Superintendent Casey Love steps down

Somers/Lakeside School District 29 Superintendent Casey Love stepped down from his superintendent position on April 23. Love took on the responsibilities of two positions for the 2011-12 school year, working with information technology at Lakeside Elementary and as superintendent for this district.

Love’s last day as superintendent of District 29 is June 30 and the next superintendent will begin on July 1.

“I think Casey was good and picked up the ball when we really needed it a year ago, but I think he was in a bad place to be in,” board trustee Mike Schlegel said.

Dave Alexander, chairman of the board of trustees, said the board knew Love’s resignation after a year was a possibility but they thought he was the best fit to get the district through the transition when the previous superintendent resigned.

Love took the superintendent position last year with a memorandum of understanding that he could return to the classroom. It is yet to be determined if he will return to his previous role in physical education and technology.

“Working two jobs is difficult, being the IT at Lakeside and the superintendent of both has brought several challenges to me” Love said. “My Masters is in technology, and that is where I would like to be.”

This was Love’s eighth year with the district and his 27th year in education, prior to District 29 he was the supervising teacher in Jackson and Dayton.

Love hopes to stay with District 29 and assist the next superintendent with his or her transition into the position. The board of trustees is currently advertising the position through the Office of Public Instruction and will begin looking at resumes soon.

The board of trustees anticipates knowing who the district’s next superintendent will be in about six weeks.

“I will be there to support any way I can and give the best of luck to whoever they hire in hope they can better the district,” Love said.

Board trustee Courtney Shaeffer said she thinks Love’s next position will be discussed at the next board meeting on May 10 in addition to who the next superintendent will be.

“I’m sad to see him go, I think he’s been a benefit and kept an open mind and tried his best to work with the budget that we have,” Shaeffer said.

“It’s been great working with the staff, support has been tremendous,” Love said. “Our community has been great toward us as well, and I can’t say how much I appreciate all of that.”