U-46 OKs deal for superintendent search

Elgin Area School District U-46 school board members Monday night unanimously approved a contract for a Milwaukee-based firm to conduct a search for a new superintendent.

Proact Search Inc. will now officially embark on its quest to find a replacement for outgoing Superintendent Connie Neale.

Neale, who is now living in Missouri, submitted her resignation in October. She will remain on the district's payroll until February.

Interim Superintendent Mary Jayne Broncato is now head of the state's second largest school system.

Under the contract, the district agrees to pay the firm a $27,000 fee for its services. In addition to the flat fee, the board will reimburse Proact for up to $18,000 of search expenses, which include background checks on finalists, travel expenses, supplies, advertising and technology expenses. The firm projects candidate travel to cost approximately $8,000.

In November, board members voted to hire Proact after interviewing three other firms. Proact, the highest bidder, agreed to knock $3,000 off of its initial $30,000 fee.

Proact stood out for its unique proposals for involving the community in the search, school board President Ken Kaczynski said.

Tony Sanders, U-46 chief communications officer, said the district is working with Proact to set up public engagement meetings between now and the end of January.

Community forums and focus groups will take place Jan. 8-11, after students return from holiday break, he said. Additionally, an electronic survey, to pinpoint which qualities U-46 community members desire most in a superintendent, will be available online from late December through the end of January.

Sanders noted intensive recruiting efforts won't get under way until after the holidays.

Though Proact aims to have a new superintendent in place by next May, Kaczynski said, the process shouldn't be rushed.

"Our goals should be to hire the right superintendent, not adhere to a timeline," Kaczynski said.