Cairo hires temporary school chief

CAIRO, Ill. -- The Cairo School District has a new superintendent, but for now it's on an interim basis.

The school board hired Bill Rogers as interim superintendent at a special board meeting Saturday, school officials said Tuesday.

Rogers began his new job Monday, having just retired last week as superintendent of the Giant City, Ill., School District.

Rogers will serve as interim superintendent for the next four months while the school board continues to search for a permanent replacement to Gary Whitledge, who resigned at the end of June.

Rogers, 56, said he's familiar with the Cairo school system. He worked in the Cairo school system for 26 years, 17 as a junior high and high school English teacher and nine years as an elementary school principal. For the past five years, he headed the Giant City school system, a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade district.

Rogers said he's happy to be back working in the Cairo School District. "I care a lot about this district and felt as though I might be able to lend a hand," he said of his decision to accept the job as interim superintendent.

School board member Brenda Gooden said Rogers can apply for the permanent position if he wishes.

"That is a possibility," Rogers said.

Gooden said she hopes the next superintendent will decide to live in the Cairo community. Whitledge commuted from his home in Southeast Missouri during his tenure as superintendent.

For now, Rogers plans to commute from his home in Carbondale, Ill. "I am going to commute unless it becomes a full-time job," he said.

The school board has decided to advertise again for superintendent applicants.

The board spent the past few months searching for a replacement for Whitledge.

The Cairo Association of Teachers Web site reported in early June that Ronald Driemeier, superintendent of the Galatia, Ill., School District, would be hired to run the Cairo school system.

But no agreement was reached with Driemeier. Board members on Saturday rescinded the employment offer that had been made to Driemeier, the Cairo Association of Teachers reported. The board then met in closed session with Rogers before officially hiring him in open session.

Gooden said she hopes the board can find someone who will serve as superintendent for more than a couple of years. Whitledge served as superintendent for two years.

Gooden said the district should be able to attract a qualified candidate. The district was burdened with financial problems in the past. But in recent years, the situation has improved, she said.

"We are in pretty good shape with the money," Gooden said.

Whitledge announced in March that he would resign at the end of June. He said he resigned because of a change in the board's administrative philosophy.

Gooden, a Whitledge supporter, said at the time that the superintendent didn't have the support of a majority of the school board when it came to running the district.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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