Supt. Stein No Longer Interim at Mokena School District 159

Steve Stein had the interim part of his title erased Thursday night when board members voted unanimously to make him the permanent school superintendent.

Stein was appointed interim superintendent in August, just days before the school year started, after former Supt. Karen Perry was reassigned by the board. Perry had submitted a letter to the board in July saying she would not be returning to the district for the 2012-2013 school year. Her contract with the district runs through June 30, 2012.

Stein moved up from his post as principal at , where he started in 2001. He was replaced by Chris Clavenna, who moved over from the assistant principal’s job at .

In August, Stein told Mokena Patch, “I know the teaching staff and many of the constituents in the community, from people who have children in school to those who don’t, so … my comfort level in terms of getting myself settling in is pretty good.”

Thursday night, Stein thanked the board. “I appreciate the support I’ve received,” he said.

The district may not need all of its principals next fall if it votes to close Mokena Intermediate School, which has been discussed as one way to reduce the district’s deficit. The deficit, once in the millions, .

Thursday night, board member Mike Ford said a vote on closing the school could come as soon as February or March.

As for ongoing contract negotiations between the board and the Mokena Teachers Association, little was said.

Board members were mum on the subject while MTA spokesman Craig Martinus said only, “I’d like to thank the board for its spirit of cooperation,” during the public comment period of the meeting.

Afterward, he said, “I think (the board and union) are both feeling optimistic that we can move forward.”

One parent also addressed the board. Anas Hamwi urged the board and union to move forward and settle on a new contract.

“I moved here from Boston in 2005 because of the schools,” said Hamwi, whose daughter is a student in the district.

In other action, the board approved its 2011 tax levy at $12.7 million.

Corrections: Chris Clavenna was an assistant principal at Mokena Junior High School, not Mokena Intermediate School as originally reported. Clavenna's new post was originally misidentified in an August Mokena Patch article as "interim." The amount of the district's deficit was originally reported as in the millions rather than reflecting the more current $200,000 figure.