One on one with the new Superintendent of Niles Community Schools

Niles Community Schools are in a transition period. New Superintendent Dr. Dan Applegate is taking over after teachers accused his predecessor of bullying.

Dr. Applegate comes from years and years of experience in Niles schools, and he says he's ready to hit the ground running.

“Nearly my entire professional career has been in Niles,” says Dr. Applegate.

He started as a school psychiatrist before taking over the special education department. Then he became the Director of Instruction.

“I felt like I had the knowledge, I had the experience, I felt like I could help,” says Dr. Applegate.

He says his biggest passion is working with special needs students and his biggest goal has your child's needs in mind.

“I'd like to somehow see fixed our school security systems,” says Dr. Applegate.

Recently, Niles Schools made headlines after teachers and other administrators accused former Superintendent Richard Weigel of bullying.

After a petition was signed for his termination, he resigned.

Dr. Applegate wouldn't go into detail but he did say he never had a problem with Weigel.

“What I would say about the superintendent before me was that he was very creative and he had a lot of innovative ideas,” says Dr. Applegate.

Now, it's Applegate's turn to see his ideas turn into results.

He will starting taking on his role as Superintendent sometime in April. He says he has some unfinished business at his current position with Saint Mary's College.