Incoming Taft District 90 leader meets with community

LOCKPORT – The incoming superintendent and building principal for Taft School District 90 met Tuesday with residents, students and alumni.

Pamela Kibbons, who will lead Taft starting in July, decided to have a meet-and-greet event to introduce herself to the community.

Kibbons comes from Country Club Hills District 160, where she works as director of human resources, public relations and grant writing.

“I’m thrilled to be a Viking,” Kibbons said, referring to Taft’s mascot.

Kibbons officially starts July 1, but she said it’s important to have an opportunity to meet with families and children beforehand and celebrate the end of the school year, which she plans to do in the coming weeks.

Like District 160, Taft is a kindergarten through eighth grade district. It's a one-school district with 344 students and is one of four kindergarten through eighth grade districts in Lockport.

“K-8 is certainly a strength for me as a leader in terms of my knowledge of children as well as my knowledge of building finances and administrative structure,” she said.

She said she wanted to work for Taft because she appreciates the small family atmosphere and commitment to children. She said it’s a great place where she can get to know families and children and work with them.

As Kibbons prepares to lead Taft, DJ Skogsberg will leave June 30 to head Orland School District 135 as its superintendent. He started as superintendent for Taft in 2012.

Skogsberg worked for District 135 before in an administrative position, and district officials asked him to come back and take the lead, he said.

Taft went to referendum this year to increase taxes in an effort to offset declines in overall assessed property values, but it was defeated.

Skogsberg said the district still faces the financial issues that gave rise to the need for the referendum. He said his recommendation to the board when they have a new superintendent was to look at another referendum this fall.

“To me it’s been really rewarding,” Skogsberg said about his tenure at Taft. “I’d like to think that I left Taft in a better shape than when I found it, just like my predecessor had done and I trust Dr. Kibbons will do.”

He said Taft has an amazing community of students, parents and staff, and that is what makes the district so great.