Insider Todd Stirn chosen as superintent in District 301

Central Community Unit District 301 has selected an insider as its next superintendent.

The school board Monday night appointed Todd Stirn, currently the district's assistant superintendent for administrative services, to the position.

Stirn, of Aurora, will make $144,000 when he takes the helm of the Burlington-based district July 1.

Stirn has worked in District 301 since 2003; first serving as principal of Prairie View Grade School in Elgin before moving to the assistant superintendent job in 2007.

Perks of Stirn's three-year deal include a transportation stipend of $2,400, 20 sick days and 20 vacation days, and a $3,600 paid annuity each year.

Board members unanimously selected Stirn after finishing a three-month process interviewing three professional superintendent search firms.

During that process, outgoing Superintendent Brad Hawk said, all three firms reiterated the same message.

"The advice was that we needed to consider an internal candidate before any of the firms would move forward with an outside search of the district," he said.

After Stirn was interviewed by board members as well as several leadership groups throughout the district this winter, board members said they felt no need to conduct an outside search.

According to a news release, Stirn's "service to the district, his ability to relate with staff and students, his ability to understand the complexities of our school district, his ability to creatively plan for its future and his beliefs in the core values that are the foundation District 301," made him the right candidate.

Stirn said Tuesday he was honored to accept the new position, and that he believes a close relationship with Hawk will help him to transition into his new role.

As superintendent, he said, the district's budget will be his top priority. "Just like the rest of the world, we're experiencing the effects of a very negative economy. Properly managing with the budget, promoting student achievement within confined resources is going to be a challenge."

No one has yet been selected to fill Stirn's current position.