Community invited to help Dist. 59 find new superintendent

With the approaching retirement of Superintendent Daniel Schweers, the District 59 board of education has begun the search for a new superintendent. Community members are invited and encouraged to assist in this process by participating in one of three focus groups being offered Sept. 13 in the auditorium at Friendship Junior High School, 550 Elizabeth Lane, Des Plaines.

Interested community members unable to attend one of these focus groups can instead complete a survey located under “superintendent search” on the District 59 website, www.ccsd59.org, between Sept. 17-28.

Also, paper copies of the survey will be available in each school’s office or at the district administration building.

The focus groups will be held at:

Ÿ 7 p.m. for parents/guardians of current District 59 students

Ÿ 8 p.m. for non-parent community members and business leaders.

Ÿ 6 p.m. an open session for parents, grandparents, seniors, staff, or community members who cannot attend the later sessions.

Harry Rossi and Gary Zabilka, consultants with School Exec Connect, a search firm that specializes in helping school boards with superintendent searches, will lead the focus groups. The purpose of the groups is to review the district’s strengths, challenges and goals, as well as determine the attributes essential for a new superintendent to be successful in District 59.

The information collected by School Exec Connect will be used with data collected last spring as a part of a strategic planning process conducted by the firm ECRA. Together, the information will serve to develop a strong, accurate profile for selecting the best potential candidates for the district’s new superintendent.

If you need child care, call (847) 593-4310 to hold a place. Spanish and Polish interpreters will also be available.