Sandburg Middle School students will start the 2026-27 school year under a principal whose name their parents don't yet know.
The D205 Board of Education is scheduled to vote Tuesday, July 14, on an interim principal and a second "interim administrator" for Sandburg at a special meeting at 4:30 p.m. at the district's central office, 162 S. York St. The district has not disclosed who the appointees are, and it has not identified what the second interim position covers.
Sandburg becomes the second major D205 school heading into fall without a permanent leader. York High School has been operating under interim co-principals Dr. Linda Yonke and Stephan Bild since the board approved them in a unanimous 6-0 vote on Wednesday, May 6.
Why Sandburg needs interim leadership
Joshua Louis, Sandburg's principal for three years, informed the district in May that he was leaving for a position in another district. His last day was June 30, 2026. Brandi Greene is set to become Sandburg's new assistant principal on August 3, replacing Jeff Gail, according to Patch.
The district has not said publicly why it chose interim leadership over a permanent hire for Sandburg, or whether it plans to follow the same timeline it set for York. At the May 6 meeting approving York's interims, Superintendent Keisha Campbell said the administration wanted time for "a full search for a permanent principal who will officially start on Thursday, July 1, 2027." That rationale was stated for York. The district has not confirmed whether the same timeline applies to Sandburg.
District withholds names until after vote
D205's practice is to keep the identities of upper-level appointees secret until after the board votes, then issue a pre-prepared news release within minutes. Lower-ranking employees' names appear in regular personnel reports before the vote. Patch reported that other area districts release hire names before their boards vote.
The district posted its public notice of Tuesday's special meeting at 4:27 p.m. Sunday, July 12. Illinois law requires 48 hours' notice. The announcement cleared the legal deadline by three minutes.
What's next
Board member Brian Bresnahan raised concerns during the York interim vote that freshmen and sophomores at York would experience three leadership teams in four years. Sandburg families face a similar pattern: interim leadership in 2026-27, then potentially a new permanent principal the following year.
Students return to D205 classrooms on Thursday, August 13. The Elmhurst Beacon will report the names of Sandburg's interim leaders after the board votes Tuesday.
