This story was originally published on Nov. 18 at 6:33 p.m. It was updated the same day at 8:32 p.m. with information on the search process and comments from the board meeting. 

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Peter Tragos will be New Trier High School’s next superintendent, the New Trier Board of Education announced on Nov. 18. He will succeed retiring Superintendent Dr. Paul Sally on July 1, ushering in the suburban high school’s seventh leader since 1931. 

Working at New Trier since 1998, Tragos started as a social studies teacher, adviser, and president of the New Trier Education Association and eventually became assistant principal at the Northfield Campus in 2013. Then four years later, he replaced Sally as assistant superintendent and has since worked to make progress on the comprehensive, long-term strategic plan, New Trier 2030, through initiatives such as Characteristics of a New Trier Graduate, Human-Centered Design, and future programming.

Board President Jean Hahn said amongst the exceptional field of candidates, Tragos stood out. 

“A lifelong learner, compassionate educator, and dedicated servant leader, he truly embodies the values professed in the New Trier motto,” Hahn said. 

Tragos in a short speech thanked the board for the “incredible honor” to be selected as superintendent and the board’s trust in him.

“I’m eager to begin working with all of you, the administrative team and entire staff, to deliver the highest-quality experience to every student every day,” Tragos said.

Following Dr. Linda Yonke, who retired as superintendent in 2017, and Sally, Tragos is the third in a row to have served as assistant superintendent before being named superintendent. Henry Bangser was the last superintendent to not previously serve as assistant superintendent. He retired in 2006.

The superintendent search was a five-month process, which started last school year when Sally announced his June 2025 retirement at the May board meeting. The board hired Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), an educational consulting firm based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, to assist them in a national search for New Trier’s next superintendent. 

The board did not share the number of people who were considered for the position at the meeting. 

HYA was paid $36,900 to assist the board in recruitment, community engagement, interviewing, and deliberating, according to a letter of agreement dated May 20, 2024. When New Trier underwent a search in 2016, they used School Exec Connect, to whom they paid $21,500, according to a letter of agreement dated on June 13, 2016. 

Over 1,000 community members, parents, students, staff, and alumni participated in an online survey and focus groups. The common personal attributes these groups wanted to see in the next superintendent were integrity, empathy, and honesty. 

The board conducted the first round of interviews in mid-October, and by the end of the month, narrowed down the slate of candidates to the finalists. 

After each finalist interview, the board took the candidate and their spouse to Wildfire in Glencoe, Illinois. Hahn said via email the board wanted to get a sense of each candidate’s personal characteristics, not just their professional qualifications.

“This less formal setting allows both the board and the candidate to get to know each other in a more relaxed atmosphere so we can assess how successfully they will be embraced by our community,” Hahn said via email. 

Hahn said Tragos approaches every professional and personal commitment with empathy, humility, and curiosity, understanding how relationships form New Trier’s success. 

“Successful institutions do not rest on the shoulders of any one individual, but on the foundations constructed by powerful teams with a shared vision,” Hahn said. 

Tragos received a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric, speech communication, and history from Drake University, a master’s degree in education from DePaul University, and an education doctorate from National Louis University. 

While Tragos is not a New Trier graduate, he raised three New Trier graduates and is married to a graduate of the class of 1988. His wife and one of his daughters were at the board meeting. 

“What makes New Trier so special is its people and mission, and I’m excited to work together with all stakeholders to achieve the vision of the strategic plan and chart a course beyond 2030,” Tragos said. 

Hahn said Tragos has done more than “coining a mind boggling number of acronyms” as assistant superintendent, which has helped develop an institution that supports students and faculty. 

“Dr. Tragos has also found the time and energy to establish himself beyond our walls as a visionary thought leader,” Hahn said. “[He] has partented with prestigious organizations like the Carnegie Foundation, Aspen Institute, and Succeeds Educational Advisory Panel.”

Tragos said as superintendent, he wants to respect New Trier’s traditions and cultures, while recognizing today’s challenges. 

“Like education across the nation, New Trier is amid a period of change, and we will continue to embrace the call to be a lighthouse school, leading change that prepares our students to thrive in the future, while staying grounded in our core beliefs of inquiry, compassion, and service,” Tragos said. 

Board Vice President Sally Tomlinson said Tragos is always working to improve as challenges arise, connects with and relate with all stakeholders, and understands the importance of the people in the building. 

“I think we have a superintendent that will not just lead us, but lead us with a higher purpose,” Tomlinson said.