Oak Park elementary schools chief ready for District 116
Round Lake Area Unit District 116's elected board has selected the first superintendent to head the system since 2002, but she needs to clear one more hurdle before her hiring is official.
Oak Park Elementary District 97 Superintendent Constance Collins is in line to head the Round Lake schools beginning July 1. She announced her pending departure to Oak Park Elementary's staff and community Monday.
District 116 board member Nanci Radford said Collins' knowledge of academics and ideas on how to improve parental and community involvement in the schools were among the reasons she's the preferred superintendent pick.
"We need someone that can come in and hit the ground running," Radford said.
Collins, 58, said she intends to stress data-driven decisions regarding District 116's academics. Her accomplishments in Oak Park include creation of new teacher evaluation methods and launching a popular full-day kindergarten at all schools.
"You know, I believe Round Lake is at a tipping point and they have overcome a lot of challenges," Collins said Tuesday. "I think the last rung is student achievement."
District 116's financial affairs have been handled by a special state finance authority for the past eight years. In January, the state panel recommended it end its oversight and return power to District 116's elected school board.
As part of regaining local control, the school board agreed Monday to hire Collins for the 2010-11 academic year. Collins would be the first superintendent since the district was near financial collapse, leading to the state takeover in 2002.
However, Collins won't be officially in at District 116 unless the state finance authority also gives her a thumbs-up at a meeting Thursday.
Outgoing District 116 Chief Executive Officer Ben Martindale said the intent was to allow the elected board alone to select Collins, but the rules didn't allow it as long as the five-member school finance authority exists. It is set to disband in late June.
Martindale said it's unlikely the finance panel would go against District 116's elected board and not hire Collins. Radford said the elected board had full control over the superintendent selection process.
Collins led Zion Elementary District 6 until she joined Oak Park Elementary in July 2005. Her total compensation package at Oak Park is $243,326 for the current academic year.
District 116 officials and Collins declined to reveal her new salary until she's officially hired. She said it would be a five-year contract.
Oak Park District 97 school board President Peter Traczyk congratulated Collins for being selected as the Round Lake area's schools boss.
"We thank Dr. Collins for her years of dedicated service, applaud her many accomplishments and wish her the best in her future endeavors," Traczyk said in a statement.