High hopes for new Dist. 203 leader
Area leaders say they hope the next person to take the helm of Naperville Unit District 203 will be a lot like the current superintendent.
The district has already started the process of finding a replacement for Superintendent Alan Leis, who is retiring at the end of the school year after about 40 years in education. He has been with the district since 2003.
School board President Suzyn Price said she would like a strong leader and a good listener.
"As a parent and board member I think we're looking for somebody who can build off what Alan has already started, and what we've been doing and continue to strengthen the curriculum, steward resources effectively and responsibly, and those are all of our resources - our taxpayer resources, human resources, facility resources - to maximize their potential," Price said.
The district's search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, recently met with dozens of community groups as well as parents, staff and other residents to get their input on what they would like to see in a new superintendent.
The school board will get a full report of its findings when it meets at 6:15 p.m. today at the district administrative center, 203 W. Hillside Road.
In the meantime, area leaders shared their thoughts on qualities they deem important.
IdaLynn Wenhold, executive director of KidsMatter, said Leis has always put children first, and she hopes the new superintendent will do the same.
"For KidsMatter the number one priority would be an individual who really sees young people, children and teens, as the best investment a community can make and will therefore really formulate his principles and actions around that philosophy," she said.
The Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation is still crafting its official superintendent wish list but had some preliminary thoughts.
"In general, the comments and feelings certainly are that we're looking to have someone that has the experience, background, personality and qualifications ... Dr. Leis has himself," said president Chuck Schlabach.
He said the district should consider someone from within, such as Kennedy Junior High Principal Don Perry.
As the head of a school system himself, Indian Prairie Unit District 204 Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said there are eight or nine crucial areas a superintendent should be knowledgeable about - planning, pedagogy, assessment, management, professional development, leadership and community relations. Curriculum is also on his list.
"That extends to global curriculum, rigor in curriculum, what's going on, the latest," Daeschner said. "When I started my career we weren't even talking about technological curriculum. Today ... that's almost as established a curriculum as reading, writing and math."
The school board hopes to select its new superintendent this winter.