District 155 Superintendent Resigns

It wasn’t a big secret that the Crystal Lake High School teachers union had no love for Superintendent Johnnie Thomas.

So, it’s not a big surprise that there has been a parting of the ways between the Superintendent and the school board, which has six of seven members who were endorsed by the teachers union.

Here is District 155’s press release on the resignation:

Community High School District 155 Superintendent Resigns

Johnnie Thomas

Crystal Lake – Superintendent Dr. Johnnie Thomas submitted his letter of resignation from Community High School District 155 on Tuesday, August 8 for consideration by the Board.

He has been offered a superintendent position at Rich Township High School District 227.

“We want to thank Dr. Thomas for his five years of service at District 155, and his commitment to our students and community,” said Adam Guss, Board President.

The Board will convene for a Special Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m. at the Center for Education.

“The Board has full confidence in our administrative team, faculty, support staff, parents, students, and district partners to carry on the proud tradition of District 155 as the Board now focuses on next steps for ensuring the best leadership for the district.

“We want to reassure staff, students, parents, and the community that supports will be in place for the start of the 2017-18 school year as we begin the search for a superintendent,” said Guss.


Comments

District 155 Superintendent Resigns — 17 Comments

  1. Bad guy!

    It was known from the start given what was known about him from other districts.

    A deceiver desiring to climb!

    Good Riddance!

  2. Open the Books

    Superintendent Johnnie Thomas Annual Wages at Community High School District 155 from 2014 – 2016

    2016 – $227,329

    2015 – $233,510

    2014 – $211,921

    http://www.OpenTheBooks.com/widget > State > Salaries > Recipient Name: Thomas Johnnie AND click down arrow to select “Illinois” THEN select “Search”

    Note:

    Starting Pension is 75% of the average of the last 4 years worked for a 35 years of service career.

    Years of service is typically less than years worked.

    One reason for that is teachers and administrators can exchange up to 340 unused sick days for up to 2 years of service credit.

    ++++++++++++

    The CHSD 155 Board has a transparency problem.

    The board does not post a board agenda packet prior to board meetings (or after board meetings).

    A board agenda packet is a single document, typically in Adobe pdf format, that:

    – is searchable (allows use of the “find” feature to quickly locate information)

    – allows copy from the document, and paste to another document (to consolidate information).

    ++++++++++

    Effective April 18, 2017, the CHSD 155 board posts LiveStream Board meetings on YouTube that are also archived on YouTube.

    +++++++++++

    YouTube

    D155 Board channel

    http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQWHg6tSsqJPayBjwizTdtQ

  3. Adios.

    No loss.

    Unless you consider what the new Board will bring in next!!!

    God Bless D155, it needs it!

  4. Johnnie Thomas is the former superintendent of Community High School district 155 based at Crystal Lake, Illinois. Crystal Lake’s motto is “A Good Place to Live.” Crystal Lake advertises as a good place to visit, dine, shop, play and enjoy a variety of amenities. Crystal Lake is a modern city of over 40,000 which still retains its small-town charm, city officials claim. Crystal Lake is located 50 miles northwest of Chicago, a short drive from O’Hare International Airport, near several major highways and interstates. The Union Pacific rail line provides easy access to Chicago. One of Crystal Lake’s greatest attractions is its sparkling, regional gem, Three Oaks Recreation Area, with a beach, hiking trail, boat rentals, scuba diving, among others. Its historic Downtown has an array of independent shops and restaurants. The US Route 14 corridor, which goes through Crystal Lake, is filled with big name retailers and restaurants, interspersed with many local specialty shops and dining places. The Park District (a separate government body) oversees more than 1,600 acres of parks and open space as well as 230-acre Crystal Lake for fishing, boating, swimming and skating in the winter. Crystal Lake’s schools, include Elementary School District 47 and Community High School District 155. crystal Lake is also the home of McHenry County. Crystal Lake has a fully staffed professional police department, three 24-hour fire/rescue stations, a street maintenance program, an annual leaf and brush pickup program, and a comprehensive curbside recycling program. Crystal Lake adopted its city Charter on September 23, 1914. It is located in McHenry county, a Northeastern, Illinois county established on January, 1836. Illinois became the 21st state of the Union on December 3, 1818. George Washington had been dead for 18 years. Abraham Lincoln was 9 years old. Our sunshine blogger was 5 years old. Tic, tock, tic, tock…

  5. While you claim that Cal is older than dirt, doesn’t that lead us to take you as more of a joke than an actual agitator? Are you trying to tip your hand?

  6. This fellow couldn’t even speak or write proper English!

    Is that too much to expect from an overpaid bureaucrat!

    Even many of the teachers scorned his overbearing tyranny, but I wonder what the English teachers have to say, I’ll ‘ax’ ’em.

  7. Our sunshine blogger’s real age is highly contested among research scholars. There are reports linking him to Eugene Debbs as being his cellmate and confidant during Debbs’ time in prison at the McHenry County Courthouse. Prodigious researcher, please get to the bottom of this…tic, tock, tic, tock…

  8. I don’t see how working comedy into your routine is helping you or your cause (whatever that may be). Are you telling us that you are just a complete whackadoodle?

  9. Illinois Report Card 2015 – 2016, hosted by Northern Illinois University (NIU)

    CHSD 155 v Rich Twp HSD 227

    Crystal Lake High School District 155 attendance area is Crystal Lake, Cary, Fox River Grove, Prairie Grove, and Burtons Ridge in McHenry County.

    Rich Township High School District 227 attendance area is Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Richton Park, Matteson, and smaller portions of Country Club Hills, Tinley Park, and Chicago Heights in Cook County.

    ———–

    ACADEMIC PROGRESS

    PARCC ready for next level: 23% – 9%

    Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) assessment for students with cognitive disabilities: 25% proficient v 31%

    Participation Rate is the same for both: 98% English Language Arts (ELA), 97% Math

    Achievement Gap between non low income and low income: 17% v 7%

    Percent of Freshmen on Track: 95% v 72%

    Number of students in Early College Coursework: 2,093 v 713

    Graduation Rate: 98% v 81%

    College Readiness: 67% v 17%

    Post Secondary Enrollment: 76% in 6 months, 74% in 12 months v 67% & 63%

    Post Secondary Remediation: 35% v 65%

    ————-

    DISTRICT ENVIRONMENT

    Per Student Spending: $15,530 Operations, $9,534 Instruction v $18,814 Operations, $9,281 Instruction.

    District Finances: $97M v $66M

    Average Class Size: 20 v 12

    Total School Days: 176 v 174

    Dropout Rate: 1% v 2%

    Each has 5 days of Physical Education (PE) per week

    —————————-

    STUDENTS

    Enrollment: 6,515 v 3,226

    Racial Ethnic Diversity:

    83.4% White, 1.1% Black, 10.9% Hispanic, 2.1% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.2% (2) or more races, 0% Pacific Islander v

    3.4% white, 89.8% black, 4.5% Hispanic, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.7% (2) or more races, 0.2% Pacific Islander.

    Low Income Students: 16% v 79%.

    Students with Disabilities: 12% v 20%.

    Homeless: 1% v 3%.

    English Learners: 1% v 3%.

    Student Attendance: 95% v 84%

    Student Mobility (percentage of students who transfer in and out of schools between the first day of October and the last school day of the year, not including graduates): 4% v 35%.

    Chronically Truant Students: 2% v 3%.

    —————————-

    TEACHERS

    Number of Teachers: 376 v 225

    Percent with Masters Degree: 85% v 64%

    Pupil / Teacher Ratio: 20:1 v 19:1

    Retention: 88% v 80%

    Salary: $87,363 v $69,978

    Total Teachers FTE: 376 v 225

    Teacher Attendance: 37% absent 10 days or fewer v 63% absent 10 days or fewer

    —————–

    ADMINISTRATORS

    Administrators:Student Ratio: 123:1 v 99:1

    Certified Staff:Student Ratio: 11:1 for both

    Principal Turnover: (2) principals over the last 6 years v (3)

    Salary: $117,955 v $101,077

    ——————————-

    SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT – % READY FOR NEXT LEVEL

    Cary – Grove High School: 22.1%

    Crystal Lake Central High School: 23.8%

    Crystal Lake South High School: 23.4%

    Prairie Ridge High School: 24.6%

    ——–

    Rich Central High School: 8.5%

    Rich East High School: 12.2%

    Rich South High School: 7.2%

    —————————————

    TESTS

    ACT Composite: 23 v 17

    ———————

    http://www.illinoisreportcard.com

  10. I don’t know much about the education system, but weren’t the PARCC scores for the county as a whole incredibly poor?

    I thought the schools here were supposed to be very good.

    Am I missing something?

  11. I dealt with this Superintendent on a significant issue and found him to be extremely ineffective.

    His assessment into concerns I expressed was < adequate on concerns expressed regarding simple principles of administration integrity.

    I will share my views with his new Board of Education so this "leader" can learn from prior mistakes. JBR

  12. I have worked with this Superintendent as an administrator he is highly immoral, unethical, and also shows no issue with illegal behavior and practices.

    Awful leader.

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