FPS Superintendent Embray Resigns

By Gordon Hopkins Fairbury Public Schools Superintendent has announced his resignation at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.Dr. Devin Embray’s departure makes the third superintendent in four years for FPS. The prior superintendent, Sean Molloy, left in 2024, to accept an assistant superintendent position at Norris School District. Molloy had been with the school district since 2019, when he became the principal at Jefferson Intermediate in Fairbury. In 2021 he became the secondary principal at Fairbury High School.Molloy, in turn, replaced Superintendent Stephen Grizzle in 2023, when Grizzle left to take a job as interim superintendent position for one year at South Central Unified District #5 (Sandy Creek and Lawrence-Nelson). This is just the latest staffing upheaval at FPS. A record number of staff, 26, have departed in 2025, although Embray emphasizes all those positions have been filled.In an email announcing his resignation, Embray wrote, “When I first came to Fairbury as an interim superintendent, I didn’t expect to fall in love so quickly with this district, its people, and the vision our Board of Education has for the future. But over the past year, that’s exactly what happened.“Together, we have accomplished so much, selecting and launching the CLI curriculum model, building the foundation for a strong PLC culture, creating a clear strategic plan with SMART goals, rewriting our MTSS guidebook, enhancing our special education service delivery plan, and implementing an evaluation system that encourages growth. We’ve strengthened our administrative team, begun a master facility plan, expanded art and guidance services at the elementary level, created a part-time communications director role, launched SuperBoard meetings to foster partnerships between the City, County, and School, and are engaged in our second year of Gallup’s Q12 engagement survey to help us continue building a stronger, more engaged district culture. “While my heart is very much here, the reality of the distance I travel each week has taken a toll on my personal life and I have recently found out that my mother is in need of additional care. For these reasons, this will be my final year as superintendent of Fairbury Public Schools. This decision was not made lightly, it comes from a personal need, not from any lack of belief in the incredible work happening here. I believe strongly that the Board of Education will hire a transformational leader to continue the great work that all of you are engaged in as Fairbury truly is a destination district.“I will always treasure the friendships I have made and the shared commitment we have shown to improving our schools for the benefit of our students. Fairbury is on the right path, with the right people, and I have no doubt you will continue to do great things together. “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this journey. You will always have my support, my gratitude, and a special place in my heart.”

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