During a regular meeting on March 25, the District 200 school board accepted the resignation of LeVar J. Ammons, who was hired in July 2019 to be the district’s first executive director for equity and student success.
In a statement released March 26, district officials said Ammon “is leaving to pursue other opportunities.”
Ammons will leave as Supt. Joylynn Pruitt-Adams heads out the door. Pruitt-Adams announced in November that she plans to retire by the end of the school year.
In its statement, district officials lauded the work Ammons has done since he joined the district two years ago.
“During his tenure, Dr. Ammons has made a number of notable contributions to advancing the district’s racial equity work,” district officials stated. “These include writing the 12-part procedure document that supports the district’s racial equity policy, implementing a protocol for reporting racial incidents, and collaborating on professional development focused on culturally responsive teaching.”
“Dr. Ammons also has broadened the reach of the district’s equity work beyond OPRF High School. He has participated on the advisory council helping to develop an anti-racism strategic plan for the Oak Park Public Library, presented to the Park District of Oak Park’s equity team, and created a national network of school district equity directors.”
Supt. Pruitt-Adams said Ammons “has added greatly to our momentum with racial equity work” and that the district wishes “him the best in his future pursuits.”
Pruitt-Adams said the district “will move forward as quickly as possible in hiring a replacement,” which will happen after the D200 school board hires her replacement.
District officials are anticipating the board to hire a new superintendent at its regular meeting on April 22.
Before joining D200, Ammon was a counselor at Willowbrook High School, where he helped initiate a racial equity strategic plan.
In a 2019 interview with Wednesday Journal, Ammons said D200 appealed to him, in part because of the “procedures put in place addressing equity,” such as leadership teams and racial equity coaches.
“These mechanisms allow you to do racial equity work in ways I had not had access to,” said Ammons, who has a doctorate in education.
Ammons’ doctoral dissertation, “Racial Socialization: Relationship between Black Identity, Perceptions of Discrimination, and Academic Outcomes,” examines the intersection between “black identity, perceptions of discrimination and academic outcomes,” he said at the time.
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