One west-central Illinois school district is in the midst of a change in leadership just as students are set to return next week.
Warsaw Superintendent Matt Runge is stepping down after roughly two years to take the same job with the Pleasant Plains School District in central Illinois.
He said this is an opportunity he could not ignore.
“It was a position that interested me because of the location, the size of the district and the activities going on in the district right now," Runge said.
The Pleasant Plains School District is about 3x as large as Warsaw.
Runge said he is proud of his time leading his hometown district, in particular, pointing to the growth in technology and dual credit courses.
The Warsaw School Board is expected to accept Runge’s resignation on Wednesday, August 20.
The board has identified its next superintendent. It is expected to promote HS Principal Bob Gound to the post during the same meeting, instead of conducting a search.
Gound was in the running for the superintendent post when Runge was hired in 2012.
The administrative shuffle will also see Elementary School Principal Brad Froman maintain his current post and take over the High School Principal duties. That will eliminate one administrative post to start the new year.
Runge said he will be available to help with the transition through the end of August.
