Simeck Has Dealt With District Employee Convicted of Crime Before

Four years ago, a Berkley (Mich.) High School secretary was sentenced to two years’ probation after pleading guilty to embezzling more than $27,000 from the student activities fund.

Eleanor Holmes, 62, had worked for Berkley School District for 29 years, and her job duties included collecting deposits from high school activities. When school auditors detected problems with the bookkeeping, they contacted police.

 had been on the job as superintendent of Berkley School District for less than a year when Holmes was sentenced.

When he takes over as superintendent for and on July 1, he will face the aftermath of the firing of Deer Path Middle School Principal John Steinert over a conviction of sexting a college intern and the subsequent findings from an internal investigation to be presented at tonight’s .

While Simeck could not comment on the specifics of the Steinert case, he characterized it as a “unique situation” and the case of Holmes as “very different from that.”

“That was a case (Wilson) of here are the facts, working with authorities and moving on,” Simeck said. “So it is similar to (Steinert) in some respects, but when you talk about a building leader, it takes on a different magnitude.”

Assistant Superintendent Andy Hendrickson is acting as principal of until a successor is hired. Simeck believes it is critical to re-establish leadership in the building.

“You need strong and consistent leadership to have good things happen for students,” he said

Simeck’s Contract

Simeck, 51, officially was hired at the Feb. 13 District 115 school board meeting and will replace Harry Griffith, who is retiring.

His contract will pay a base salary of $220,000 and an additional $30,000 for overseeing two districts.

Simeck will receive up to $15,000 for moving expenses, a $750,000 life insurance policy and a $500 monthly auto reimbursement, according to the district. The district will make a $20,000 contribution to the retirement fund in lieu of the district providing health insurance.

He receives 22 days of vacation, and has the option to sell back 10 vacation days only during the first year of his contract.

That’s not the only contract Simeck will have to negotiate. Upon his arrival, he will be immediately immersed in teacher contract negotiations with . Last fall, Lake Forest High School teachers settled for a one-year contract after negotiations hit a stalemate and the union took a strike vote.

“I was the chief negotiator at a smaller school district I worked in, and I have a fair amount of experience with negotiations,” Simeck said.

Match with Lake Forest

Simeck will bring his wife, Mari, and three children — Gabrielle, a sophomore; Max, an eighth-grader; and Lilia, a fourth grader — to Lake Forest in early April, when a community meet-and-greet likely will be scheduled. Simeck said Chicago was often a destination point for family vacations, and that was an added perk to landing the position.

“Chicago was the place we went to for enrichment,” he said.

The biggest draw for Simeck was the similarities he saw between his position in Berkley and the one he will assume in Lake Forest.

“The district’s reputation precedes itself. They place tremendous value on teamwork and collaborative management style, and they have great trust in the community,” he said.

Simeck said he was informed about the opening through a recruiter he knew and was impressed by the detailed interview process.

“It was very organized, very careful,” he said. “The board is very, very professional and they did a lot of due diligence. I think they spoke with everyone under the sun with my present job.”

Midwestern Values

Born and raised in Michigan, Simeck described himself as a person with Midwestern values. “I’m down to earth, very practical and appreciate a good joke,” he said. “I have a strong belief to have things work and work well, and involve people in a meaningful process.”

Simeck comes from a district of nearly 4,800 students from three communities — Berkley, Oak Park and Huntington Woods — and includes one high school, one middle school, four elementary schools, an international academy and a technical school. and combined instruct more than 3,700 students in one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools.

During his tenure at Berkley, Simeck introduced a periodic coffee chat with parents.

“It met a real need here,” Simeck said. “Whether or not it will be a priority in Lake Forest, I’ll determine as I work through my entry plan.”

Once school starts, Simeck plans to be visible in school buildings.

“I place a high premium in being in the buildings and classrooms, leaning about the programs and people of the district,” he said.

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