Des Plaines Dist. 62 board interviewing superintendent candidates
Des Plaines Elementary School District 62 board members will meet behind closed doors this weekend to interview candidates for superintendent, with the goal of making a selection by January.
The seven-member board, with the assistance of search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, has been looking for a new leader to take the helm of the district after Superintendent Jane Westerhold's retirement takes effect next June.
Two closed session meetings are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday morning to interview a slate of candidates identified by the search firm, said board President Stephanie Duckmann.
The board was presented with the list of candidates and their resumes to review during a closed-session meeting Monday, Duckmann said.
"I'm confident the search firm has given us a great slate of candidates to choose from," she said.
After the last round of interviews Sunday, the board will huddle to winnow the list down to three finalists. Those three will be asked back for another round of interviews.
The board could vote to hire one of them at its December or January board meetings.
The search process began in earnest in the fall when the search firm conducted focus group interviews with the board, administrators, teachers and staff members. The firm also hosted a community forum and put up an online survey to solicit feedback on characteristics people would like to see in a new superintendent.
That leadership profile has assisted in matching characteristics with candidates to interview, Duckmann said.
Westerhold is retiring after 11 years as District 62's superintendent.