Hinsdale District 86 school board name co-interim superintendents for the 2023-24 school year

George Wiebe, Chicago Tribune
·2 min read

The Hinsdale District 86 Board of Education named Dr. Linda Yonke and Dr. Raymond Lechner as co-interim superintendents for the 2023-24 school year replacing the newly hired Assistant Superintendent Jason Markey.

Between them, Yonke and Lechner have more than 45 years of experience as school administrators; Yonke served 11 years as New Trier Township High School District 203 superintendent and two years as the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She also worked as principal of York Community High School, Lake Central High School and Kankakee High School.

Lechner worked at Wilmette Public Schools District 39 for 12 years as superintendent and eight as assistant superintendent for special education and student services.

After retiring, Yonke and Lechner both have served as interim superintendent of multiple school districts; Yonke filled in at Township High School District 113 and Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205, while Lechner filled the role four times at Marquardt School District 15, Bensenville School District 2, DeKalb Community Unit School District 428 and Center Cass School District 66.

“By capitalizing on our extensive administrative experience, we hope to provide steady leadership, promote stability, and help create conditions that will enable the district’s next permanent superintendent to be successful when they take over next year,” Yonke and Lechner said in a joint statement.

The school district is actively looking for a permanent superintendent to take the reins beginning July 1, 2024.

“We are excited to have them here in our district, and look forward to working with them to ensure that the year ahead and transition to our next permanent superintendent are successful,” Board President Catherine Greenspon said in a statement.

According to the district, Yonke and Lechner will work on a part-time basis, each serving 120 days from July 24, 2023-June 30, 2024, receiving $1300 per day, or $312,000 for the year.