Superintendent Tom Moore discussed an administrative restructuring plan for District 219 at the school board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. The plan will be implemented for the 2025-2026 school year.

Numerous changes are being made to the administration. By the end of the restructuring process, at least nine administrative positions will be eliminated.

“You’ve given me a pretty distinct charge as your superintendent to look at things and think of how we can do things better. Better sometimes does mean more efficiently…We currently have a student to administrator ratio of one administrator for every 84 students…The Illinois state average is one administrator for every 136 students,” Moore said.

Currently, Niles North and Niles West have curriculum directors for each academic discipline at their respective schools. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, North and West will share one director per academic discipline. The directors will have offices at each school, and will split time between both buildings. The fine and applied arts and athletic director positions will not be affected. Special education directors and student activities directors will also be building-based.

Michael Kucera has been an administrator for the English department at Niles West since 2014. He believes that if the restructuring is done correctly, it can drive positive change for the district.

“The word that I keep coming to is bittersweet. I think uncertainty is sometimes scary, but I think there’s a lot of potential here. It’s all going to come in [on] how well we plan and how we think out what these roles need to look like…In terms of the restructuring, I’ve seen systems like this work very, very well and I’ve seen systems like this not work. It always comes down to how well people are communicating…I understand why teachers, staff and current administrators are anxious, but I think anxiety can be good…There’s a real gravity here that I hope everyone appreciates,” Kucera said.

The current dean position will be eliminated. In its place, four associate principals will be added to both Niles North and Niles West. Each associate principal is assigned to a grade and will transition with their assigned graduating class throughout their four years of high school. Each associate principal will handle discipline for the students in their grade. The class of 2029 will be the first graduating class to have an associate principal that transitions through their four years of high school.

“I think that the deans work really hard and I appreciate the work that they’re doing, but discipline can’t be siloed. It can’t just be in one area,” Moore said.

Niles West deans declined to comment on the restructuring plan.

The restructuring plan also eliminates the district-level Chief Equity Officer position. Equity initiatives will now be handled at the building level.

“I appreciate that your restructuring plan focuses on enhancing leadership development…As a board member, I want to stress that I hope as you [Moore] roll out this plan, you develop some metrics that will be measuring the performance along the way…I’m really excited…I think you’re on the right track,” board member Joseph Nowik said.

According to Moore, the 2025-2026 leadership team will be in place by April 1.