North Cook News

Eric Witherspoon gave his final message as the superintendent of Evanston Township High School/District 202 and now enters his retirement after serving 16 years of serving the role.

“I look forward to remaining an active member of our beloved community, of being a servant leader here in our community, and waking up every day thinking to myself: it’s a great day to be a wildcat,” Witherspoon said in a video.

Witherspoon said to Daily Northwestern he sought to close racial achievement gaps and make an inclusive student dress code.

Superintendent Eric Witherspoon | District 202

Witherspoon served Evanston Township High as superintendent for 16 years. He stepped down and retired in June. All the board members shared stories of how deeply he has impacted them personally and the school district as a whole. Vice President Monique Parsons said that her son decided to join ETHS specifically because of Witherspoon’s words and character.

Devon Horton, superintendent for Evanston/Skokie School District 65, told the Daily Northwestern he considered Witherspoon as a mentor.

“He’s a legend, and he’ll be missed,” Horton said to the Daily Northwestern.

Witherspoon was voted in 16 years ago on a 4-3 vote and immediately began working on equity and inclusion in the school district. He began working in the district as an English teacher. The ACT scores in the school have risen since his tenure began and are at their highest ever.

“He never wavered from his commitment for an equitable education,” ETHS’12 Alumni Jesse Chatz said to Daily Northwestern. “That’s one thing I learned from him is you’re going to be faced with a lot of opposition, you’re going to be faced with a lot of support, but you can’t waver from your position as a leader in a school system.” 

The new superintendent for Evanston Township High took over in July. Marcus Campbell was in a previous position at ETHS as assistant superintendent and principal of the high school. Campbell has his Ed.D from National Louis University. His mission is to support students and staff while increasing pride and trust in the school.