Woodland School District 50 is pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Machak is the new Superintendent as of July 1, 2022. The Board of Education approved Dr. Machak for the position at the January 27 Monthly Governing Meeting.

Dr. Machak first joined the #LifeintheW team in July of 2020 as the Associate Superintendent of Education after spending 12 years as Superintendent in PreK-8 elementary school districts, serving in this role at both Evergreen Park District 124 and Emmons School District 33 in Antioch. He replaces Dr. Lori Casey, who retired at the end of June.

Dr. Machak started at Woodland during uncertain times as school districts across the country were dealing with the COVID-19 health crisis. With his dedication to educational equality, he was able to implement programs and support for students both academically and socially. He quickly developed relationships in the community to secure donations for a weekly food drive and supported families by connecting them with resources for child care and other programs needed as families struggled with balancing work and remote learning. Working with the school nurses and health office staff, he helped implement Woodland’s weekly SHIELD testing program and Lake County’s Test to Stay program with the goal of keeping students in school. Dr. Machak also started a winter break assistance program and expanded Woodland's summer program to help students who needed additional support due to pandemic disruptions.

During his time at Woodland, he also served as the district’s McKinney-Vento liaison and Title IX coordinator to ensure that all of our students were being treated equitably regarding access to district programming and resources. This past year, he developed a partnership with the College of Lake County that resulted in the District offering a series of tuition-free Adult Education classes for the parents of students in our English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

Throughout his 30-year career in Education, Dr. Machak has shown great care and compassion for the students in his care, and has a strong reputation for building relationships with district staff and community stakeholders. He is an advocate of public education, with a wide range of knowledge of curriculum, operations, and business manager functions. As Superintendent, he is committed to helping all families feel connected to Woodland because there is something for everyone in #LifeintheW!