Richland County CUSD 1 board approves hiring of Jennifer Fox as elementary principal

The Richland County Community School District 1 Board of Education voted to hire Jennifer Fox as the district's elementary school principal for the 2025'26 school year.

The board approved the hire after the board president described the search and interview process, summarized Fox's experience and noted the district's staffing and budget considerations. The board also held an executive session earlier in the meeting to consider personnel matters and later approved personnel actions as presented.

The board president said the district is currently serving 2,230 students and that 920 students, or about 41% of the district's enrollment, attend Richland County Elementary School, a building staffed by more than 130 certified and support employees. The president told the board that the current principal, Chris Hendricks, is retiring at the end of this year and assistant principal Margaret Hahn plans to retire at the end of next year, a combined loss the president described as about 67 years of experience leaving the building.

The president described the hiring process: the board directed administration to work with Dr. Nick Osborne at Eastern Illinois University to develop interview questions and a scoring rubric; the board reviewed applications, interviewed six applicants over two nights and selected Fox. The president said Jennifer Fox has about 27 years of experience in elementary education, including about 12 years as a building principal and currently oversees three buildings in her present district. The president said the board's negotiated contract for Fox holds the salary for the term below the current cost for the position.

A board member moved to hire Fox and the motion was seconded by Board member Wilson. During the roll call vote the board recorded six yes votes and one no vote; the dissenting board member said, without attribution in the transcript, that while Fox would do a good job they opposed the hire because they did not think the building needed three administrators. The hire motion was approved.

Earlier in the meeting two students, Rex Hall and RJ Keller, addressed the board in a recognition segment to speak in support of the basketball coach. Hall identified himself as a senior and team captain and said Coach Flanagan "has been there through me through tough times." Keller, also a senior and captain, said he and Hall wanted the coach to continue and noted the coach was four wins away from 600 career wins.

The board chair said no additional board action would be taken on the final agenda item and the meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.