ROSCOE VILLAGE — Lane Tech College Prep's Local School Council has narrowed its principal search to two candidates, who will meet the community at a public forum set for August.
The finalists are Edwina Thompson, a Lane Tech assistant principal, and Taft High School Assistant Principal Brian Tennison.
Thompson joined Lane's staff in 2006 as an English teacher, developing the school's first African-American literature class, coaching the debate team and sponsoring Lane's gospel choir and Black Student Association. She was named an assistant principal in 2010.
Tennison taught social studies at Whitney Young Magnet High School for 16 years before being named that high school's dean of students in 2010. He was named to Taft's administrative team in 2014 after serving as an Assistant Principal at Von Steuben High School and an instructional support leader within CPS central office.
Both candidates are National Board-certified teachers.
The community forum is set for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at a location still to be determined (Lane Tech has been closed over the summer due to ongoing construction). The candidates each will meet separately with Lane Tech faculty and staff in one 45-minute session, and parents, students and community members in a second session.
Attendees will have an opportunity to submit questions for the candidates. Those who are unable to attend the forum can email their questions and input on the candidates to the local school council at lanetechlsc@gmail.com.
This is the second straight year that Lane Tech is facing a vacancy in its top administrative post.
Former Principal Christopher Dignam — a Lane Tech alum, teacher and assistant principal — decamped for Deerfield at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.
After the LSC failed to reach consensus on Dignam's successor, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool appointed Lane Tech assistant principal Kathryn Anderson to the job in fall 2015. Anderson announced in June that she was following Dignam to Deerfield.
Lane Tech, 2501 W. Addison St., is the largest school within CPS with an enrollment of more than 4,000 students.
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