Darien, IL – During its regular action meeting on Feb. 24, the District 86 Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. Patrick Hardy as the next principal of Hinsdale South High School. Dr. Hardy will be replacing Arwen Pokorny Lyp, who announced in January that she was resigning to accept the principal position at Downers Grove South High School.

"I want to thank Arwen Pokorny Lyp for her hard work, dedicated service and outstanding leadership during the past 15 years," said District 86 Superintendent Tammy Prentiss. "I also want to congratulate her again on being named the new principal for Downers Grove South High School, and wish her the best in this exciting new chapter of her life."

After thanking Pokorny Lyp for her service, Superintendent Prentiss extended a warm welcome to Dr. Hardy, who was selected after a comprehensive search process.

"I want to congratulate Dr. Hardy on his appointment as the new principal of Hinsdale South," said Prentiss. "He has an extensive background in education, a wealth of experience in a variety of leadership roles and a proven track record for success. I believe these qualities, coupled with his impressive array of accomplishments, strong commitment to education and passionate advocacy for children, will help foster the school's continued growth and support our students in the pursuit of their ideal future."

Dr. Hardy comes to District 86 with 15 years of experience as a principal and instructional leader in a variety of K-12 settings that have included Proviso East High School (six years), Freeport High School District 145 (four years) and Rockford School District 205 (five years). He currently serves as the executive director of equity and student success for Oak Park and River Forest High School, and began his career in education as a teacher in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dr. Hardy has earned a number of professional honors, including being recognized as a Rising District Leader by K-12 Dive in 2021, being named an Educator Who Makes a Difference by the National Teacher Hall of Fame in 2021 and being awarded Principal of the Year for the West Cook Region by the Illinois Principals Association in 2018. He received the Community Education Award from the city of Bellwood in 2018, was named a Marguerite F. Key Fellow by the Northern University College of Education in 2018 and won the Rockford Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc’s Service to Humanity Award in 2019. He and his team at Proviso East also partnered with renowned education researcher Dr. Robert Marzano and Marzano Academies to pilot the first cohort of Illinois’ Competency-based Education Graduation Requirements. Their efforts led to the development and implementation of several key performance indicators that included classroom assessment, reporting and grading, measurement topics, proficiency scales and student agency.

Dr. Hardy holds a bachelor’s degree in history and education from Xavier University in Louisiana, a master’s degree in education (specialized in risk and prevention) from Harvard University, a master’s degree in education (specialized in school administration) from Cambridge College, a doctorate in education (specialized in K-12 studies in education) from Capella University and a doctorate in ministry (specialized in pastoral studies) from the Andersonville Theological Seminary.

“I am incredibly excited to be joining District 86, and am honored that the board and Superintendent Prentiss have selected me to serve as the new principal of Hinsdale South,” said Dr. Hardy. “The school and district have a long and proud history of academic excellence that reflects the high quality of instruction that is available to all students. I hope to continue building on this strong foundation by working with the members of the South community to create a learning environment where every student feels welcomed, supported and empowered to reach their full potential.”

In addition to welcoming Dr. Hardy to District 86, Superintendent Prentiss expressed her appreciation to the community for their involvement in the search process.

“I want to thank the members of the South community who aided our search for the school’s new principal,” said Prentiss. “The time they invested and feedback they provided throughout the process helped us find an accomplished professional to fill this important position.”

The search process began with the creation of a “Principal Profile,'' which was developed using feedback from stakeholder surveys and focus groups that helped define the qualities and characteristics applicants should possess. There were also multiple rounds of candidate screenings and interviews, including sessions that were led by a building-level team composed of students, staff members and parents/guardians.

Dr. Hardy received a two-year contract with a starting base salary of $176,000. His first day with the district will be July 1, 2022.