The Kankakee School Board on Monday voted to table the hire of an interim athletic director to fill the shoes of District 111’s outgoing director Ronnie Wilcox.

Wilcox, who has been Kankakee’s athletic director for the past 11 years and a district employee for almost 20 years, has resigned to become co-athletic director at Lake Forest as of July 1.

An internal appointment for interim athletic director was slated for board approval Monday.

Donya Tetrault, a physical education teacher with the district for 11 years, was selected for the interim role pending board approval.

If approved, she would be earning a salary of $120,000 per year.

Tetrault is also a longtime coach with a master’s degree in sports administration and educational leadership from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and a bachelor’s degree in K-12 physical education and health from Millikin University, according to a 2023 district Facebook post.

Board member Suzy Berrones motioned to table the interim athletic director hire from the consent agenda. The motion was seconded by Jess Gathing and passed 6-0, with one board member absent.

Kelly Gilbert, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, who is heading the search for Wilcox’s replacement, said four people applied for the position.

One withdrew their application, and three were interviewed. All were internal candidates.

“I’ll take the advice of whatever [Superintendent Teresa Lance] identifies as our next steps based on her conversation with the board, and then we’ll go forward from there,” Gilbert said.

“We have to make sure we are doing things in the best interest of our students. If we have to pause on that [decision], we will.”

Reggie Bell, a Kankakee resident and coach, asked the board to carefully consider the decision of the district’s next athletic director during Monday’s public comment.

Bell said that while academics come first, he hopes the district can maintain its high level of athleticism, as Kankakee is well respected statewide for its athletic achievements.

“I’m hoping that our next athletic director comes in and has the ability to still keep us where we’re at and actually grow Kankakee to be even more successful in sports,” Bell said. “... We want our community to be looked at as winners in the classroom and on the fields or on the courts.”