PAXTON — A retired superintendent from neighboring Livingston County has been appointed interim superintendent of the Paxton-Buckley-Loda school district.
An announcement posted Thursday to the school district’s Facebook page provided a brief introduction to Jon Kilgore, whose appointment was approved by the school board during a special meeting Wednesday night.
“Jon Kilgore is an accomplished and results-oriented educational leader with 34 years of experience in education with 23 in progressively responsible administrative roles across elementary, middle and high school levels,” the announcement said. “Recently retired as superintendent of Pontiac Township High School District No. 90, he has developed a proven track record of fostering academic excellence, innovation and fiscal responsibility within thriving school communities.”
Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School in Paxton.
Kilgore will serve as PBL’s superintendent for the remainder of this school year as the district searches for a more permanent replacement. The school district has been without a superintendent since July 1, the day after Travis Duley vacated the position. In the two-plus months since, Assistant Superintendent Tara Chandler was assuming the superintendent’s responsibilities.
“Mr. Kilgore’s expertise spans budget management, collective bargaining, human resource administration, capital project oversight, community engagement, policy development, instructional leadership, and strategic grant acquisition,” PBL’s announcement said. “His leadership extends beyond his district, as evidenced by his significant contributions to numerous community organizations and his active involvement in statewide educational initiatives. He has served multiple terms as chairperson on various boards, including the Livingston County Commission for Children and Youth, Greater Livingston County Economic Development Council and the Kiwanis Club of Pontiac. Mr. Kilgore holds an Ed.S. in educational administration and foundations from Illinois State University and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to creating dynamic learning environments that empower students and staff alike. Among his notable accomplishments are overseeing substantial facility improvements, implementing a district-wide broadband network to address digital equity, and seeking successful economic development initiatives. Mr. Kilgore is active across his community serving on various advisory boards, service organizations and professional associations, reflecting his dedication to enhancing community services, practices and outcomes, especially those impacting youth and education.”
In August, a notice of PBL’s superintendent vacancy was posted online and distributed via email by the Illinois Association of School Boards to several thousand people. The search is being done with the help of the IASB’s executive search committee and will involve a series of interviews with applicants before the board selects one of them to lead the district starting July 1, 2026.
There is a deadline of noon Friday, Oct. 3, for the receipt of applications for the position, which has a salary range of $130,000 to $160,000. Last school year, Duley’s base salary was $129,47.
Candidates must have “previous successful teaching experience,” while “previous successful administrative experience” and “residency in the district” are both “preferred but not required.”
This is the first time that an outside search firm has assisted PBL with the search for a superintendent since John Perkins was hired for the position decades ago. The last two superintendents — Cliff McClure, who retired in 2023 after 20 years at the helm, and Duley, who unexpectedly resigned on June 30 after only two — were already employed at PBL before landing the gig.
Duley’s resignation came amid an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by longtime teacher and former coach Robert Pacey — and just a few weeks after the school board was urged to look further into the situation and hold administrators accountable for not promptly suspending Pacey and notifying the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Later, a series of lawsuits were filed in Ford County Circuit Court naming five defendants: Pacey, Duley, McClure, the school district and PBL Junior High School Principal Josh Didier.