For the first time in almost 30 years, Glenbrook North’s Peer Group has designated new program coordinators.

Science teacher Maureen McDonaugh and math teacher Penn Phillips will take over the program’s day-to-day coordination, said Peer Group coordinator Margaret Sullivan. She said she is retiring at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.

A liaison to the guidance department also needs to be selected, she said.

Sullivan said she sought successors who were “organized, energetic, creative and willing to give time outside the structure of the school day.”

According to Sullivan, the transition to the new coordinators has already begun.

“[The new coordinators] have been helping with the selection process,” said Sullivan. “Mrs. McDonaugh was instrumental in developing the presentation for the school board about Peer Group and putting together a written document history about the program.”

Joy Cooper, a Peer Group coordinator at Glenbrook South, said Sullivan’s efforts to share her knowledge with colleagues will ease the transition.

“It is not like [Peer Group] is going to collapse in the wake of Sully,” said Cooper. “She has mentored her staff brilliantly.”

The coordinator’s role entails several functions, Sullivan said.

“I am a traditional staff advisor of a Peer Group class,” said Sullivan. “I manage the Glenbrook North program, but I also coordinate district-level summer workshops and staff training. I am kind of the district coordinator of it now, too.”

Cooper said the program coordinators at GBN and GBS work together closely. Peer Group and the Academy are the only two district-wide programs, she said.

“An important function of the program coordinator is managing the schedules of the seniors who apply to the program,” Cooper said.

During the first semester, 70 senior leaders and 398 freshmen participated in the Peer Group program at GBN, usually meeting in groups of eight to 12, Sullivan said.

“The 70 Peer Group leaders are the most involved seniors in GBN in terms of what they do,” said senior Luke Oberholtzer. “It takes a lot of doing and a lot of maneuvering to get everyone’s schedules to match up. Sully puts together the schedules for all the Peer Group leaders so that everything fits and is balanced between boys and girls and loud people and soft people.”

In addition, the program coordinator must handle situations when too many freshmen or seniors apply to participate, Cooper said.

According to Sullivan, this year, the Peer Group program celebrates its 40th anniversary, having had approximately 24,000 freshman and 5,000 seniors leaders participate.

The program began as a government-funded drug prevention program, but expanded to help freshmen transition to high school, Sullivan said.

Such adaptability to the needs of students is the main reason for the program’s longevity, according to Sullivan.

“We are constantly changing,” said Sullivan. “Every year we change, every week we change, and that’s based on the needs of the kids and the schools.”

Sullivan said she sees many opportunities to extend the program.

In retirement, Sullivan said she hopes to “truly relax” but expects to continue to be involved with the Peer Group program.

“I don’t see myself disconnecting from the school or the program,” said Sullivan. “I’ll definitely be there this summer for training.”

“There are all kinds of opportunities for Peer Group to expand its involvement in school activities,” said Sullivan. “I’d really like to see the program have more activities that bring kids together outside of school, and I think that there is a need for training to continue to grow and change.”