Joliet School District 86 hires new assistant superintendent for business

Joliet — The Joliet Public Schools District 86 Board of School Inspectors voted to appoint Dr. Matthew Wilkinson as the district’s new assistant superintendent for business and financial services.

The appointment comes two months after two months after Dr. Tamara Mitchell unexpectedly announced her resignation from the position to take a role in Evanston/Skokie District 65. Wilkinson is contracted to start at District 86 officially on Sept. 30.

Wilkinson comes to District 86 from Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 where he has served as the chief school business official since 2019.

Previously, he was the assistant superintendent of business operations and human relations in Harvey Public School District 152, and superintendent and chief school business official in Streator Elementary School District 44.

Additionally, Wilkinson has worked at the University of St. Francis as an adjunct instructor, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and Indiana Department of Health.

Wilkinson holds a bachelor of arts degree in industrial organizational psychology from DePaul University, a masters of business administration from the University of Indianapolis, an educational specialist in educational administration degree from Northern Illinois University, and a doctorate of education in educational leadership from the University of St. Francis.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Wilkinson join District 86,” said District 86 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse. “With his extensive leadership experience, we are confident he is the perfect candidate to lead our business, facilities, nutrition services, and transportation departments, and oversee the building of our new Gompers and Hufford junior high schools.”

District 86′s Director of Communications and Development Sandy Zelewski noted that the two simultaneous school construction projects are currently being staged. Both sites have been surrounded by construction fencing and the projects are scheduled to break ground on Sept. 12.