Schools

Gower 62 Hires New Superintendent

Victor Simon comes to Gower from Chicago Public Schools, where he is currently the chief of schools for the Pershing Elementary School Network.

Victor Simon will be the next superintendent of Gower School District 62, after the Gower Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday in support of his appointment.

Gower Board of Education President Ryan Asmus sent a release to Patch that said Simon, a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) veteran, will assume his duties on July 1, 2013, after current superintendent Steve Griesbach retires. 

Simon impressed the board with his "energy, dedication to children, and a strong, articulate vision for the future of Gower," Asmus said in the release.

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"He has a proven track record of implementing great ideas around teaching and learning that will serve our students and staff well," Asmus said. 

Simon has spent his entire professional career working for CPS. He currently oversees the 31 schools of the Pershing Elementary School Network as chief of schools. The network serves approximately 21,000 students. 

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The Gower release said Simon was selected from a pool of more than 80 applicants.

"Everyone I met in the district—board members, teachers, parents, and administrators—are truly committed to bringing out the best in students," Simon said in the release. "I believe that together, we can do great things for the children and families we serve." 

Simon graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University, has a master's degree in leadership and administration from University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC), and expects to be awarded a doctorate in educational leadership from UIC in May.

He served as the chairperson of the science department while teaching at Whitney Young High School in Chicago. He later served as principal at Dore Elementary School on Chicago's southwest side, and as deputy chief of schools for two different Chicago areas. 

Simon is married with two children.


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