‘We Are Really Going To Miss Mike’: District 112 honors retiring superintendent

More than 200 staff members, local families, community members and local leaders gathered May 26 at Northwood Middle School to celebrate Superintendent Michael Lubelfeld’s 20 years of combined service to North Shore School District 112 as he prepares to retire on June 30.

In front of the dense crowd, Lubelfeld’s focus was set on two words.

“I want to start with two simple words that genuinely don’t feel big enough,” Lubelfeld said beginning his speech at the ceremony. “Those two words are: thank you. And I mean it from the bottom of my heart.”

Beginning his career in education as a teacher, Lubelfeld eventually became the principal of D112’s Elm Place Middle School in 2002. He moved up to assistant superintendent in the district before leaving in 2010 to become a superintendent, first of Pennoyer District 79 in Norridge and then Deerfield District 109 (2013-2018). He returned to D112 in 2018 as its superintendent.

In that time, Lubelfeld hopes he left a legacy of “joy, curiosity, kindness and happiness,” he said.

“I hope children treat each other nicely, parents treat each other well and that communities really take stock of how fortunate we are to live here and have each other,” he said. “We’ve always just got to find value in our humanity to move forward with shared values.”

After retirement, Lubelfeld is looking forward to being more present for his wife and children, and he hopes to still teach in graduate school and maybe consult, as well.

As much as his retirement is a chapter closing, Lubelfeld also sees it as a chapter starting.

“People gather to celebrate the end of something, but when I look around this room I don’t see an ending,” Lubelfeld said. “I see chapters, I see people, I see moments, I see schools.”

Among Lubelfeld’s accomplishments during his tenure, student achievement and modernizing the district’s schools stand out the most.

He led an ambitious and successful referendum to support more than $114 million in upgrades across the district’s nine schools, which serve Highland Park and Highwood residents.

“During my time here, the accomplishments that mean the most are student learning. Despite all the changes in transitions in the school district, we never lost sight that the children are most important,” Lubelfeld told The Record. “I am also very proud that we have been able to rebuild the school district. We have rebuilt seven of the district schools and refreshed Oak Terrace.”

Lubelfeld added, “I am very proud that our community came together and rebuilt trust after an era of lack of trust, about a decade ago.”

What they’re saying

Art Kessler, a D112 School Board member for eight years, said that Lubelfeld’s leadership is what sets him apart and he’s enjoyed collaborating with the superintendent.

“It’s been fantastic working with Mike these years,” Kessler said. “We are so indebted to Mike for everything he’s done during his tenure, so I wouldn’t have missed this event for the world. We are really going to miss Mike.”

He added, “I would say Mike’s got a real talent for leadership. He knows what makes people tic, and knows how to get the best out of people.”

Adam Bergman, a math teacher at Northwood Middle School, has taught within District 112 for more than 30 years. He said he’s known Lubelfeld as everything from a vice principal to a superintendent.

“I was telling my students today, I have a retirement party for five people: an old co-worker, a vice principal, a principal, an assistant superintendent and a superintendent,” Bergman said jokingly. “That’s all the roles he’s [Lubelfeld] had since I’ve known him.”

Bergman added, “He is a great guy, a great friend and has always been phenomenal to work with. There’s no second guessing with him, a very straight shooter, you know exactly what’s on his mind.”

Developing the people under him is one of Lubelfeld’s best qualities, Bergman said.

“Ever since Mike came around and came back to District 112, we’ve had great leaders in the school,” Bergman said. “These last eight years at Northwood have been phenomenal with the principal and two associate principals we’ve had.”

Lubelfeld left an impression on Larry Carter, a district parent, when he hired Dr. Michael Rodrigo as a principal in 2018.

Rodrigo made a housecall to the Carters as a welcome and walked their daughter to school.

“That became a big deal for us to see that connection to the community,” Carter said, who alo mentioned Lubelfeld’s leadership in passing the referendum.

“I think the concept of a project this big is somewhat overwhelming to most people, but to take that on and actually see it come to a conclusion by next year is, to me, fascinating to watch and amazing to see someone accomplish that,” Carter said.

Next up

Dr. Monica Schroeder, the district’s deputy superintendent for eight years, will be succeeding Lubelfeld as of July 1.

Schroeder is a 20-year veteran of the district, beginning as assistant principal of Elm Place in 2006, hired by Lubelfeld. She was a school-level administrator for eight years and moved to the district office in 2014.

“I am so excited to continue working with our amazing staff, outstanding community and most importantly our students,” she said. “I am excited to hear what the students can bring to our schools.”

Under Schroeder this school year, the district is launching a student representative program for the board of education. Schroeder will select four students between Edgewood and Northwood middle schools to serve the board for the 2026-’27 school year, said Schroeder in an email.

“I am excited to have student voices” with the board, Schroeder said.

The purpose of this program is to give students a regular voice in district governance and provide the Board with student perspectives on the school experience in the district.

Schroeder was on hand May 26 to celebrate Lubfelfeld. She said she has always loved his “optimism” and “future-thinking.”

Schroeder once told Lubelfeld she was interested in human resources. He took her to the first Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators Conference.

“That’s [the conference] where I met all these wonderful HR leaders,” Schroeder said. “So I would say investing in others like Mike does and building those relationships, mentoring them and giving them opportunities for professional development is something I will take forward with me in the role.”

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