Dixon Public Schools superintendent plans to retire after 2025-26 school year

DIXON — The Dixon Public Schools board approved a request by Superintendent Margo Empen to retire at the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year.

“I’ve still got three years after this. … I’ve still got a job to do,” said Empen after the meeting Wednesday.

Empen’s last day on the job will be June 30, 2026.

Empen grew up in Rock Falls and received her bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University. She has post-graduate degrees from Western Illinois University.

Empen joined Dixon Public Schools as a fourth-grade teacher at the now closed Lincoln Elementary. She was a principal at Jefferson School, became the district’s director of student services and served eight years as assistant superintendent.

Empen became superintendent at the start of the 2015-16 school year. She was the northwest region’s Illinois Association of School Administrators’ Superintendent of Distinction in 2019.

Other retirements were presented to the board. Approved were: Jefferson head custodian Carol Beck, effective Sept. 1, 2023; Reagan Middle head custodian Kern Smith, effective June 30, 2027; Washington head custodian Roger Edson, effective June 30, 2027; District maintenance’s Michael Miller, effective June 30, 2017; and Dixon High School guidance secretary, Dee Dee Cibu, effective Dec. 31, 2027.

The board also approved four new hires: Mackenzie Simpson as a paraprofessional at Reagan, Alexis Dewaele as a lunchroom attendant at Reagan, Wendie Kibble as a lunchroom attendant at Madison and Sara Faley as a health assistant and nurse at Jefferson.

New duties were approved for Valerie Petty, a lunchroom attendant who will be a paraprofessional at Madson, and for Elizabeth Alexander, a paraprofessional who will be the permanent substitute for the elementary schools.

The resignations of part-time custodian Darryl Siems, lunchroom attendant Elyse Drowns, paraprofessional Audrey Rowley and full-time custodian Brittany Morris were approved.

The following extracurricular coaches and advisers were approved:

Boys track assistants JD Gieson and Catie Cox, girls soccer coach Kristin Carlson and assistant Gary Davey, boys tennis coach Leilah Dudziak, softball coach Candi Rogers and assistant Carie Ramirez, assistant baseball coach Dan Crawford and split stipend baseball assistants Tyler Matteson and Brian Scheidegger, musical director Karen Kaufman, vocal musical director Mardi Huffstutler, musical producer Ben Lightner and band musical Ryan Hoffman, and weightlifting adviser Zachery Heitz.

The following volunteer coaches and advisers also were approved:

Sam Ramirez for softball, Alex LaMendola for boys track, Oscar VanSickle, Chris VanHorn and Brent Seggebruch for baseball and Jenna Cibu for musical.