ASHBURN — Kathy Konopasek thinks of herself like a bulletproof vest that after 34 years with Chicago Public Schools has been peppered with holes.
The final shot came Feb. 9 when CPS announced a series of mid-year budget cuts. Anticipating the cuts, Konopasek announced her retirement from Adlai E. Stevenson Elementary School in Ashburn.
"They [CPS] are driving good principals out," she said. "Why would a good, decent citizen stay in all of this?"
Konopasek, affectionately known as 'Ms. K,' was principal of the school at 8010 S. Kostner Ave. for five years. She officially retired on Feb. 5 and achieved the top CPS academic ranking at the school of 1,313 students during her tenure.
"I purposefully left at the end of the semester," said Konopasek, 59, a resident of Beverly.
The budget cuts intended to save $120 million districtwide came as no surprise to Konopasek. While each school was affected differently, Stevenson was hit with cost reductions to the tune of $109,099 or 1.47 percent of the its overall budget.
Knowing the cuts were coming since roughly November, Konopasek began making plans for her retirement. Walking away would save the school money and thus spare students from at least some of the anticipated reductions.
She also knew her associate principal, Paul O'Toole, was a capable replacement. And as luck would have it, the Local School Council ended up offering him a four-year contract that started Feb. 7 — the Monday after Konopasek packed her things.
"She did everything she could do," said Rouhy Shalabi, who has served as Local School Council chairman at Stevenson for the last 24 years. He also serves as president of the council at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences in Mount Greenwood.
Shalabi said Stevenson parents didn't feel as though Konopasek walked out on them. Rather they were sad to hear about her retirement and commonly felt she was "a very dedicated person and a very hard worker," he said.
Denise Esposito, the principal of George F. Cassell Fine Arts School in Mount Greenwood, made a similar announcement on Feb. 16. She too retired in the face of the mid-year budget cuts and handed over the school to her assistant principal, Cory Overstreet.
For her part, Konopasek said she misses her former students. But in addition to the budget cuts, she felt disheartened after working under five different network chiefs since becoming Stevenson's principal.
She described these bosses as "bullies" and asked to be allowed to work autonomously based on her success at Stevenson, which has 86 percent of its students in poverty. Konopasek was turned down.
"I did not want to leave. I love the children," she said through tears. "A day without my eagles is like a day without sunshine."
"But I just can't take it anymore," Konopasek said.
Konopasek graduated from Amundsen High School in Lincoln Square where she was in the Future Teachers of America program. She went on to attend the University of Illinois, knowing she'd likely return to the city's schools.
"I moved to Chicago, and I always wanted to work in Chicago Public Schools," she said.
Konopasek settled in Mount Greenwood in 1981 and worked as a Catholic school teacher for six years before a job opened up in CPS. She then began working at Englewood High School in 1986 and bought a modest home that same year near the Metra tracks in Beverly.
After five years at the South Side high school, Konopasek bounced around CPS, working in a variety of teaching, administration and oversight positions. But she seemed most content when speaking about her position at Stevenson, which serves a predominantly Hispanic student population.
"I have a box full of cards and letters from the children," she said, reflecting upon her retirement.
She plans to return to the school as a substitute teacher as soon as possible. She promised to work for free and eagerly awaited joining students on field trips and other outings. Meanwhile, the former principal who often worked weekends said she's still adjusting to retirement.
"I am worn out and tired," she said.
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