District 153 Superintendent Dale Mitchell introduced James Hart School’s new principal at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Kim Johnson, former principal of Colin Powell Middle School in Matteson, received an enthusiastic welcome from Mitchell and the board, with hugs all around before the official vote was taken to offer her the job.
Mitchell said district officials had gone into the search process with some trepidation, not sure if they could find someone who could live up to the performance of outgoing principal Scott McAlister.
McAlister will become assistant superintendent next school year in preparation for becoming superintendent when Mitchell retires in June 2021.
“To find someone of Kim’s quality to step into really big shoes is exciting for us. We didn’t necessarily think that was going to happen,” he said. “But we were fortunate to find you,” he told the new administrator.
Mitchell said the position attracted 40 to 50 applicants, and the screening process narrowed that to 11 candidates who were interviewed. The process took several months to complete.
“I feel like I know Kim a lot. She interviewed with us like four times. We really wanted to be sure,” Mitchell said. He added that the decision was confirmed when administrators visited Colin Powell Middle School and met with staff there who had worked under Johnson’s leadership.
“They love her. We could feel it,” he said. About 10 of Johnson’s District 159 colleagues were in the audience in Homewood to see her accept the job.
School board President Shelly Marks thanked them for attending and for helping Johnson gain the experience she will need to lead at James Hart.
Johnson, of Richton Park, said she was excited to join District 153 after spending most of her career in District 159, where she’s currently assistant director of technology integration.
She said one of her motivations for seeking the James Hart position was the possibility of getting more interaction with students.
“I’m at the district now, but I want to be with the kids,” she said. “MIddle school is my passion.”
Part of the interview process involved presenting a 90-day plan if she was chosen for the job. Johnson said the main feature of her plan is to learn the district and the people.
“I’m going to listen and learn,” she said. “I want to find out what’s going on and then enhance it.”
Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in health education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and began her career as a school social worker in Harvey.
She went on to earn a master’s degree in school social work also from UIUC, a master’s in educational administration from Governors State University and is working on a master’s degree in educational technology.
After leaving Harvey, she spent three years as a social worker in District 159, three years as a dean in the district, three years as assistant principal and eight years as principal of Colin Powell Middle School.
Between her stint as assistant principal and principal she served as dean at Plainfield East High School.
Related stories:
- District 153 starts search for Hart principal (Nov. 5, 2019)
- District 153 hires McAlister as its next superintendent (April 9, 2018)
- District 153 superintendent sets 2021 retirement date (June 28. 2017)