A southern Illinois regional school superintendent is taking a different job in education.
Matt Donkin, the superintendent of Franklin, Williamson, Johnson and Massac counties will become the District Superintendent of the Frankfort School District. He says the board approached him and offered him the job.
"And I weighed, where I could give back the most at this point, and um, the answer came down to West Frankfort. So it's with a regret that I'm leaving the Regional Office of Education but um, also looking forward to the challenges of leading the Frankfort School District."
In recent years, the number of regional superintendents in Illinois has been reduced, requiring Donkin to take on two additional counties. But, he says those cuts and the lack of a state budget did not play a role in his decision.
"In these times, for K-12, for higher ed, there are no easy jobs anywhere in education. This is just, as I said, the hometown calling and it seemed like at this point in time I could make a bigger impact at the local district."
Donkin will take over the Frankfort Schools this July.
A new regional superintendent will be elected next year. County Board leaders in the four counties served will appoint an interim superintendent in the meantime.
