Dist. 203 discusses what it wants in new chief

The Naperville Unit District 203 community is looking for a new leader who will help it continue its high achievement, communicates well and collaborates effectively, according to recent surveys.

The district's search firm presented its findings to the school board Monday after having interviewed more than 200 administrators, teachers, parents, students and community members to find out what qualities they desire in a replacement for Superintendent Alan Leis.

Leis, who has been at the helm since 2003, is retiring at the end of the school year after more than 40 years in education. The new leader will oversee 21 schools and roughly 18,000 students.

Hank Gmitro, associate with Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, said people want the next superintendent to be a leader who can build on the success it has already achieved.

"The next superintendent does not need to come in and change that mission statement or create a new mission statement or a new direction," he said. "A new superintendent needs to come in and assist the organization in achieving that mission statement and achieving the goals the organization has set."

People also said they want someone with experience at all levels and with a large unit district. However, being a superintendent is not a prerequisite.

"I would feel more comfortable with somebody who was an associate superintendent like Alan was of a large metropolitan, sophisticated, complex district than somebody who was a superintendent in a 500-student district," board President Suzyn Price said. "I think he brought a lot of skills, and someone from a similar area would understand this community."

The school board listed effective communication as a top priority. District stakeholders also say the new leader should actively engage in the community, be able to address the growing diversity of the district, have the ability to oversee finance issues and regularly interact with students, staff, parents and other residents.

Board member Dean Reschke also stressed the importance of vision.

"I guess I worry a lot the world is changing so quickly that we need to be able to try to be a little bit out ahead of it as far as its possible and shape the system into that so we're not reacting five or 10 years late and not preparing our kids well enough," he said.

The search firm will spend the next few months recruiting candidates for the job. School board members will interview the top five or six in mid-January and hope to announce their pick in February.