PILSEN — A star Chicago Public Schools principal who was lauded by top school officials and Mayor Rahm Emanuel has resigned, joining the more than 50 CPS principals who have resigned or retired in 2016.
Perez Elementary Principal Vicky Kleros is stepping down from the Pilsen magnet school after seven years in charge, Perez teachers and another CPS principal confirmed Thursday. The principal notified the Perez Local School Council this week, a teacher said.
Kleros, who served as vice principal at Perez before being named to the principal post, is leaving the fine and performing arts magnet school to take a position at another school district. The K-8 school has a Level 1 CPS rating.
Kleros declined to comment Thursday. CPS officials could not be reached for comment.
The Perez principal joins principals at Saucedo Elementary in Little Village, Norwood Park Elementary, Lake View High School and Lane Tech College Prep who also resigned from CPS, prompting fear among parents of a mass exodus of city principals to the suburbs.
Over the years, Kleros appeared many times with top CPS officials and Mayor Rahm Emanuel to announce new CPS initiatives and successes at the school.
In 2013, Kleros was one of six principals who received $20,000 in bonus pay, CPS' top achievement award. The bonus pay program aims to reward and retain high-achieving principals who produce exceptional student outcomes.
“We’re all a family here, and everyone has played a huge role in the progress we’ve made,” she said at the time. “We all have the same vision for our students, which is part of what has made them so successful.”
In 2015, Kleros was one of 28 CPS principals chosen to participate in the Independent Schools Principal program, which allows experienced, high-performing principals to run their schools with less oversight from CPS' central office.
In 2013, the Perez LSC renewed Kleros' contract through April 2018, according to CPS documents.
In a statement, CPS said earlier this month that 33 principals have resigned and 21 retired this year.
Officials have warned principals to expect budget cuts of about 26 percent as city leaders continue to push state lawmakers to change the way schools are funded and close CPS' $1 billion budget deficit.
Top Chicago Public Schools officials have blamed unequal state education funding for its threatened exodus of principals and teachers.
"Our principals and teachers are leaving for jobs where their district doesn't have to take hundreds of millions of dollars out of the classroom to fund their pensions — and this is one of the reasons we are fighting so hard for equitable funding," CPS Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson said this month.
Perez Elementary, located at 1241 W. 19th St., is named for World War II hero and Congressional Medal of Honor winner Manuel Perez Jr.
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