MORGAN PARK — The Local School Council voted on Monday evening to offer Sean McNichols a contract to become principal at Clissold Elementary School in Morgan Park.
McNichols, a Mount Greenwood resident, accepted the offer and said he was eager to acclimate himself to the new environment and culture at the school at 2350 W. 110th Place.
"I am unbelievably excited right now," McNichols said Monday night.
McNichols is a former baseball player at the University of Illinois Chicago. He and his wife have four boys two of whom attend Mount Greenwood Elementary School. Their 4-year-old twins have not yet entered school.
He previously served as assistant principal at John C. Dore Elementary School in Clearing where he secured $7.2 million in funding to help alleviate overcrowding.
McNichols addressed parents, teachers and community members on Thursday evening in the Clissold auditorium. He introduced himself as well as offered some thoughts on the school along with Kate Valente, of Morgan Park.
The two 19th Ward residents were both vying for the job of principal. Valente is a Clissold graduate who sends her three children to her alma mater. She is serving as assistant principal at George Washington High School in the East Side neighborhood.
"They truly were both great candidates," said Sarah Gilligan, president of the Clissold LSC.
"We felt as an LSC that [McNichols] was the best fit, and we were lucky to find such a phenomenal fit," said Gilligan, a Morgan Park resident.
McNichols said he looks forward to continuing to work with Valente as a Clissold parent. He also offered up his thanks to the other parents in the audience on Thursday, saying he's eager to continue to hear their thoughts and concerns as the first day of school approaches on Sept. 8.
The search for a new principal at Clissold began almost immediately after Connie Grason stepped down at the end of the year. The unexpected move sent the council into action, initially netting 16 applicants.
Six of these candidates were interviewed, and McNichols and Valente were chosen as the top contenders, Gilligan said.
Fannieleah Brown, of Morgan Park, sends her two children — Nicholas, 12, and Livia, 9 — to Clissold. She was at the local school council meetings on Thursday and Monday and thanked the volunteer board for their effort.
"Thank you for working 24 hours and staying up late to find us a principal," Brown said during the public meeting.
McNichols said he was approached by two or three other Chicago Public Schools with principal openings, but he only applied for the job at Clissold.
During the meeting on Thursday, McNichols gushed about the Montessori program at the Southwest Side school. He also spoke about his philosophy as a disciplinarian, addressed the flight of students from the neighborhood school after fifth grade and was enlightened by questions from the crowd about accessibility for students with physical disabilities.
He asked parents to continue to bring questions and concerns his way and encouraged students to read at least 20 minutes each day headed into the first day of class.
"I am really, really glad it worked out the way it has," he said.
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