Hinsdale D86 Teachers ’Feeling Pain’: New Leader

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 has seen its share of problems in recent months – an exodus of officials, the teachers union’s criticism of the school board and controversies involving basketball programs at Central and South.

In a speech to the school board last week, incoming Superintendent Michael Lach avoided addressing the specifics of those issues. But he did note unease in the school community.

Over the last few weeks, Lach has been holding meetings with students, parents, residents and employees.

“I’m not going to lie,” said Lach, who officially starts July 1. “I’ve heard people say they’re hurting. I’ve heard people say we need productive dialogue.”

He said people have told him about finger-pointing, intimidation and worries about retaliation.

“(I’m) not just talking about parents, I’m talking about teachers telling me they worry about that, too,” Lach said. “I’ve heard teachers say, ’Look, we’re really just crying for help, we’re working really hard, we don’t quite know what it’s about, we’re feeling pain.’”

At the same time, Lach said he saw much passion in the schools. He said one teacher said, “This is the Disneyland of teaching. This is my forever home.” Another said, “If I was building a school from scratch, I would build Hinsdale South.”

For one meeting, Lach said, a department chair was late. Embarrassed by her tardiness, she explained to him that she was talking to a teacher who was in tears.

It turned out a couple of the teacher’s students got in trouble for bullying, Lach said.

“This teacher was all broken up because she didn’t see it coming in her class,” he said. “She was thinking about all the things she did and all the things she missed that could have prevented that.”

He called the teacher “wonderfully reflective,” which he said speaks well of the district.

The audience applauded. The school board did not comment, other than board President Catherine Greenspan saying she was looking forward to Lach's arrival.

Lach, a former Obama administration education official, is now the assistant superintendent of curriculum for Highland Park-based Township District 113.

Last June, the board ousted then-Superintendent Tammy Prentiss. The district has had five interim superintendents since then.