SD 135 OKs hiring supt. search consultant

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Updated: March 2, 2012 8:13AM

Orland School District 135 hopes to offer a contract to a superintendent candidate by May, and will hire the Illinois Association of School Boards to help with the search.

School board trustees on Monday approved hiring the IASB, at a cost not to exceed $8,000, to help find a replacement for Paul Howell, who has gone back to his former job as District 135’s curriculum director.

Temporarily replacing Howell is Dennis Soustek, a Tinley Park resident who retired as the district’s superintendent in June 2010 after four years on the job.

Dawn Miller, a consultant for the IASB, said the board conducts about 60 percent of the searches for superintendents and assistant superintendents for districts around the state.

“This is a nice district. I am not worried about the number of candidates, just the quality of candidates,” Miller said Monday. “There are some really good ones out there right now. The numbers may be down in terms of candidates, but the quality is still there. I’m convinced that we can find top-notch people.”

A survey designed to get public input on the search is set to go out to district parents, who will also be kept in the loop with updates during the search process.

Miller asked about the possibility of internal candidates within the district and how the board wanted them to be treated. The board indicated that while they are not aware of any internal candidates for the job, all applicants will be screened equally.

Miller said potential finalists for the job will be presented to the school board at its April 9 meeting, with school board members making site visits to finalists’ home districts during the week of April 23. The board would like to offer a contract to the top candidate sometime in May, with the new superintendent starting the job July 1.