Fremont School District 79 names next superintendent
At its April 13 special meeting, the Fremont School District 79 Board of Education unanimously approved the hiring and contract of Dr. Trisha Kocanda as the superintendent of schools, effective July 1.
"We're thrilled to announce Trisha Kocanda as our next superintendent of schools," FSD79 Board of Education President Gabriela Whipple said.
"Her proven track record as an educator and administrator, including her extensive experience as a superintendent, made her stand out from an impressive pool of candidates. Her passion for education and dedication to building strong relationships perfectly aligned with our superintendent leadership profile."
BWP & Associates facilitated the search process. Dr. Kocanda was selected from a national pool of 29 candidates and six finalists. Along with the FSD79 board, administrators, teachers and support staff, and community members were involved in a series of focus groups as part of the selection process.
"It is an absolute honor to be named the next superintendent of Fremont School District 79," Kocanda said.
"I look forward to working alongside our staff, students, and community to ensure that every child benefits from an exemplary education.
"FSD79 is recognized as a high-performing district for its commitment to personalized learning, quality educators, financial stewardship, and modernized facilities. Together, we will continue on the successful journey to take our schools to the next level and reach our vision of preparing today's child for tomorrow's world."
Kocanda currently is the superintendent for Winnetka Public Schools District 36, an elementary school district consisting of five schools that serve approximately 1,600 students. Prior to her appointment as superintendent in July 2014, Kocanda served as an assistant superintendent at District 36 for four years, overseeing curriculum, instruction and assessment from 2010-13 and personnel and educational programming from 2013-14.
Kocanda came to Winnetka from North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, where she spent five years as an associate principal before becoming a learning coordinator and then the executive director of curriculum and instruction.
She began her educational career as a middle school teacher for Arlington Heights School District 25 from 1999-2005.
Kocanda earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a doctorate in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as a master's degree in educational administration from Aurora University.
She succeeds Dr. Bill Robertson as the FSD79 superintendent. Robertson resigned to pursue other professional opportunities, effective March 31.
Dr. Pam Motsenbocker is currently serving as the interim superintendent.
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