Despite the emotions deputy superintendent R.J. Gravel faced after finding out he was going to be offered the superintendent position, he still paused to ask himself an important question.
“All of the emotions of enthusiasm, reflection on the past, excitement for what I’ll be able to do moving forward, all of those positive emotions, but also the natural question of, you know, ‘Am I going to be able to be successful?’” Gravel said.
Gravel is scheduled to assume the role of superintendent on July 1, 2025. He will work with current superintendent Charles Johns in the coming months.
“Dr. Gravel on a day-to-day basis shows that he is a high-performing and highly accomplished leader, whether it be the school-based health center, negotiating contracts with our employees or one of a dozen other things accomplished each year,” said Johns. “He is an extraordinarily high-performing leader, and I think it’s great for the district that he’s the next superintendent.”
According to Gravel, creating the Glenbrook Health Center was a proactive way to keep students and staff healthy after the pandemic.
“And so we worked with Congresswoman [Jan] Schakowsky,” said Gravel. “We were able to procure about a $250,000 grant, and I led the proposal and recommendation, and ultimately the building of it at Glenbrook South, and we’re currently evaluatinghow we can add a satellite Health Center at Glenbrook North for students to attend right here.”
Outside of work, Gravel enjoys reading, spending time with family and playing instruments such as the piano and the pipe organ. He attended high school at Maine West and participated in fencing, played the viola and sang in the choir.
Gravel loves being with others and creating music, using the word ‘symphony’ to describe how different parts come together to work as a collective force, which is what he tries to achieve at school, he said.
“The Glenbrook staff is truly unique because of its student-centered approach that prioritizes the well-being and success of all students, providing all of the support and resources they need to thrive,” Gravel said.
One of the big efforts the district will be working on is the finalization of the master facilities plan this spring, which includes building projects the district intends to complete in the coming years, Gravel said.
“Maybe that involvesfinishing the renovation of all student bathrooms,” said Gravel. “Maybe that involves new bleachers and a new stadium entrance at Glenbrook North. Maybe that involves reenvisioning the Little Theater and creating moreflexible space for students to gather and work collaboratively. That plan will be the result of a lot of conversations and a lot of feedback, and I’m looking forward to leading that, starting after spring break.”
“I’m excited to be able to transition to this final phase of my career in a district that I’ve come to truly love, and appreciate the absolute supportive nature of our parents, the vast array of skills that our students have, and really being able to be part of two diverse and dynamic communities, Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South,” Gravel said.