Dr. Eric Witherspoon, who led Evanston Township High School for 16 years before retiring in 2022, will take over as District 65's interim superintendent on Wednesday, July 1.

The D65 Board approved Witherspoon's appointment at its Monday, June 22 regular meeting, the same night it voted 5-1 to finalize a mutual separation agreement with Superintendent Dr. Angel Turner. Turner's last day is June 30, one year before her contract was set to expire.

Witherspoon will serve through December 31, 2026, a timeline driven by a 100-day state limit on retired administrators serving in interim roles.

Board President Nichole Pinkard and Vice President Chris Van Nostrand said in a letter to families that Witherspoon "brings deep familiarity with the students, families, schools, and community partners that make Evanston/Skokie unique."

Witherspoon has lived in Evanston since 2006. During his ETHS tenure, ACT scores reached the school's highest level for nine consecutive years, and the district earned its first-ever Moody's Aaa bond rating. Students called him "Spoon." Before ETHS, he served as superintendent in Des Moines, Indianapolis, and Hobart, Indiana, and was named Iowa Superintendent of the Year in 2002.

The board said it will immediately launch a public search for a permanent superintendent, beginning with a Request for Proposals for a search firm. A detailed timeline has not yet been released.

Turner's separation agreement includes a $191,000 payout from the district, according to reporting by multiple local outlets. Board member Mya Wilkins, who voted in favor, called the situation "unfortunate" but said the vote "helps move us forward." Andrew Wymer cast the lone dissenting vote.

Also at the June 22 meeting, the board unanimously hired Eric Miller, formerly assistant superintendent for business services at Glenview District 34, as D65's new chief financial officer, effective July 1.

The district has already built out a "Superintendent Search" section on its website with pages for community input and engagement opportunities.