The District 25 Board of Education on Monday appointed Wendy Custable as superintendent of Stevenson High School, starting on July 1, 2026.
Custable will succeed Eric Twadell, who will retire after 33 years of service at the end of the 2025-26 school year. During the 2025-26 school year, Custable will serve as associate superintendent, working closely with Twadell to ensure a smooth and successful transition, according to a news release.
She will be the first female superintendent to oversee District 125 in its 60-year history, the release said..
.“Throughout her decades of service at Stevenson, Dr. Custable has demonstrated a commitment to student learning. While her track record as a veteran educator and administrative leader speaks for itself, we believe it is Dr. Custable’s deep understanding of Stevenson’s culture and Vision & Values that will continue our tradition of excellence,” Amy Neault, President of the District 125 Board of Education, said in the release. “The Board would like to thank Dr. Twadell for his nearly 20 years of leadership as Superintendent. Under his guidance, Stevenson has become a nationally recognized school district, having been named the best public school district in America for four years in a row. We are confident that Dr. Custable will maintain Stevenson’s reputation as one of the nation’s top public high schools.”
Custable is the Assistant Superintendent of Leadership and Organizational Development. In this role, she works closely with the superintendent and district leadership on strategic planning to achieve district goals, projects and initiatives, the release said. She also actively oversees the implementation of college and career pathways implementation; leads professional development activities for administrative leadership and directs family engagement programming.
“I’m incredibly humbled by the opportunity to continue serving the students and families at Stevenson High School. I look forward to working collaboratively with students, families, faculty and staff alike to maintain our school’s reputation as a place of learning, growth and belonging,” Custable said in a statement.
With more than 25 years of experience in education, Custable’s career began at Rock Island High School, the release said. The following year, Custable joined Stevenson High School in 2000 as a faculty member of the Applied Arts Division, teaching engineering and architecture courses.
In 2004, Custable was then appointed the Director of Applied Arts. In her 18 years of service, Custable accelerated her growth as an administrative leader by working with faculty and staff in the division to modernize course offerings and broaden the scope of experiences that align with students’ interests, according to the release. Specifically, Custable implemented Project Lead the Way programming to provide career readiness in STEM fields. Custable was integral to the creation of the Computer Science, Engineer and Technology Division, which supports growing student interest in STEM courses.
According to the release, Custable became Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning, a role that closely aligns with the District’s goals of supporting student achievement. During her time as Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning, Stevenson High School saw high average SAT scores, even as national averages fell during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also oversaw the transition from paper-based to digital testing for the SAT. Additionally, more than 90% of graduating seniors during her years of service completed at least one college-level experience, which reinforces classroom skills taught to help students navigate post-secondary learning.
“As we prepare to turn a new page in Stevenson’s history, I believe with absolute certainty that, under Dr. Custable’s leadership, our mission — Success for Every Student — will be carried forward. Her experience, leadership acuity, passion for students and commitment to the craft of teaching will benefit our school community for years to come. The future of Stevenson and our students has never been brighter,” Twadell said in the release. “Dr. Custable and I will be working closely together over the next year and a half to ensure a smooth transition.”
