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LOCKPORT – Fairmont School District 89 officials are searching for a new leader who may start in July.
A search committee at the Lockport district has been at work since January to bring in a new superintendent who will take over for interim superintendent Lela Bridges-Webb.
Assisting the search committee is the Illinois Association of School Boards, which has posted on its website the opening for the position with a start date of July 1.
“We’re trying to search for the best possible person for this position and we value input from everybody,” said Louis Spoonhour, board member and co-chairman of the search committee.
The seven-member search committee – consisting of parents, teachers, board members and one administrator – has developed characteristics for the ideal candidate.
The committee has also developed an online survey asking the community about what characteristics the new superintendent should have, he said.
Spoonhour said he would expect the selection for a new superintendent to take place in May.
Bridges-Webb said she had no plans to continue as superintendent because she is retired and limited to working 100 days. According to her June 30 contract, Bridges-Webb is limited to 100 work days – five hours each day – for the 2016-17 school year.
She said District 89 is a wonderful place to work.
“I have been embraced by the staff, parents and the board. I am just hopeful they will get a good fit for that district. I just think that district has so much promise,” she said.
The board on Jan. 18 approved the search committee, which is co-chaired by Spoonhour and board Vice President Richard Myers. The board is expected to receive a presentation from Illinois Association of School Board at its regular meeting Wednesday on the desired characteristics for the new superintendent.
Bridges-Webb was hired by the board last summer as the interim leader after the resignation of former Superintendent Sonya Whitaker, who moved on to lead Harvey School District 152.
Whitaker's resignation May 18 followed a period during which board President Katie Ulmer and Joseph Ryan, former vice president, clashed over several district issues.
Ryan resigned from the board last June, citing disagreements with other board members.
Whitaker and the board were also previously sued by a former employee. The federal lawsuit ended with a settlement in which the board agreed to pay the former employee and her attorneys through the district’s insurer.