Nonprofit leader hired as new superintendent of metro-east school district
Smithton Consolidated School District 130 has named its superintendent for the upcoming school year and beyond.
Tom Springborn, currently the director of services as the Monroe-Randolph Regional Office of Education, will officially step into the position July 1. He will succeed current superintendent Courtney Castelli when she becomes superintendent of Roxana Community School District.
Although he currently works in neighboring counties, Springborn is a Cougar at heart. He has lived in Smithton for more than a decade, and his two children, who now attend Freeburg High School, are former Smithton Consolidated School District students.
He and his wife also run a local nonprofit called Don’t Sit It Out. The organization gives children opportunities to experience a variety of sports and other activities they would not be able to afford otherwise. This can mean providing sports equipment or instruments, paying for activity travel costs and lessons, and sending students to summer camps, Springborn said.
“One thing I’ve always focused on is building relationships within the community,” he said.
Springborn’s 23-year career in education has taken him across the state, which he said has allowed him to see different perspectives. He first taught sixth grade math and science in Hawthorn Community Consolidated School District 73 in Lake County, then moved into several administrative positions there.
He later moved to Smithton to be the superintendent and principal of Prairie du Rocher Community Consolidated School District 134. Nine years ago, he started as the Monroe-Randolph ROE’s director of services, where he oversees grants for career and technical education, mental health and adult education.
He holds multiple education degrees, including a doctorate in education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
“All of those pieces helped build my experience,” Springborn said. “I’m excited to bring all of that to a community I love.”
As his children grow up and become more independent, Springborn said he now has the ability to take on a “24 hour, 7 days a week” superintendent role. He said he’s excited to build on the district’s current strengths.
“It’s kind of going back to my roots in working directly within the school and working directly with students,” Springborn said.
The Smithton school board approved Springborn’s employment at its Feb. 24 meeting. The starting salary for the position is $120,000, he said.
“I am committed to working collaboratively with Dr. Springborn to ensure a smooth transition for the Smithton school and community,” Castelli said in an emailed statement. “The district is well-positioned for continued success, and I look forward to supporting that work in the months ahead.”