Kaneland School District 302 board members have begun the process of searching for the district’s next superintendent, as current Superintendent Todd Leden has announced he will retire at the end of the 2025 school year.
Leden began as superintendent in the Kaneland School District on July 1, 2015.
Board President Addam Gonzales thanked the superintendent for his leadership over the years.
“Dr. Leden has been a dedicated superintendent guiding Kaneland for the past nine years. We are grateful for his excellent service as he prepares to retire,” Gonzales said at the Oct. 11 board meeting.
District 302 officials say they have developed a plan to partner with community stakeholders, parents, teachers, administrators and support staff in order to ensure “a smooth transition.”
Leden will be part of the transition for the next year-and-a-half, officials said.
“I am looking forward to assisting as the board makes this transitional shift and eventual replacement,” Leden said.
The board will partner with the Kaneland community on the search for a new superintendent, Gonzales said, noting the board has opted not to hire an outside consultant for the process.
“The board has decided to take on this task so that we can make the best decision for our community,” Gonzales said.
While it’s going to be a lot of work over the next couple of months, the board “is committed to put in the time and effort” that’s involved in the search process, he said.
“We are definitely going to ask for the community’s input at all levels because it is an important decision. It may be one of the most important decisions we make as a legacy for this board,” Gonzales said.
The district has developed a search process and timeline that begins with a needs assessment to identify what the community is looking for in a superintendent. An online survey is available through Oct. 27 at www.kaneland.org/superintendent-search.
“We will review the applicants and based on the needs and community feedback, we will identify which candidates would be the best option,” Gonzales said.
The other phases include candidate screenings, evaluation and hiring.
“The community is going to have a vital role in this at all ends. We need you,” Gonzales said.
As part of the process, the board is inviting the Kaneland school community to participate in a focus group with the district’s appointed Citizens Advisory Committee at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Kaneland Harter Middle School, 1601 Esker Drive in Sugar Grove. Participants are encouraged to RSVP via email at [email protected].
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According to the timeline for the process, consideration of feedback of survey results will be done at the end of the month. The board will review candidate applications on Oct. 30. A first-round of interviews will be done Nov. 6. Finalists will be interviewed by the board on Nov. 29.
An announcement of a new superintendent is slated for Dec. 11.
“By initiating this process now, the board works to ensure the incoming superintendent will be available to listen, learn and focus on building trust and relationships in the community before starting,” Gonzales said.
By not hiring an outside consultant for the process, School District 302 will save money, officials said. They said the cost of hiring a consultant would range from $10,000 to $25,000.
“The goal is to do it internally to save money but also to identify what the community’s wants and needs are,” Gonzales said.
Information on the process of finding the next superintenent is available at www.kaneland.org/superintendent-search.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.