Facing a persistent staffing shortage for a critical role, the New Lenox School District 122 Board of Education has renewed its contract with an outside agency to provide a school psychologist for the 2025-2026 school year.

The board approved a contract with The Stepping Stones Group, LLC, to continue providing the services of a contracted psychologist. According to the administration, the district has been actively trying to hire for the position since January, interviewing all applicants and offering the post to multiple candidates, but it has remained unfilled.

The Stepping Stones Group provided a psychologist for the district during the 2024-2025 school year. A memo from the special education department noted that the contracted psychologist “has performed the job responsibilities exceptionally well and is interested in continuing in the position.”

The contract addendum specifies the district will be billed at a rate of $120 per hour for 22.5 hours per week. The psychologist is scheduled to work three days a week, 7.5 hours per day, from August 2025 through May 2026.

The board approved the renewal as part of its consent agenda.