Dist. 159 Shakeup: New Superintendent, New Principal, 11 Days Until School Starts

You think the students are the only ones worried about being prepared for the school year?

The recent shakeup at Mokena School District 159 moved an elementary school principal to the superintendent's job and made a junior high assistant principal the new principal. This happened the evening of Aug. 11. School starts Aug. 22.

Former Assistant Principal Chris Clavenna said the biggest help in settling into her new job as principal will be having the former principal, Steve Stein, just an office away.

Stein was named interim superintendent Thursday night. The district offices are in the elementary school building.

It's been a quick turnaround. Clavella said she has met with Assistant Principal Judy Splayt "a couple of times in the last couple days" to get her bearings.

Before spending the last year as an assistant principal at the junior high, Clavella spent the previous 10 years as a fifth-grade teacher at .

For Stein, this will mean a move to more global affairs. He said his first priorities would include rebuilding relationships with the village and the larger Mokena community.

Another priority will be seeing how the district can return programs and staff that had been cut. A $2.7 million deficit led the district under Perry to cut staff and extracurriculars while pursuing three failed referenda.

"All of us have a new financial reality to deal with in these economic times," he said. "I don't think we can say for sure what extracurriculars will be coming back."

Read "Dist. 159 Shake-Up: Perry Out as Mokena Superintendent, Stein In" for more on the transition.