Two District 21 administrators on leave to receive severance; third reassigned
Two Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 officials already on administrative leave will receive severance payments after being asked to leave their positions permanently.
A third district official, also placed on leave March 21, is being reassigned to a teaching position next school year.
The school board Thursday invoked the severance clauses in the employment contracts of Micheal DeBartolo, the assistant superintendent of finance and operations, and Kim Cline, the assistant superintendent of support services.
Under those multiyear agreements, the employees are entitled to a full year’s salary.
For DeBartolo, that means a $212,891 payout. Cline’s severance is $173,948.
District officials still haven’t said why the administrators are being let go, but denied the job actions were related to criminal or financial misconduct.
The administrator contracts allow the board to terminate employment “for any or no reason.”
The vote to award severance came at a special school board meeting Thursday night. Board members didn’t discuss the matter, only took a 6-0 roll call vote.
The board also honorably dismissed Student Services Coordinator Melissa Mariconda from employment as an administrator and reassigned her to a full-time teaching position for the 2025-26 school year. Mariconda, a former assistant principal at Riley Elementary School, has been in the administrative position for less than a year.
“While we do not comment on personnel matters, we hope it is understandable that all organizations change from time to time and that our focus remains on providing our students and their families the best possible educational experience,” according to a district statement. “These changes will not impact student programming or curriculum.”
“The board and district would like to wish Micheal and Kim the best in their future endeavors and Ms. Mariconda success in her new position,” the statement read.
Meagan Baumgartner, a district parent, told board members she understands the need for privacy in personnel matters, but is concerned by the lack of transparency and communication since the administrators were placed on leave.
“The district has claimed that no administrators were removed by police, there are absolutely no allegations of financial misconduct, and no internal investigation underway. At the same time, the message to families has been: please don’t engage in gossip,” Baumgartner said. “Parents deserve honesty, not scolding, when we express concern.”
Both DeBartolo and Cline joined Superintendent Michael Connolly’s cabinet in the summer of 2019. DeBartolo held the same position at neighboring Prospect Heights Elementary District 23 the four years prior, and was a practicing school law attorney for 16 years before that.
Cline was director of student services and exceptional populations for five years in Hanover Park-based Keeneyville Elementary District 20, where Connolly was superintendent between 2011 and 2018. Cline was hired for a new position in District 21 — then titled assistant superintendent for support services and school safety — which Connolly asked the school board to create to strengthen student support systems.
Since the three staff members were put on leave last month, the responsibilities of their positions have been absorbed by other staff members, said district spokeswoman Cass Young.
The administration currently is reviewing the district’s organization chart and will present recommendations for next steps at the April 24 board meeting, Young said.