Christopher Covino will be the new assistant superintendent of academics for Hinsdale High School District 86 as of July 1.
District 86 board members approved his appointment at their May 14 meeting.
"First, I want to wish Dr. Carol Baker the best in her future endeavors," Superintendent Tammy Prentiss said. "Second, I want congratulate Chris on his appointment as the district's new assistant superintendent of academics. His knowledge and skills, as well as his experience and leadership in the areas of curriculum development and alignment, will be critical in advancing our strategic plan and building on our strong and storied tradition of excellence."
Prior to joining District 86, Covino served in a variety of roles during his 20-plus years as an educator. He spent the past four years serving as the principal of Argo Community High School. He also was the assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at York Community High School for five years, the division chair for English at West Chicago High School for five years and an English teacher at Neuqua Valley High School for eight years.
Covino has guided a number of important curriculum initiatives during his career, including aligning instruction to meet Illinois' learning standards, increasing student equity and helping all students benefit from dual-credit and advance placement opportunities.
Covino earned his bachelor's degree in English education and master's degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also holds a master's degree in educational leadership from Benedictine University and a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Aurora University.
"I want to thank the board of education and Superintendent Prentiss for this incredible opportunity," Covino said. "I consider it a true honor and privilege to be joining District 86. I am also looking forward to working with the members of this remarkable community to support the success of the district's strategic plan and help every student learn, grow and achieve."
Prentiss expressed her appreciation for the students, staff, parents/guardians and community members who assisted with the search process. More than 50 representatives from these stakeholder groups provided feedback on the strengths of the district's academics department, as well as the opportunities that exist for improvement. They shared their thoughts about the attributes they believed the next assistant superintendent of academics should possess. They also had the chance to observe candidate interviews, and provided valuable input that helped the district identify the finalists for the position. Covino received a one-year contract with a base salary of $180,000.
