Principal Sepich Leaving D60 After 13 Years of Service
After being a part of the Maercker D60 community for the past 13 years, Principal Dominic Sepich has resigned his position as principal to accept a principal position at Kingswood Academy.
Beginning as principal at Holmes Primary School where he served for eight years before transitioning to Maercker Intermediate in 2019, Sepich brought his experience as a teacher and administrator to the district and became a fixture of the community.
“I had a great experience in my time in D60 and really learned a lot as an educator, a father, and a person,” said Sepich. “I will miss the families and staff and the great relationships we have built over the years.”
Reflecting on his time in the district, he fondly remembers the district fun fair and spending time in the dunk tank. He also reflected on the hard work of the facilities process and referendum election that led to improvements to district facilities.
"We worked so hard on the facilities projects at Holmes and then the summer that the work started, I moved to Maercker and missed out on actually being in the remodeled building,” laughed Sepich. “I am also so grateful to the entire community who were so supportive and kind when my son was battling leukemia nine years ago. It really meant a lot!”
He also shared that he loved being able to watch students learn and grow, especially during his transition years when he got to be principal for students from when they started kindergarten to when they completed fifth grade.
“Dominic is a wonderful educator, partner, and leader and I truly appreciate his service to D60 and wish him well in his new role,” said Superintendent Dr. Sean Nugent. “I have had the pleasure of serving alongside him in different capacities and know that he will continue to accomplish great things for students and families.”
Mark Pagel Hired as Interim Principal for 2024-25 School Year
Looking ahead to the 2024-25 school year, the district will be hiring an Interim Principal at Maercker before hiring a permanent replacement for the 2025-26 school year. Mr. Mark Pagel will be stepping in to lead the school and has extensive experience in education including 12 years as a classroom teacher and 21 years as an elementary principal. He most recently served as principal at Prairieview Elementary School in Center Cass School District 66 before his retirement in June 2023.
Because of Illinois retirement system rules, retired educators are only able to work a certain amount of days, so the district will plan accordingly by bringing in additional support for the school year.
“Over the past year, I’ve realized how much I miss being part of a school community and positively impacting the lives of the students and staff I serve as principal,” said Pagel. “Being at Maercker is a dream opportunity that I simply can’t wait to embrace!”
He grew up in Dwight, IL and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Illinois State University. He lives in Shorewood with his wife Shari who is also an educator. He will be hitting the ground running at Maercker and working with the staff to kick off a strong school year.
“You will definitely see me out and about at Maercker so please feel free to say hello and introduce yourself,” said Pagel. “By connecting early and working together throughout the year, we can make this a wonderful and memorable school year. Our kids deserve no less!”
“We are so fortunate to be able to have an experienced leader like Mr. Pagel step in to help with the transition at Maercker,” said Dr. Nugent. “Our staff, students and their families are definitely in good hands!”
Dennis Bolus Hired as Full Time Assistant Principal at Maercker Intermediate
Another change coming to Maercker is that Dennis Bolus will begin as the Assistant Principal as of August 1 following the resignation of Ashley Lamorte in June as she accepted a principal position in Plainfield School District 202. Mr. Bolus brings a passion for teaching and learning, an excitement to collaborate with the community, and his vision for students to succeed.
Born and raised in Northwest Chicago, Dennis is a first-generation American as his parents emigrated from the Philippines and enriched him with Philippine and American cultures. His career in education began at Chicago Public Schools, teaching at Ashburn Elementary School on the Southwest side. He also taught 6th Grade ELA at Mannheim Middle School in Melrose Park and at Gower Middle School, where he also served as a team leader. He received a Bachelor's degree in English/Journalism from Miami University of Ohio, a Masters in Education from DePaul University as well as a Master of Arts in School Leadership from Concordia University.
“My background helps me connect with students of similar experience and motivates me to learn about all walks of life,” said Bolus. “As Assistant Principal, I would like to build relationships and connections with the school community. Students, teachers, parents, community members alike, we're in it together to make our school a wonderful place to be and to achieve our goals!”
Before he became a teacher, Dennis worked as a content editor but says that after five years of correcting others’ mistakes, he wanted to teach English. He was inspired by impactful educators in his life including family members and chose to work in education to make the same type of impact on others.
“I chose to work for Maercker D60 because of the mission and vision of educating life long learners and focusing students toward the future,” said Bolus. “As an educator, I always emphasized the importance of learning life skills and having the desire to try and learn new things. Knowing these were some of D60's priorities, I felt it was a great match!”
He and his wife have two elementary aged children and he enjoys running, gardening, and volunteering in his free time.
“The 2024-25 school year will be a time of change at Maercker, but we have a great plan in place and really strong leaders joining the team,” said Dr. Nugent. “Mr. Bolus will be a wonderful addition to the team as we look to the future of our district.”
The first day of school is Thursday, August 22, 2024.