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Kankakee County board accepts resignation of regional superintendent; Patricia Hai sworn in
Summary
The county board accepted the resignation of Regional Superintendent Frank Pekunas effective Feb. 28, 2025, and appointed Patricia Hai as regional superintendent for Iroquois and Kankakee counties; Hai was sworn in at the Feb. 11 meeting.
The Kankakee County Board on Feb. 11 accepted the resignation of Frank Pekunas as regional superintendent of schools for Iroquois and Kankakee counties, effective Feb. 28, 2025, and approved the appointment of Patricia Hai to the post.
Pekunas’ letter to the board said he has served as regional superintendent since 2022 and recommended Patricia Hai, who has been assistant regional superintendent for the region since August 2022. The resignation letter cited the appointment process requirements under 105 ILCS 5/3A-6 and asked county boards to proceed with the scheduled appointment process.
The board approved Pekunas’ resignation by voice vote after a motion by Denise Turner and a second by Ken Smith. The board then approved a resolution appointing Patricia Hai; the motion to appoint was made by Tinker Parker and seconded by Carol Weber and carried by voice vote. Patricia Hai immediately took the oath of office at the meeting and spoke briefly, thanking the board and saying she looked forward to supporting schools in both counties.
Why it matters: The regional superintendent oversees the Regional Office of Education for the two-county region and works with local districts and county boards on educational administration. The appointment replaces Pekunas and installs an internal successor the outgoing superintendent recommended.
Board action details: The transcript records the resignation letter, the motions to accept the resignation and to appoint Hai, and Hai’s swearing-in ceremony. The appointment resolution was read into the record and approved without recorded roll-call opposition.
Ending: Patricia Hai will assume the responsibilities of regional superintendent following the effective date of the resignation as outlined in the resignation letter. The transcript does not record further administrative details such as transition plan dates beyond the effective resignation date provided by Pekunas.
