New East Chicago superintendent wows crowd

July 31--EAST CHICAGO -- New East Chicago Superintendent Youssef "Dr. Joe" Yomtoob got the heart pumping and the crowd clapping when he laid out his qualifications for his new job and gave a rousing presentation on his thoughts about education and how he intends to move the School City of East Chicago forward.

Yomtoob was the guest speaker at the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce luncheon at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago.

Yomtoob, 75, who accepted the position earlier this month, said, "God doesn't create junk kids. I consider all of our kids gifts."

Yomtoob, who said he has retired three times, talked about his success as a math teacher and superintendent in Illinois and Michigan, and raising test scores in districts that were primarily black and Hispanic.

He said he grew up in Iran and is Jewish-American. He said his father didn't have an education but was a successful businessman.

Yomtoob joked and laughed with the crowd and even used his mathematics teaching background to give the crowd a few math problems.

"My wife and I bought a house in Arizona. Life was good. We celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary," he said, with a slight accent. "One day I was playing on the computer, and I saw this district in East Chicago needed a superintendent. I wanted a school system with a challenge. I'm here to build a new East Chicago school, with positive leadership and high expectations; we will succeed."

Yomtoob encouraged listeners not to give up on themselves or students. He said he intends to incorporate high expectations among all staff and project-based learning in the schools.

The new superintendent said he is well aware of the district's $6 million deficit and told the crowd it would take everyone's support for the district to be successful. When Dave Ryan, the Lakeshore chamber executive director, told Yomtoob there was a "lot of money" in the room, Yomtoob promised to contact each of them.

In response to a question from the audience, Yomtoob said he supports early childhood education and believes education starts even before that when a mother is pregnant. He said prenatal care and parenting education is critical to the success of all students.

East Chicago's previous superintendent, Mike Harding, had a total compensation package of about $175,000, including benefits. Yomtoob's base salary is $125,000 with his total package near $150,000, including insurance and other benefits. Though Yomtoob was appointed early this month, the board is scheduled to vote on his contract Thursday night.

Yomtoob also said he would donate 5 percent of his salary each year to a scholarship fund for students who show great improvement. The scholarship is in the name of his son, David Yomtoob, who died.

Yomtoob said an academically successful school district in East Chicago will improve the economy, create jobs, increase the price of housing, increase the number of graduates, reduce gang activity and, most importantly, attract students to the school district.

Joyce Dix, with the Robertson Child Development Center and a member of the East Chicago Education Foundation, was one of many people who stayed after the luncheon to meet Yomtoob and welcome him.

"I think he will be able to make some improvements in the district," she said. "He wants to try some things that have been tried in other communities and have been successful. Our kids here have a lot of potential and can be just as successful."

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