Superintendent search ‘on schedule’ in Dist. 204
Indian Prairie Unit District 204’s search for a superintendent to succeed Kathy Birkett is progressing on schedule, and board members plan to choose a candidate for the job by late February or early March.
School board President Lori Price said board members who reviewed resumes during a recent closed meeting “were very impressed with the candidates” that poured in from across the country through Iowa-based search firm Ray and Associates, Inc.
The board was set to continue its review of potential superintendents during a closed session Wednesday evening and has another one scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
School board members and district officials have not said exactly how many responses they received to their call for superintendent applicants, but interest in the position leading one of the state’s larger school districts is said to be strong.
District 204 educates about 29,000 students from parts of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield.
The district has been searching for a superintendent since September, when it hired Ray and Associates for a base fee of $25,000 after Birkett announced she will retire at the end of this school year.
Birkett began her 35-year career with the district as a physical education teacher at Waubonsie Valley High School. Students who attended the school board’s Monday night meeting asked Birkett to address the class of 2014 at Waubonsie’s Valley graduation ceremony in May, and she said she was honored to be invited.