GALESBURG — Jeff Whitsitt, who possesses more than three decades of experience working in public education, was sworn in as the newest member of the Carl Sandburg College Board of Trustees on Dec. 21 during the board’s regular monthly meeting.
Whitsitt was appointed to take the spot of Bruce Lauerman, who retired from the board in November after having first been elected as a trustee in 1990. Whitsitt will complete the remainder of Lauerman’s six-year term, which expires in 2027.
Whitsitt currently serves as the superintendent of United School District 304 and will retire from that position at the end of the school year. He has held that role since the district was formed in 2004. During his tenure, Whitsitt led the transition of the district following the vote to consolidate, oversaw the inclusion of a third district three years after United’s initial consolidation and has spearheaded multiple building projects.
Whitsitt also was superintendent at United during the rollout of the Sampson Promise program, a scholarship opportunity that allows graduates from the United and Monmouth-Roseville school districts to have up to 100 percent of their tuition to Sandburg covered.
“Education has been my life’s passion, and while I’m retiring from my superintendent position, I still wanted to find a way to be involved and make a difference for students,” Whitsitt said. “When this opportunity came about, it felt like a perfect fit at this stage of my career. I’m excited to be part of the board and helping Sandburg continue to change lives in our area.”
Prior to his tenure as superintendent, Whitsitt was the principal of Alexis Junior/Senior High School from 1998-2004. He also taught business education and coached at ROWVA from 1991-98.
A Knoxville native and 1986 Knoxville High School graduate, Whitsitt earned his bachelor’s in business education from Illinois State University. He received his general administrator and superintendent licenses through the master’s program at Western Illinois University.
In addition to his position at United, Whitsitt is president of the Knox-Warren Special Education District, on the board of directors for the Warren County YMCA, professional development chair for the Illinois Association of School Administrators and a member of the Monmouth Rotary Club.
“Jeff’s experience and qualifications, both professionally and personally, really stand out and make him an exceptional addition to our board,” said Tom Colclasure, board chair. “With his background, he certainly values and is a great proponent of education in our community, and we’re thrilled to welcome him as our newest trustee.”
Whitsitt and his wife, Kelley, reside in Alexis and have four adult sons: Riley (a 2016 Sandburg graduate), Jack, Toby and Cade.
Jeff Whitsitt