls.” The reorganization process was not without growing pains. Families in the most rural sections questioned every move along the way, favoring more localized control of schools and preferring the rural concept. 

In the fall of 1946, 614 children were enrolled in Community Consolidated School District 15 schools. The board began preparing for an increase in student population almost immediately. The preparations were not too soon. In just one year, from 1948 to 1949, the enrollment shot up from 773 to 941. By 1950 it had increased to 1,086, and by 1955 there were 2,543 enrolled in the district. In February 1947, the district purchased six acres at Wood and Oak streets with plans to build a school. On April 19, 1947, voters once again went to the polls to vote on a $600,000 bond issue to finance the building of the school. By a vote of 675 to 145, voters approved the measure. 

On October 1, 1947, work started on a school that was “the most modern in design and facilities” of any in the state—Oak Street School. At the time of construction, it was thought that this would be the only new school the school district would ever need. It was built to serve kindergarten through eighth-grade students and also housed the district’s administrative offices. Primary grades began attending Oak Street in September 1948. Junior high classes moved into the building during the winter holidays in 1948, and a dedication ceremony was held March 22, 1949. The unique, state-of-the-art, one-story structure became a showplace and the pride of the community. 

Marion Jordan, the district’s second superintendent, was responsible for many of the contemporary concepts incorporated into Oak Street and seven additional schools, built between 1948 and 1961. It was at his direction that the schools’ design included a library or resource center as the core learning center. It was also at his direction that foreign language and instrumental music were included in the school curriculum because he believed fine arts should be an essential part of a child’s education. 

Oak Street and Wood Street Schools provided a campus setting for the downtown Palatine children. Children from Wood Street ventured over to Oak Street for gym classes and lunch, as well as other programs that the older school could not offer because of its size and age. The staff and PTA at both schools maintained a strong bond until 1979, when Wood Street School was closed due to safety considerations. 
In 1951 Mildred Gallagher became principal, the first woman to head a school in the district. 

In 1963 Oak Street School was renamed Gray M. Sanborn School, in honor of the gentleman who had been called a “visionary” and had served as the first board president of the newly consolidated school district.

Thirty years later, the 46-year-old Sanborn School benefited from the passage of the 1988 $64 million referendum and became the 12th school to be renovated. Sanborn got a much needed facelift—10 additional classrooms, a new multipurpose room, renovated resource center, computer lab, administrative office, science room, and community room. Sanborn was rededicated in October 1994. During the 2000-01 school year, another addition of eight classrooms on the south side of the building was constructed.

Sanborn School commemorated its 60th anniversary on January 30, 2009. The all-school celebration included a student-produced video highlighting Sanborn’s 60 years, music supplied by an all-school chorus, and the presentation of a 60-year commemorative banner created by Sanborn parent Dan Armentrout.

In 2018, Sanborn School celebrated its 70th anniversary.

We Remember—The Cloakroom, reminiscences from Barbara Sanborn
The cloakroom was mysterious, magical, sometimes musty-smelling on rainy days, and sometimes daunting back when it was an integral part of every classroom. The smell of damp woolen mittens and egg salad sandwiches waiting and warming to room temperature are still indelibly imprinted in many people’s memories. 

The cloakroom was also the spot where students were sent for a “time out.” It was a place of solitude, suitable for pondering one’s guilt and examining carefully and quietly other kids’ lunches. It was the perfect place for secrets whispered to a best friend and also the best spot for settling scores. 

Ms. Sanborn, a third-generation Palatine resident whose father, Gray M. Sanborn, was the first president of the Board of Education, remembered one incident that was particularly empowering for a young girl of the 1950s. She proved her mettle in an encounter with a classmate who would go on to be on the high school football team. 

“I really don’t know why, I never really had any animosity for this particular boy. He was actually very nice, but for some reason I had a fight with him,” she recounted. “I ended up throwing him over my shoulder. I can’t remember why or how, but whatever happened, I won. I walked out of there, and I had won!” 

Hillside School
505 South Quentin Road, Palatine

Date opened—1931
This two-classroom rural school was a District 16 school before consolidation. It is listed here in the History of the Schools because it was used by the school district after consolidation; therefore, it was considered the last rural school in District 15. It was razed in July 1965. A new district administration facility was built on the site in 1965. The building was officially named E. S. Castor Administration Building in April 1970 after the third superintendent, Mr. E. S. (Pat) Castor.

Hillside School, one of two schools in District 16 in pre-consolidation days, served the community well after consolidation. The two-classroom building opened in 1931 and was used as a school until the early 1960s. It was considered the last rural school in Consolidated School District 15. In July 1965, the building, located on Quentin Road, was put up for auction. There was little interest in the modest, two-room frame building; in fact, no one appeared at the auction. The board unanimously agreed to remove all valuable materials and demolish it. 

A new district administration facility was built on the site in 1965. The building was officially named the E. S. Castor Administration Building on April 8, 1970, after the district’s third superintendent, E. S. (Pat) Castor. It remained district headquarters until the district moved to 580 North 1st Bank Drive, Palatine, in December 1993. The property on Quentin Road was put on the auction block and sold for $420,001 in January 1996 to a housing developer. 

The end of World War II also meant the end of rural life for many areas. As families sought affordable housing and expressways shortened commuting time into the city, subdivisions quickly obliterated what was left of rural life in towns northwest of Chicago. By the 1960s, up-to-date schools were replacing antiquated country schools. But some students in Palatine were lucky enough to sample some pleasures of the past. 

We Remember—Special Times at Hillside School by Gayle Carr Bozec 
Mrs. Bozec, now living in Villa Park, remembers Hillside School. 

Most people in Palatine don’t know there existed a remote two-room school for fourth-and fifth-graders on Quentin Road. I was one of the privileged children to attend this unconventional school taught by fourth-grade teacher Mr. Edward Kramer, and fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Anne Sexauer.
Our hours were filled with the daily routine of math, science, and reading, but our learning went far beyond the fourth- and fifth-grade curriculum. Our desks were the old- fashioned, wooden style, with attached chairs and inkwells in the upper corners.

While other students had traditional classroom settings, ours was more relaxed. On warm fall and spring days, classes would be conducted out on the front yard, under a large shade tree. We ate our lunches outside when the weather permitted, and if you were lucky, you could catch a spot under one of the porches where the shade would keep you and your carton of milk cool. And keeping watch over all was Blackie, the raven, perched on the wire fence, periodically bellowing out a “hello” to us. 

Unlike the other schools in the district, there was no electric bell to call us into school. Instead we had a large, shiny brass bell with an ebony black handle. When it was time for us to enter the building, go to recess, or return from lunch, each student took a turn ringing the bell. We would stand on the steps as we summoned our friends back into the building, filled with pride and a momentary feeling of power and importance. 

Our school didn’t have long halls with endless rooms; rather the fourth-grade classroom was immediately to the right as you entered the building, and the fifth-grade classroom was immediately to the left. There were also cloakrooms just off the entryway; separate (naturally) for the boys and girls. We delighted in the privacy of our own dressing rooms which were about the size of today’s walk-in closets. 

We had our own freezer that kept guard of Dixie cups filled with milky white ice cream, which we would scoop out with wooden spoons. 
One of our chores as students was to take the garbage out to the incinerator. While many might regard this as nasty work, we were thrilled to take on this task. Gathering up all the trash, we’d stand before a large, silver smoking giant. It felt like standing before the space shuttle on the launching pad. When we opened the door and tossed in the trash, we felt we had accomplished a feat no less dangerous and thrilling than scaling Pike’s Peak. 
Once the snow started falling, we were more confined. To amuse ourselves at recess and lunch, we’d trek down the steep narrow stairs to the basement where we’d listen to records and dance while keeping warm around the furnace. 

The best thing was driving into town with fourth-grade teacher Mr. Edward Kramer to run errands. It was a privilege to sit in the front seat of his Pontiac Bonneville and run to the post office, Ben Franklin, or maybe even the dry cleaners. You really hit the jackpot if there was enough time to stop at the One Horse Shay for a Coca-Cola. For a kid, that stop was like having dinner at the Pump Room. 

We’d finish the year with a picnic in Deer Grove Forest Preserve where we’d celebrate the end of school, the beginning of summer vacation, and freedom from books. 

All the students at Hillside School formed a bond no other District 15 students ever had. How sad for them; how wonderful for us!