Paulsen, Kesman to Return as Hinsdale Central Interim Principals

District 86 has confirmed the two new interim co-principals who will preside over the 2013-2014 school year while a replacement is sought for outgoing principal Michael McGrory, and it's the same two who presided over an identical situation three years ago.

Tom Paulsen and Frank Kesman were confirmed for the positions by a unanimous District 86 Board of Education earlier this week. Both served as interim co-principals of Hinsdale Central during the 2009-2010 school year. 

“We believe the join appointment of Mr. Kesman and Mr. Paulsen as Interim Principals for Hinsdale Central High School allows the building to maintain its current level of academic excellence and student opportunities as we conduct a national search for a permanent principal for the 2014-2015 school year and beyond," Superintendent Nick Wahl said. 

“We will commence the principal search in the fall of 2013 and will engage parents, students and faculty and staff as we did three years ago.”

Paulsen is a former 13-year principal of Naperville Central High School, and later Associate Superintendent for Operations for Naperville Community Unit School District 203 before his retirement in 2007. He has continued to work with several organizations including North Central College, DuPage County Regional Office of Education Mentoring and Indian Prairie District 204. 

Kesman was the 23-year assistant principal of Naperville North High School and then inaugural principal of St. Charles North High School for six years, until retiring in 2005. Since retiring, he also has worked with D204, as well as with Aurora University.

The outgoing McGrory, who has been Hinsdale Central's principal for the last three years, has accepted the position of principal at Muscatine High School in Iowa, McGrory's home state, and his last day of work in Hinsdale will be June 30.