Maine West High School in Des Plaines will start a new school year in August without its principal.
Maine Township High School District 207 announced Friday that Audrey Haugan will be retiring as the school’s principal this summer. Haugan’s decision was formalized that day during a special meeting of the board of education, the district said.
“After 33 years in education, I have made the difficult, but exciting, decision to retire this summer,” Haugan said in a statement released by the district.
“It’s been a pleasure to have served in such a progressive district, where the focus has been on students and their needs,” she added. “I have served proudly as a teacher and administrator, and have absolutely loved my time at Maine West.”
Haugan was Maine West’s principal for 13 years. She has been with District 207 for 29 years, previously chairing Maine West’s English Department and working as assistant principal for instruction, the district said.
Haugan was at the helm of Maine West when allegations of hazing and physical assault were made by players on the boys soccer and baseball teams in late 2012. Authorities charged six students in juvenile court with misdemeanor assault and two coaches were fired. A lawsuit filed by five former students against District 207 was settled in 2016, with the district agreeing to pay $1 million.
In a statement, District 207 applauded Haugan for accomplishments during her tenure, including playing an “instrumental role in such key initiatives as Professional Learning Teams, in which teachers utilize real-time data to chart more effective instructional strategies, and cutting-edge Response to Intervention, another data-driven program, which identifies and delivers effective support to students who are struggling in any particular course.”
The district did not say if or when an interim principal will be named.
“We have a great team of teachers, staff, students and parents at West who will help us get the new year off to a great start and also help in the important work of finding a new principal,” District 207 Superintendent Ken Wallace said in a statement.
