Lake Zurich 95 selects new superintendent
The Lake Zurich Unit District 95 board has selected Kelley Gallt as the district's new superintendent, officials announced Friday.
Gallt, an assistant superintendent in St. Charles Unit District 303, will begin her new job June 18 and will have two weeks of overlap with outgoing Superintendent Kaine Osburn.
"It's my dream job; I'm excited to start," Gallt said. "I like everything about it - that it's a unit district, that a ton of work has been done and that the work that's been done is work I believe in."
Gallt said she really likes Forward95, the district's strategic plan, and plans to follow it. Forward95 was finalized during the first 15 months Osburn was on the job starting in summer 2016.
She'll also oversee another of his signature accomplishments - the $77.6 million bond issue to improve district facilities that was approved by voters last spring. A plan is in place to finish those projects by August 2022. It will replace the 89-year-old May Whitney Elementary School building, install air conditioning in five schools and add so-called 21st-century learning facilities to several buildings.
Osburn took a job as the top administrator at Avoca District 37 in Wilmette, his hometown. District 37 serves prekindergarten through eighth-grade students and feeds into New Trier High School.
He said he wasn't involved in the process that led the school board to choose Gallt and hadn't met her until she was named among the finalists. He said he has enjoyed getting to know her, and everyone in his professional network had only nice things to say about her.
"I'm very happy for District 95. They've gotten to this juncture where they've got a great fit," Osburn said. "I think that Dr. Gallt is an outstanding choice."
The school board began its search in March, soon after Osburn announced his departure.
School board President Scott McConnell said the board is thrilled to welcome Gallt to the district.
"We look forward to Dr. Gallt's leadership as we continue to execute our Forward95 Strategic Plan," McConnell said.
Gallt's contract will be for three years, and the board has the option to extend it.
She earned her bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University, a master's degree in educational administration from Governors State University and a doctorate in education from Aurora University.
Before joining St. Charles 303, Gallt served in administrative roles at school districts in Hinsdale, Yorkville and Plainfield. Gallt taught in elementary schools in Plainfield, Naperville, and Las Vegas.
District 95 spokeswoman Jean Malek said in a news release the district will plan a series of events for the community to meet Gallt in the coming months.