Located just a quick, two-minute walk from Door A, the District Office houses a building of people crucial to helping the district function smoothly, yet they largely remain behind-the-scenes, Communications Manager Christina Salonikas said.
The District Office comprises of four main departments: Communications, Human Resources (HR), Operations, and Educational Service, according to the District 225 website. The Operations department is further divided into an additional four categories: Business Services, Technology Services, Safety and Security, and Illinois Green Ribbon School, or the environmental sustainability subsection, also according to the District 225 website. Though separated, the District Office departments collaborate on a regular basis to keep the district running, Salonikas said.
The Operations Department works with all departments to ensure decisions as large as hiring new employees to details as small as clocks around the district’s buildings run smoothly, Payroll Manager Jenny Zalatoris said. The Payroll department functions as part of the Business department to ensure teachers, staff, and student employees get paid accurately and timely, Zalatoris added.
The HR Department works to recruit, hire, and support staff while ensuring the district follows policies, contracts, and state requirements, Nina Youabb, Human Resources Manager, said. She oversees the integration of new administrative staff in addition to managing the processing of district stipends related to athletics and extracurricular activities, Youabb stated.
“When hiring new employees, our priority is ensuring the safety and success of our students,” Youabb said. “Ultimately, we aim to select individuals who will be strong leaders in their classrooms and positive contributors to our school community.”
On the other hand, the Communications Department works with HR Departments to create marketing materials for potential job applicants, Carol Smith, Executive Director of Communications, said. The business services department works with communications to share possible issues about payroll with employees, Smith said.
“This building is very collaborative in nature, and we have to rely on each other to get the work done for the district, to make sure that everything is running smoothly,” Smith said. “If we’re all doing our jobs, then teachers can concentrate on taking care of students’ needs, because their own needs are taken care of.”
The Communication Department’s goal is to be the trusted source of information for the district, Smith said. Smith and Salonikas have conducted a yearly communication survey since 2022, and each year there has been a steady increase in the percentage of people who are highly satisfied with district communication, Smith said. However, there is still some lingering confusion and misunderstandings around the communications department, Salonikas said.
“There’s a misconception surrounding communication that comes from the District versus the buildings and communication that might be sent out from staff members,” Salonikas said.
The Educational Services Department is focused on taking input from students and the community in order to better support students’ learning, Ryan Bretag, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, said.
“Student voice matters to what I do,” Bretag said. “When you get the surveys and when we ask you questions, all that information informs the work we’re doing. Your voice is always front and center, so when we seek it, we really use it.”
Though students may not directly know the people who work in the District Office, they are essential to ensuring South remains an efficient and welcoming environment, Zalatoris said.
“We’re not out front and center, but we definitely put our heart and souls into our work,” Zalatoris said. “Even though you might not see the faces in this building, they’re working really hard to make sure every student is successful in whatever way possible.”