DeKALB – Former DeKalb High School Principal Doug Moeller will be DeKalb School District 428’s next superintendent after a vote by the school board.
At its regular meeting Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to approve a four-year contract that has Moeller replacing retiring Superintendent Jim Briscoe, whose contract expires at the end of June.
“First and foremost, he’s a very qualified candidate,” board President Tom Matya said after the meeting. “Secondly, he’s been a principal in our district. He’s been a leader in our curriculum here in our administration, and he gets the sense of community.”
Moeller was the only candidate interviewed for the position and he’ll be paid a base salary of about $190,000 a year to start, Matya said.
Moeller spent the past two years serving as the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and student services. Before that position and his three years as DeKalb High School principal, Moeller worked as a teacher, dean and assistant principal in Elgin School District 46.
He earned a doctorate in education administration from the University of Illinois in 2010. Before his educational career, Moeller spent a decade in the finance industry as a corporate actuary.
“I’m incredibly excited, thoroughly honored and yet humbled,” Moeller said. “For seven people to say they’re putting their confidence in you to carry out the duties of the superintendent is phenomenal.”
Matya said Moeller’s swift hiring will allow plenty of time to find his successor.
“It’s a very competitive spot,” Matya said. “We’ll be posting that position so that we make sure whether externally or internally, we can attract the best possible candidate for that position.”
Moeller said his work under Briscoe has prepared him to step into the new role seamlessly and that already plans are coming together.
Briscoe spent six years as the district’s superintendent and leaves behind a base salary of about $211,000, Matya said.
“I anticipate a very smooth transition,” Moeller said. “Jim and I have already talked about later in the year how some things will start transitioning from him over to me. ... It’s about maintaining continuity for the district going forward.”