Oswego-based School District 308 board members recently approved a new performance-based five-year contract with Superintendent Andalib Khelghati.
The agreement is retroactive to July 1. The five-year contract replaces an initial agreement between the board and Khelghati that would have expired in 2026, District 308 Executive Director of Communications Theresa Komitas said in a news release.
The superintendent was hired in June 2023 following a nationwide search for a new leader that began with the announcement that then-Superintendent John Sparlin would retire at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
The school board unanimously approved a three-year contract with Khelghati at the time of his hiring. He previously served as an assistant superintendent of Human Resources in Evanston/Skokie School District 65.
The school board unanimously approved the new five-year agreement with Khelghati.
Under the agreement, Khelghati’s salary will rise each year, going from $251,737 in 2024 to $280,591 in the final year of the agreement in 2029, according to board documents.
“The energy and collaboration we are seeing across the district is incredible,” District 308 School Board President LaTonya Simelton said in the news release.
“Under Dr. Khelghati’s leadership, changes have led to responsible planning for sustainability and growth, ensuring our district is a safe and inviting place for all students and staff to thrive. Our board is excited to extend our agreement with Superintendent Dr. Khelghati, and we are eager to see the positive momentum continue for several years to come,” Simelton said.
Board Vice President Eugene Gatewood said the new agreement is a good one for the district.
“I’m excited to give the community this sense of consistency,” Gatewood said. “He sees beyond where we are now, he envisions who our children are, and all they can be.”
The new five-year agreement with Khelghati expires June 30, 2029.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.