CALUMET CITY | Lincoln School students and staff were introduced Tuesday to Lincoln Elementary District 156's next superintendent.

The school board on Monday approved the hiring of Darryl Taylor as superintendent, effective July 1. He will replace retiring Superintendent David F. Grace who is stepping down as of June 30.

Taylor is being given a three-year contract. He will receive a salary of $125,000 plus benefits during the first year of that contract.

Taylor comes to the Calumet City district with 21 years of experience in education. He currently works as associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction at Charleston Community Unit School District 1 in Charleston. He has served in that capacity for two years.

The unit school district serves about 3,000 students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 12.

Before that, Taylor was an elementary school principal in Rock Island for eight years at a school serving students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 6. He also is a former high school science and math teacher and basketball coach.

Taylor said coming to District 156 is a great opportunity to continue the strong teaching and learning practices that have been established.

He said he also is excited about the chance to return to the Chicago area, to an urban school district where the needs of students are so great and diverse.

"Seeing how Lincoln was able to meet those needs," he said, "made it so attractive."

A 1981 graduate of Dunbar High School in Chicago, Taylor grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes on the city's South Side.

He received a bachelor's degree in math and science from Augustana College and a master's degree in education administration and an educational specialist degree in education administration from Western Illinois University. He has completed his course work and is now working on his dissertation for his doctoral degree at Illinois State University.

Taylor and his wife, Venessa, have four daughters and one granddaughter.

A resident of Charleston, Taylor said he plans to relocate to the south suburbs.