A press release from Carpentersville School District 300:
Board approves new CFO
Susan Harkin
The District 300 Board of Education approved tonight (Tuesday, May 29) Susan Harkin as the district’s new Chief Financial Officer.
She replaces Cheryl Crates, who is retiring on June 30 after nearly eight years as D300 CFO.
Harkin will begin her employment with D300 this summer, though her effective start date is currently being determined.
A three-round selection process produced Harkin as the ideal choice for the district. Roughly two dozen persons applied for the position this spring.
They were eventually narrowed to a field of three candidates, who each faced an in-depth interview with a team of Central Office administrative leaders and support staff before going on to a final interview with Superintendent Michael Bregy and Associate Superintendent Sarah Kedroski.
Harkin earned both her bachelor’s degree in accounting and her master’s degree in school administration from Northern Illinois University. She has experience in maintaining a balanced budget, collective bargaining, upgrading infrastructure, long-rang capital improvement planning, managing payroll, developing financial projections, and overseeing operations, technology, food service, and transportation. She is currently the CFO for Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, a position she has held since 2009. Her previous employment included three years as the Associate Superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 62 in Des Plaines, as well as serving as the Business Office Manager here in D300 from 2000 to 2006.
Her prior work experience in the D300 Business Office will hasten her ability to successfully take the helm as CFO, as will her being a long-time resident of West Dundee in D300. Harkin has six children who attended and graduated from D300 schools, and she was an involved volunteer in D300 schools for many years.
But it was not only her professional and personal familiarity with D300 that set her apart in the selection process.
Tuhrough her role on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO), Harkin has the contacts to keep D300 well informed of best practices, emerging financial issues, and relevant legislation. Su
Superintendent Bregy said that she has also demonstrated the ability and willingness to enhance the D300 Business Office’s collaboration and communication with other departments.
This will be crucial to fulfill Bregy’s vision of an operational and budgetary structure that is more directly aligned with the district’s teaching and learning goals.
“Susan was chosen not only because of her financial and leadership skills but also her natural ability to build effective relationships and passion to improve the quality education for all students,” Bregy said.
“Susan facilitates rather than dominates, and she will be a refreshingly positive part of our new team.”
= = = = =
Harkin makes $146,000 in Crystal Lake. She will receive $165,000 at District 300.
From FamilyTaxpayers.org
Crates, Cheryl M
2011: $168,372
2010: $170,330
2009: $162,143
2008: $0
2007: $146,896
2006: $139,735
2005: $135,058
Susan Harkin
2011: $145,999
2010: $145,999
Susan L Shepard (Harkin)
2009: $147,668 CCSD 62 Assistant District Superintendent
2008: $142,032 CCSD 62 Assistant District Superintendent
2007: $124,945 CCSD 62 Assistant District Superintendent
Oh great…after jacking up our property taxes for D47 she moves to D300 to do the same from the other end!
Based on our property taxes I would say that she is horrible at her job!
ANYONE can do a decent job when you have unlimited funds…it’s a little tougher when you have to work on a budget (like all the taxpayers that got screwed by her on our taxes).
Somehow I think in the ongoing battle with Sears Holdings, their response will be “Facilitate this.”
I know it doesn’t result in a tax cut as we see in Cal’s past fine analysis of the tax levies, but D155 always makes me feel better when they cut the levy, like two years ago, or refrain from going to the max.
D47 on the other hand has always, always, always squeezed the homeowner to the max.
“Max the tax cap” is an often heard mantra when talking to administrators and school board members.
In other words, tax the taxpayers the maximum amount allowable by law.