D181 Hires Replacements for Two Departing Administrators

The District 181 Board of Education unanimously approved the replacement of two administrators who are leaving the district at school year's end after an executive session during Monday night's business meeting. 

According to a district release sent out Tuesday, Doug Eccarius will become executive director of human resources on July 1, when Mary Ticknor leaves the district to become a superintendent at Lemont High School District 210.

Eccarius has been the principal at for the last seven years. Before that, Eccarius was an assistant principal at for two years. He has also served in several district-wide leadership positions, including summer school administrator.

Eccarius is completing his doctoral work in educational administration, the district release reads. He has a master’s degree in education, leadership and administration.

“Serving The Lane School for the last seven years has been a remarkable opportunity for me, and I feel that I have approached each day with a goal to create an environment where all students can find success academically, socially, and emotionally,” Mr. Eccarius said in the release. “As a central office administrator, I hope to make an impact on the entire district. Schools are facing a time of significant change, and school districts need strong leaders to effectively guide this change. In addition to the state and federal changes, the District 181 central office administration is losing four administrators. I feel that I can provide the district with the leadership necessary to guide change, build relationships, provide stability, implement effective hiring practices, create successful mentoring procedures, and build teacher capacity.”

Bridget McGuiggan, meanwhile, will become the new director of communications on July 1, replacing Rita DuChateau, who is retiring.

McGuiggan has served as the community relations coordinator at Orland School District 135 for the past six years and was previously the coordinator of marketing and public relations at Queen of Peace High School in Burbank for two years, according to the district release.

McGuiggan's bachelor’s degree is in mass communications and marketing. Additionally, she has earned Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America. McGuiggan has published several articles in the Illinois Association of School Boards Journal, presented at state and national seminars on the topic of school communications, and is the president of the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association.

"It is an honor to be selected as the next cirector of communications for Community Consolidated School District 181,” McGuiggan said in the release. “I am excited and eager to work with the students, staff, parents, Board of Education and the entire community. It is my goal to continue the level of excellence that has been the standard in District 181 and to infuse my experience into the future of the District's communications."